A modular design method for AGVs

Abstract

This invention relates to a design method for transportation equipment, specifically a modular design method for AGVs. The aim is to address the problems of high customization difficulty and hindering large-scale production of existing non-standard AGVs when facing different usage scenarios and diverse customer needs. The invention includes the following steps: 1) Dividing the AGV into five modules: a power supply unit module, an interaction unit module, a feedback unit module, a safety protection unit module, and a power unit module. The five modules are connected to each other and to the AGV's main controller via standardized interfaces; 2) Standardizing the design of each of the five modules; 3) Selecting appropriate modules according to actual needs to assemble the AGV; 4) Conducting simulation tests on the assembled AGV, and completing the design or redesigning based on the test results.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application relates to a design method of a transportation device, in particular to a modular design method of an AGV. BACKGROUND

[0002] An automated guided vehicle (AGV) is a kind of unmanned automatic handling trolley with a non-contact control guiding device and a battery as a power source. Warehouse logistics and industrial manufacturing are currently the two largest fields of AGV application. Relatively speaking, the application environment in the warehouse logistics field is relatively simple, and the deployment is also more simple, so the standardization degree of the Kiva type warehouse robot is higher, the project is easier to copy, and the application is easy to scale. However, in the industrial manufacturing field, due to the differences in the industry and the manufacturing process, the plant environment will also be very different. In addition, different links in the factory have different needs for automatic handling. In the industrial manufacturing field, the diverse application scenarios require AGVs to have certain customization to adapt to the environment. However, the customization of AGVs hinders the large-scale application of the equipment to some extent.

[0003] For AGV enterprises, it is difficult to quickly improve profits for non-standard products when facing the diversified needs of customers. Some customized needs of enterprises require more manpower and funds, and the consumption of manpower is large, the project implementation cycle is long, the service cost is high, the case cannot be completely copied, the customization is difficult, which is not only not conducive to the promotion of AGV enterprises, but also affects the production progress to some extent, which is not conducive to large-scale production. Therefore, whether it is an AGV manufacturer or an application end, it is hoped that the AGV product can be standardized and generalized, can adapt to different scenes, and does not need to spend a lot of effort to transform and can be mass-produced. Therefore, how to balance the standardization of AGV products and the non-standard needs of customers has become one of the main problems in the industry.

[0004] At the same time, with the standardization design of AGV, modular design emerges as the times require. Modular design refers to dividing and designing a series of functional modules on the basis of functional analysis of different functions or same functions with different performances, different specifications of products in a certain range, and different products can be formed by selecting and combining the modules to meet the different needs of the market. Modular design needs to meet the following two principles: ① strive to form as many products as possible with a small number of modules, and make the product precision high, performance stable, structure simple, cost low, and the connection between modules as simple as possible; ② serialization of modules, the purpose of which is to use limited product varieties and specifications to maximize and economically and reasonably meet the requirements of users. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a standardized AGV modular design method. SUMMARY

[0005] The application aims to solve the problem that the existing non-standard AGV has high customization difficulty and is not conducive to mass production when facing different use scenarios and diversified needs of customers, and provides a modular design method of AGV.

[0006] A modular design method of AGV, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

[0007] Step 1, divide the AGV into five modules: power supply unit module, interaction unit module, feedback unit module, safety protection unit module and power unit module, and connect the five modules and the AGV general controller through standardized interfaces;

[0008] Step 2, obtain multiple application scenario data of the AGV, and according to the different application scenario data of the AGV, respectively design the power supply unit module, the interaction unit module, the feedback unit module, the safety protection unit module, the power unit module and the power distribution cabinet in the computer software to obtain a plurality of power supply unit modules, interaction unit modules, feedback unit modules, safety protection unit modules, power unit modules and power distribution cabinets suitable for different application scenarios of the AGV, and respectively form a power supply unit module library, an interaction unit module library, a power unit module library, a feedback unit module library, a safety protection unit module library and a power distribution cabinet library; wherein the power distribution cabinet is used for power supply to the power supply unit module of the AGV;

[0009] Step 3, select one from the multiple application scenario data of the AGV obtained in step 2, and according to the selected application scenario, select one power supply unit module, one interaction unit module, one feedback unit module, one safety protection unit module, one power unit module and one power distribution cabinet from the power supply unit module library, the interaction unit module library, the power unit module library, the feedback unit module library, the safety protection unit module library and the power distribution cabinet library respectively, and assemble them to form an AGV model;

[0010] Step 4, select the next application scenario data of the AGV, return to step 3, and repeat until the AGV model under all application scenarios is obtained;

[0011] Step 5, simulation test is carried out on all AGV models obtained in step 4, if the AGV model test result in one application scene meets the actual demand, the modular design of the AGV in the scene is completed, if the AGV model test result in one application scene does not meet the actual demand, return to step 2 to redesign each module, or return to step 3 to select the module for assembly again, until the test result meets the actual demand, the modular design of the AGV in the scene is completed, when the AGV model test result in all application scenes meets the actual demand, the modular design of the AGV is completed.

