ANALYSIS OF AGV SYSTEMS

The analysis of AGV systems is used to determine

(i) the number of AGV’s required
(ii) cycle times
(iii) handling system efficiency
The acceleration, deceleration
and other effects that influence the speed are ignored
Assumption in the analysis of AGV systems are
(i) The vehicle operates at a constant speed of V
(ii) The acceleration, deceleration and other effects that influence the
speed are ignored

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 Total cycle time per delivery per vehicle
The time for a typical delivery cycle in the operation of the vehicle includes
 loading at the pick up station
 unloading at the drop off stations
 travel time to the drop off station
 empty travel time of the vehicle between deliveries
Therefore the total cycle time per delivery per vehicle is given by
Tv = Tl + Tu + Ld/v + Le/v ... (1)
Where, Tv = Delivery cycle time (min./delivery)
Tl =Pick up time (min.)
Tu =Drop off time (min.)
Th = Tl + Tu = Handling time (min)
Ld = Distance the vehicle travels between load and unload station (m)
Le = Distance the vehicle travels empty until the start of next delivery cycle
(m)
v = velocity (m/min.) Material Handling Equipment - 2
 Determination of number of AGVs
Required
The delivery cycle time can be used to determine the rate of deliveries per vehicle and number of
vehicles required.
The hourly rate of deliveries per vehicle is 60 minutes divided by the delivery cycle time Tv, with
adjusting for any time losses during the hour.
The possible time losses include availability, traffic congestion and efficiency of manual drivers.
Traffic factor (Ft) accounts and lies between 0.85 and 1.
Number of deliveries per hour per vehicle = 60 Ft/Tv ... (2)
Number of deliveries per hour per vehicle = (60 Eh)/(Ld/v) ... (3)
Where Eh = handling system efficiency
= {(Ld/v) × Ft}/(Ld/v + Th + Le/v) ... (4)
Number of AGVs required = Number of deliveries required per hour
Number of deliveries/hour/vehicle
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 EXAMPLE : 1

Following are the data of AGV system:

Vehicle Velocity = 45 m/min.
Average distance traveled/delivery = 135m
Pick up time = 45 sec., Drop off time = 45sec.
Average distance traveling empty = 90 m, Traffic factor = 0.9
Determine the number of vehicles required to satisfy the delivery demand if the
delivery demand is 40 deliveries per hour. Also determine the handling system
efficiency.

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 EXAMPLE : 1 …

Solution: Ld = 135 m, Le = 90 m, Tl = 45 sec = 0.75 min, Tu = 45 sec = 0.75

min,
Th = Tl + Tu = 0.75 min. + 0.75 min = 1.5 min.,
v = 45 m/min. and Ft = 0.9
Total cycle time per delivery per vehicle is given by Tv = Th + Ld/v + Le/v
= 0.75 + 0.75 + 135/45 + 90/45 = 6.45 min.
The number of delivery per hour per vehicle = 60 Ft/Tv
= 60 × 0.9/6.45 = 8.37 deliveries/hour/vehicle
Number of vehicles required = Number of deliveries required per hour
Number of deliveries/hour/vehicle Material Handling Equipment - 5
 EXAMPLE : 1 …

= 40 delivery/hour
8.37 deliveries/hour/vehicle
= 4.82
= 5vehicles
Handling system efficiency = {(Ld/v) × Ft}/{(Ld/v) + Th + (Le/v)}
= {(135/45) × 0.9}/{(135/45) + 1.5 + (90/45)}
= 0.4154
= 41.54 %
 EXAMPLE : 2 …
Given the AGVS layout shown in Figure 10.15. Vehicles travel
counterclockwise around the loop to deliver loads from the load station to
the unload station. Loading time at the load station
= 0.75 min, and unloading time at the unload station =
0.50 min. It is desired to determine how many vehicles are required to
satisfy demand for this layout if a total of 40del/hr must be completed by
the AGVS. The following performance parameters are given: vehicle
velocity = 50m/min, availability = 0.95,trafficfaetor =
0.90,andoperator efficiency
does not apply, so E = 1.0. Determine: (a) travel distances loaded and
empty, (b) ideal delivery cycle time, and (c) number of vehicles required to
satisfy the delivery demand.
EXAMPLE : 2 …

AGV AGV’S LOOP LAYOUT

 EXAMPLE : 2 …
((a) Ignoring effects of slightly shorter distances around the curves at corners of the
loop, the values of La and Le, are readily determined from the layout to be 110 m
and 80 rn, respectively.
(b) Ideal cycle lime per delivery per vehicle is given by Eq. (10.1)
T, = 0.75 +(110/50)+(80/50) +0.50 = 5.05 min
(c) To determine the number of vehicles required to make 40 del/hr.
we compute the workload of the AGVS and the available time per hour per vehicle.
(Work load –WL)
WL = 40(5.05) = 202 min/hr
Available Time (AT ) = 60(0.95)(0.90)(1.0) = 51.3 min/hr per vehicle
Therefore, the number of vehicles required is
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