An automated guided vehicle (AGV) is a material handling system that uses independently operated, self-propelled vehicles guided along defined pathways. There are three main types of AGVs: driveless trains for moving heavy payloads over long distances; pallet trucks for moving palletized loads along predetermined routes; and unit load AGVs for moving unit loads between stations, often equipped for automatic loading and unloading. Mathematical equations can describe the operation of AGV systems, taking into account factors like loading/unloading times, travel times and distances, reliability, and traffic congestion. Performance metrics include the rate of deliveries per vehicle, number of vehicles required, and system workload.

2. • IT’S A PART OF ‘MATERIAL TRANSPORT SYSTEMS’
AND COME UNDER ‘VEHICLE-BASED SYSTEMS’.
• AGV IS A MATERIAL HANDELING SYSTEM THAT
USES INDEPENDENTLY OPERATED,SELF
PROPELLED VEHICLES GUIDED ALONG DEFINED
PATHWAYS.
TYPES OF AGV:
• DRIVELESS TRAINS
• PALLET TRUCKS
• UNIT LOAD AGVs

3. • First type of AGVS to
be introduced around
1954
• Common application
is moving heavy
payloads over long
distances in
warehouses and
factories without
intermediate stops
along the route

4. • Used to move
palletized loads along
predetermined routes
• Vehicle is backed into
loaded pallet by
worker; pallet is then
elevated from floor
• Worker drives pallet
truck to AGV guide
path and programs
destination

5. • Used to move unit loads from station to station
• Often equipped for automatic loading/unloading of pallets
and tote pans using roller conveyors, moving belts, or
mechanized lift platforms

6. • TWO GRAPHICAL TOOLS ARE USED FOR
DISPLAYING & ANALYSING THE DATA IN THESE
DELIVERIES:
1.FROM-TO-CHART
IT’S A TABLE THAT CAN BE USED TO INDICATE
MATERIAL FLOW DATA AND DISTANCES B/W
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.
2. NETWORK DIAGRAM
THESE CAN ALSO BE USED TO INDICATE THE
SAME INFORMATION. IT CONSISTS OF NODES AND
ARROWS{INDICATE THE RELATIONSHIP B/W
NODES}.
IN MATERIAL HANDELING NODES REPRESENT
LOCATIONS{LOAD & UNLOAD STNS}, THE ARROWS
REPRESENT MATERIAL FLOW & DISTANCES B/W

8. • MATHEMATICAL EQUATIONS CAN BE USED TO
DESCRIBE THE OPERATION OF VEHICLE BASED
MATERIAL TRANSPORT SYSTEMS.
• ASSUMPTIONS:
1.VEHICAL OPERATES AT A CONSTANT VELOCITY
THROUGHOUT ITS OPERATION.
2.IGNORING EFFECTS OF ACCELERATION,
DECELERATION, & OTHER SPEED DIFFERENCES THAT
MIGHT DEPEND ON THAT WHETHER VEHICAL IS
TRAVELLING LOADED OR EMPTY.
3.THE TIME FOR TYPICAL DELIVERY CYCLE CONSISTS OF:
• LOADING AT THE PICKUP STN.
• TRAVEL TIME TO THE DROP-OFF STN.
• UNLOADING AT THE DROP-OFF STN.
• EMPTY TRAVEL TIME OF VEHICLE B/W DELIVERIES.

10. • THE T(C) CALCULATED MUST BE CONSIDERED AN
IDEAL VALUE, AS IT IGNORES ANY TIME
LOSSESDUE TO RELIABILITY PROBLEM, TRAFFIC
CONGESTION & OTHER FACTORS THAT MAY SLOW
DOWN A DELIVERY.
• NOT ALL DELIVERY CYCLES ARE SAME.
ORGANISATIONS AND DESTINATIONS MAY BE
DIFFERENT FROM ONE DELIVERY TO THE NEXT.
WHICH WILL AFFECT L(D) & L(E) TERMS.
• SO THESE TERMS ARE CONSIDERED AS AVERAGE
VALUES FOR LOADED & EMPTY DISTANCES
TRAVELLED BY THE VEHICLE.
• WE CAN CALCULATE TWO PARAMETERS-
1.RATE OF DELIVERIES PER VEHICLE
2.NO. OF VEHICLES REQUIRED

11. • THE POSSIBLE TIME LOSSES INCLUDE IN AGVs-
1.AVAILABILITY(A)
IT’S A RELIABILITY FACTOR DEFINED AS
PROPORTION OF TOTAL SHIFT TIME THAT THE
VEHICLE IS OPERATIONAL & NOT BE BROKEN
DOWN OR BEING REPAIRED.
2.TRAFFIC CONGESTION
‘TRAFFIC FACTORF(T)’ IS CONSIDERED FOR THIS
PURPOSE.
IT INCLUDES-
• WAITING AT INTERSECTIONS
• BLOCKING OF VEHICLES(MAINLY IN AGVs)
• WAITING IN A QUEUE AT LOAD/UNLOAD STN.

12. • IF THESE SITUATIONS DO NOT OCCUR THEN
F(T)=1.
• AS BLOCKING INCREASES, VALUE OF F(T)
DECREASES.
• WAITING AND TRAFFIC IS AFFECTED DUE THE NO.
OF VEHICLES IN USE IN SAME PATH ETC.
• IF THERE IS ONE VEHICLE, THEN NO BLOCKING
SHOULD OCCUR, AND THE TRAFFIC FACTOR WILL
BE 1(ONE).
• TYPICAL VALUES OF TRAFFIC FACTOR FOR AN
AGVS RANGE FROM 0.85 TO 1.0.

13. • AVAILABLE TIME-
AT = 60 * A * F(T) * E(W)
WHERE,
AT-AVAILABLE TIME E(W)-WORKER EFFICIENCY
A- AVAILABILITY F(T)-TRAFFIC FACTOR
• RATE OF DELIVERIES PERVEHICLE-
R(DV) = [AT/T(C)]
WHERE,
R(DV)-HOURLY DELIVERY RATE/VEHICLE
T(C)- DELIVERY TIME

14. • WORKLOAD-
IT IS DEFINED AS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF WORK,
EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF TIME, THAT MUST BE
ACCOMPLISHED BY THE MATERIAL
TRANSPORTSYSTEM IN 1 HOUR.
WL = R(f)* T(C)
WHERE,
R(F)-SPECIFIED FLOW RATE OF TOTAL
DELIVERIES/ HOUR FOR THE SYSTEM