A scheduling optimization method for multiple automated guided vehicle systems

When constructing a multiple automated guided vehicle (multi-AGV) system, it is essential to calculate the potential values of the system’s feature parameters. This article presents two time-cost calculators and an improved simulation platform for scientifically estimating the cost of constructing a multi-AGV system. By inputting the parameters of the number of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), the velocity of the AGV, the number of tasks, scheduling interval and path length, the designed calculator can output the system’s time expense when all tasks are completed. The designed simulation platform can display a specific multi-AGV system’s time cost and how the entire progress works in a visual interface. An advanced scheduling method based on handover mode and A* algorithm is used to solve task scheduling problems in a multi-AGV system. The overall performance of the newly integrated scheduling system is compared with other scheduling systems to validate its superiority and shortcomings in different corresponding work scenarios. The final results present a robust solution to improve a multi-AGV system’s effectiveness.