Automatic guided vehicles (AGV) based material handling systems have become the most widely used method of transporting pallets and parts between workstations in flexible manufacturing systems. Their primary advantages include increased routing flexibility, space utilization, safety, and reduced overall operational cost. Key issues to address during the design of an AGV system include selection of AGV platform, flow path design, and fleet size determination. During run time AGV system functionality includes: system management, (AGV allocation), navigation (establishing conflict free routes), and load transfer (material pick up and deposit mechanisms). Autonomous AGV systems offer numerous advantages in comparison to traditional systems. The following chapter will discuss the state-of-the-art in AGV systems concentrating on AGV run time functionality and AGV system performance measurement.
Optimal Supervisory Control for Flexible Manufacturing Systems Model With Petri Nets: A Place-Transition Control