The Basics of Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems

Applications: Towing

AGVS towing applications were the earliest and are still the most numerous AGV type. Towing applications can involve the bulk movement of product into and out of warehouse areas or direct service to a manufacturing/assembly operation. Usually side path spurs are placed in receiving or shipping areas so that trains can be loaded or unloaded off the main line and thereby not hinder the movement of other trains on the main path.

Chain movement of product with AGVS trains is also popular. In this case, the AGVS trains are loaded with product destined for specific destinations along the guide path route. The train will make several stops in order for the product to be unloaded at the correct locations.

Trains systems are generally used where movement of product is over long distances, sometimes between buildings, outdoors or in very large distributed systems where the runs are long. Since each train can move as much as 16 pallet loads at a given time, this becomes a very efficient method and can usually be justified easily based on the elimination of fork trucks or manual trains and operators.