RFID Guides AGVs Along the Right Path

Application:

AGVs that can determine their path position are frequently used in logistics and manufacturing environments. Determining the precise position of parked goods allows the AGV to quickly find temporarily-parked goods.

Using absolute positioning automates the material handling process and allows the location of both the goods and the AGV to be tracked reliably throughout the plant.

Requirements:

Robust RFID tags that can be mounted in the floor. RFID readers mounted on the AGV must have sufficient read range with a suitable lateral tolerance. When a RFID tag must be replaced, the data contents of the replacement must match that of the original tag. Because AGVs are frequently powered though an inductive loop, the RFID solution must offer ample EMC resistance.
 

Customer advantage:

• High degree of automation and precise system status 
• No misplaced material

Most modern AGVs employ inductive energy coupling. Consequently, any product used on the AGV must offer ample EMC resistance in order to reliably work in the environment of large electromagnetic fields. AGVs travel along pre-programmed paths that can be changed to address different manufacturing demands. The absolute position of the AGV is determined by reading floor-mounted RFID tags.

Using this information along with data concerning the goods carried by the AGV allows the control system to create a simple lookup table so that the position of all products – on and off the AGV – is always known. This method is also suitable to determine the position of forklifts, cranes, skids, and similar material handling systems.