An automated guided vehicle system (AGVS) is a path network along which computer-controlled, driverless vehicles transport loads. One of the modeling requirements of AGVS is to accurately describe the method for controlling traffic. You can usually accomplish this in one of two ways:
Zone The most common method of traffic control, it involves placing control points along the guide path. Each point usually allows only one vehicle to access it any one time, thus blocking any other vehicle from entering any segment of the path connected to that point. Once the vehicle leaves a control point to travel to the next point on the path, any vehicle waiting for access to the freed control point can resume travel.
On-Board Vehicle Sensing Works by having a sensor on-board the vehicle that detects the presence of a vehicle ahead of it and stops until it detects that the vehicle ahead of it has moved.
Modeling an AGVS is very similar to modeling an industrial vehicle, such as a lift truck, (which it is in a sense) except you control the operation more and there exists less freedom of movement. Paths are generally unidirectional and do not allow vehicle passing.
One of the challenges in modeling an AGVS is finding the shortest routes between any two stops in a system. ProModel provides built-in capability to automatically determine the shortest routes between points in a complex network.
Simulating your AGV system will help you address design and operational issues, answering the following questions:
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