Minimum aisle width path planning for automated guided vehicles (AGVs)

Abstract

Automated guided vehicle systems (AGVSs) are often used to transfer materials from one location to another in industrial environments. Due to the high cost of floor space and ever-present safety concerns, facilities that use automated guided vehicles (AGVs) must be particularly concerned with the path planning of these vehicles. A path that minimizes the required aisle widths for maneuvers can lower costs by improved floor space utilization and increased safety. This paper introduces research that investigates solution procedures and algorithms for determining minimum aisle width paths for nonholonomic mobile robots. The goal will be to determine the path that results in a global minimum aisle width. The research will provide additional insight to understanding the interactions between vehicle kinematics, vehicle shape, environment characteristics, and the path. The research will enable new and old plant layouts as well as vehicle designs to be evaluated and improved. Environments and vehicles typically found in industrial settings will be studied. This research can also contribute to areas outside industrial environments such as roadway design and general mobile robots.