To avoid collisions, AGVs must reliably detect the distances and contours of objects in their environment. For this purpose, the SmartRunner Explorer 3-D vision sensor generates high-resolution 3-D point clouds. These form the basis for three-dimensional maps from which the controller determines a collision-free route.

Safe use of heavy-duty AGVs in outdoor areas places special demands on sensor technology. The dimensions of the vehicles and the associated large monitoring area must be taken into account, as well as weather influences. Radar sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs are ideally suited for this task, as they are not very susceptible to interferences caused by rain, fog, wind or dust while at the same time offering a detection range of more than 25 meters.

During order picking operations, small-scale vehicles such as bots are used to transport the required racks through the logistics center. The R2300 3-D LiDAR sensor supports the navigation of these autonomous vehicles and provides reliable protection against collisions. With its high angular resolution, it delivers precise environment detection that enables AGVs to lift and safely transport racks from the warehouse to the picking station.

Self-propelled cleaning robots are often used in office buildings and shopping centers. They detect obstacles automatically and drive around them. However, some obstacles such as doors and walls made of glass are difficult for optical sensors to detect. Therefore, ultrasonic sensors of the 30GM or L2 series, for example, are used to reliably detect objects—regardless of their optical properties as well as dirt, ambient, and weather conditions.