The Basics of Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems

Applications: Unit Load

AGVS unit load applications - usually involve specific mission assignments for individual load movement. Unit load carriers are quite popular in applications integrating conveyors with manufacturing/assembly operations or storage retrieval systems. Here they area a very efficient means for horizontal transportation between hardware intensive material handling subsystems. The unit load carrier, over moderate distances, can move high volumes of material linking other automated subsystems in a totally integrated facility. Usually the unit load systems involve an automatic pickup and delivery of product with remote management of the vehicles in the system.

Unit load carriers are normally used in warehousing and distribution systems where the guide path lengths are relatively short, but the volumes are high. Here the unit load carriers have the ability to maneuver in tight areas where AGVS trains would be too awkward to use. Load transfer to conveyors or load stands is easily accomplished with unit load carriers either using roller decks or lift/lower decks. The unit load carriers allow good system versatility for product movement because they usually operate independent of one another and can pass each other to get to specific destinations.