Automated Guided Cart (AGV)

Overview

An automated guided cart is a driverless vehicle that moves a load carrier along a fixed or mapped route through a factory or warehouse. It replaces a towed cart or a hand truck on repetitive runs between stations, following a path defined either by magnetic tape stuck to the floor or by a laser map of the building, and stopping safely whenever a person or obstacle enters its path. The cart described here carries 500 kg on a flat deck, drives at up to 1.5 m/s, and runs a full shift on a Li-ion charge topped up at docking stations.

The vehicle is built on a low welded Chassis & Load Deck that carries the running gear, battery, and electronics under a flat load deck. Two Drive Wheel Module corners provide differential drive and steering, and passive Support Caster supports keep the cart level. Everything is coordinated by the Main Controller, which fuses the sensors, plans the path, and commands the drives.

How it works

Each Drive Wheel Module is a differential corner: a brushless Traction Motor drives a polyurethane wheel through a reduction gearbox, while an Wheel Encoder feeds wheel rotation back so the controller closes the velocity loop. Driving the two modules at different speeds steers the cart, and a spring suspension keeps each wheel loaded on uneven floors. Two Drive Motor Controller units in the Drive Controller Bank regulate motor current and torque.

Knowing where it is comes from the Navigation Suite suite. An Magnetic Guidance Sensor reads the guide tape directly beneath the cart, an Laser Scanner measures wall and reflector geometry for map-based localization, an onboard IMU (6-axis) dead-reckons between fixes, and downward cameras read floor markers. The controller blends these into a single pose estimate.

Power comes from a Li-ion Li-ion Battery Pack whose BMS Board balances the cells and gates charging through sprung Charge Contacts when the cart parks on a floor station. Safety is independent of the navigation stack: the Safety System pairs contact bumpers with certified area scanners and a safety relay that cuts drive power, and a small Status Display shows the route and any faults to a technician.