[0012] Further, in step 1, the standardized interface includes an electrical connection interface and a mechanical connection interface; the electrical connection interface includes an RJ45 network interface, a 485 / 232 serial port and a DI / DO interface.

[0013] Further, in step 2, the standardized design of the power supply unit module includes power supply voltage design and power supply interface design; the power supply voltage is DC48V, DC96V or DC307V; the power supply interface is an Anderson interface, a national standard fast charging interface, a national standard slow charging interface or a European standard charging interface.

[0014] Further, in step 2, the standardized design of the interaction unit module includes interaction mode design; the interaction mode includes remote control and real machine driving.

[0015] Further, in step 2, the standardized design of the feedback unit module includes navigation module design; the navigation module is a magnetic navigation module, a laser navigation module or a Beidou navigation module.

[0016] Further, in step 2, the standardized design of the power unit module includes wheel design, the wheel is a rudder wheel, a Mac wheel or a differential wheel.

[0017] Further, in step 2, the standardized design of the safety protection unit module includes obstacle avoidance module design, the obstacle avoidance module includes at least one of a linear obstacle avoidance radar, an anti-collision touch edge and a single-point obstacle avoidance radar.

[0018] Further, in step 2, the standardized design of the power distribution cabinet includes cabinet size design and internal circuit arrangement design.

[0019] Further, in step 1, the feedback unit module and the AGV general controller are connected through the DI / DO interface, and the AGV general controller and the safety protection unit module are connected through the RJ45 interface.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present application are:

[0021] The modular design method of the AGV provided by the application divides the AGV into five modules, can meet the actual needs of multiple different application scenarios, has strong expandability, each module is convenient to replace, has strong adaptability, can save the manufacturing and use cost of the AGV, meets the customized needs of different customers, is beneficial to the large-scale production of the AGV, and has the advantages that the manufacturing and use cost of the AGV is saved, the customized needs of different customers are met, and the large-scale production of the AGV is facilitated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 A flowchart of an embodiment of the application;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of module division of the AGV in step 1 of an embodiment of the application;

[0024] REFERENCE SIGNS:

[0025] 1, AGV; 11, power supply unit module; 12, interaction unit module; 13, feedback unit module; 14, safety protection unit module; 15, power unit module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The application will be further described below in combination with the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0027] A modular design method of an AGV, a flowchart is shown in Figure 1 , comprising the following steps:

[0028] Step 1, divide the AGV 1 into five modules, see Figure 2 : the power supply unit module 11, the interaction unit module 12, the feedback unit module 13, the safety protection unit module 14 and the power unit module 15, the five modules and the AGV general controller 16 are connected through standardized interfaces, the standardized interfaces include electrical connection interfaces and mechanical connection interfaces, the electrical connection interfaces include an RJ45 network interface, a 485 / 232 serial port and a DI / DO interface, the application conditions of each interface are shown in Table 1; in this embodiment, the AGV general controller 16 and the safety protection unit module 14 are connected through the RJ45 network interface, and the AGV general controller 16 and the feedback unit module 13 are connected through the DI / DO interface;

[0029] Step 2, obtain the application scenario data of the plurality of AGVs, the application scenarios of the AGVs are intelligent factories, intelligent warehouses, bicycle manufacturing plants, and parking lots; according to the application scenario data of the different AGVs, the power supply unit module 11, the interaction unit module 12, the feedback unit module 13, the safety protection unit module 14, the power unit module 15, and the power distribution cabinet are respectively standardized designed in the computer software, to obtain a plurality of power supply unit modules 11, interaction unit modules 12, feedback unit modules 13, safety protection unit modules 14, power unit modules 15, and power distribution cabinets suitable for different application scenarios of AGVs, and are respectively classified to form a power supply unit module library, an interaction unit module library, a power unit module library, a feedback unit module library, a safety protection unit module library, and a power distribution cabinet library; wherein the power distribution cabinet is used for supplying power to the power supply unit module 11 of the AGV 1;

[0030] The "standardized design of the power supply unit module 11" includes power supply voltage design and power supply interface design; the power supply voltage is DC 48V, DC 96V, or DC 307V; the power supply interface is an Anderson interface, a national standard fast charging interface, a national standard slow charging interface, or a European standard charging interface; the power supply unit module 11 is designed according to the overall power of the AGV;

[0031] The "standardized design of the interaction unit module 12" includes interaction mode design; the interaction modes include remote control and real machine driving, and the advantages and disadvantages of each interaction mode are shown in Table 5;

[0032] The "standardized design of the feedback unit module 13" includes navigation module design; the navigation module is a magnetic navigation module, a laser navigation module, or a Beidou navigation module, and the advantages and disadvantages of various navigation modes are shown in Table 3;

[0033] The "standardized design of the power unit module 15" includes wheel design, the wheels are rudder wheels, M wheels, or differential wheels, and the application scenarios of various driving wheels are shown in Table 2;

[0034] The "standardized design of the safety protection unit module 14" includes obstacle avoidance module design, the obstacle avoidance module is at least one of a linear obstacle avoidance radar, a collision avoidance touch edge, and a single-point obstacle avoidance radar, and the advantages and disadvantages of various radars are shown in Table 4;

