1Dept. of IPE, GITAM Institute of Technology, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam.
2Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India.
Automated guided vehicle System (AGVS) is a popular horizontal material handling system for transportation of raw material, in-process items and finished goods in industrial applications. AGVS are particularly useful in case where products are fragile or potentially dangerous to humans and need to be handled carefully. In plant layouts, machine modules, transshipment terminals the guidance of AGVS is purely based on the applied routing methods. Research in this area is directed towards the development of a path layout design and routing algorithms for vehicle movement, which are based on the capacity and features of AGVS. The routing algorithm will route the AGVS, so that the distance traveled can be minimized. The present problem is based on simultaneous assignment and scheduling of the vehicles for pickup and delivery problems with split loads (PDPSL) performed by single AGVS. The routing algorithm provides necessary conditions, mathematical relationships required in utilizing the AGVS in plant layouts and machine modules. The approach consists of a master problem modeled with linear programming and the sub problem with number of constraint equations. The method presented herein allows scheduling and routing of single or multiple AGVS. Capacity utilization of AGV is compared with conventional methods to analyze the performance of the proposed model.
Automated Guided vehicles, Pick up and delivery problems with split loads, guide path design