[0035] The "standardized design of the power distribution cabinet" includes cabinet size design and internal circuit arrangement design;

[0036] Step 3, select one from the multiple application scenario data of the AGV obtained in step 2, and select one power supply unit module 11, interaction unit module 12, feedback unit module 13, safety protection unit module 14, power unit module 15 and power distribution cabinet from the power supply unit module library, interaction unit module library, power unit module library, feedback unit module library, safety protection unit module library and power distribution cabinet library that adapt to the selected application scenario and assemble them to form an AGV model;

[0037] Step 4, repeat step 3 until AGV models under all application scenarios are obtained;

[0038] Step 5, simulate test all AGV models obtained in step 4, if the test result of the AGV model under one application scenario meets the actual demand, the modular design of AGV1 under this scenario is completed; if the test result of the AGV model under one application scenario does not meet the actual demand, return to step 2 to redesign the modules or return to step 3 to select modules for assembly until the test result meets the actual demand, then complete the modular design of AGV1 under this scenario; when the test results of all AGV models under all application scenarios meet the actual demand, the modular design of AGV1 is completed.

[0039] The application scenarios and advantages and disadvantages of each module or interface are described in detail as follows:

[0040] Table 1 Standardized electrical connection interface data table

[0041]

[0042] Table 2 Power unit module data table

[0043]

[0044] In Table 2, the steering wheel driven AGV trolley is suitable for heavy load enterprises and can easily meet the material handling demand of more than 2 tons. Due to its high integration and strong adaptability, it can quickly deploy AGV trolley with controller and servo driver. The AGV trolley driven by the magnetic wheel is suitable for high load capacity scenarios, such as moving on complex terrain. Due to its strong carrying capacity and omni-directional movement ability, it is suitable for use in complex environments. The magnetic wheel has the ability to realize omni-directional movement and in-place rotation, has strong carrying capacity, and is suitable for moving on complex terrain. The AGV trolley driven by differential wheel is suitable for enterprises with low requirements on environment and application precision. Due to its high flexibility and low cost, it is suitable for use in environments with low requirements. The differential wheel realizes steering through two-wheel drive and can realize in-place rotation, etc. The motor and control precision requirement is not high, and the cost is low.

[0045] Table 3 Feedback unit module data table

[0046]

[0047] Table 4 Safety protection unit module data table

[0048]

[0049] In Table 4, the anti-collision touch edge has the characteristics of high sensitivity, low cost and easy installation, etc. The anti-collision touch edge of the AGV is designed with a pressure-sensitive switch, which can quickly sense the approach of obstacles and immediately stop when triggered to ensure safety. The cost of the anti-collision touch edge is relatively low, and its mechanical principle is simple, with the main cost concentrated in the design of production process, materials, and sensing method. The anti-collision touch edge is usually designed in a strip or circular shape, which can be flexibly installed around the AGV body to form a safety edge band, with strong adaptability. Linear obstacle avoidance radar, as a commonly used detection device for AGV, plays an important role in AGV system, mainly used for obstacle avoidance and navigation. It has high precision, fast response in angular frequency and sensitivity, and can accurately capture the contour and distance information of objects, so it has high accuracy in testing the distance and precision of surrounding obstacles. The scanning speed of single-line laser radar is high, which can quickly complete the scanning of the surrounding environment and provide real-time obstacle avoidance information for AGV. Single-point obstacle avoidance radar has high measurement accuracy and sensing stability, fast scanning speed, high reliability, wide application range, small size, and light weight. The touch edge is usually installed around the frame body, enclosing a closed interval and wrapping the vehicle body to achieve the purpose of installation protection.

[0050] Table 5 Interaction unit module data table

[0051]

[0052] For the power distribution cabinet, in one application scenario, the power supply circuit can be arranged in the upper part of the cabinet body, and the communication low-voltage signal circuit can be arranged in the lower part of the cabinet body. At the same time, the power distribution cabinet is divided into left and right, and the power supply and power lines are routed on the left side, and the communication and low-voltage signal lines are routed on the right side. Then the shape and external interface of the power distribution cabinet are standardized designed, and the power distribution cabinet is as small, simple and integrated as possible, which can reduce the size of the power distribution cabinet by 15% to 30%, so as to better adapt to AGV. The installation size of the devices in the power distribution cabinet is as uniform as possible, which can improve the equipment maintainability and facilitate device replacement and displacement. Similarly, the external interface of the power distribution cabinet needs to be standardized and unified, and the same series and standard level connectors in the industry can be selected, such as GJB599, J599G, Y50EX, etc.

[0053] In summary, modular design plays a crucial role in the design and manufacture of AGVs. It not only improves the flexibility and maintainability of AGVs but also reduces costs and shortens product development cycles. With continuous technological advancements, modular design will continue to demonstrate its unique value in the AGV field.

Claims

1. A modular design method of an AGV, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: Step 1, the AGV (1) is divided into five modules: a power supply unit module (11), an interaction unit module (12), a feedback unit module (13), a safety protection unit module (14) and a power unit module (15), and the five modules and the AGV general controller (16) are connected through standardized interfaces; the standardized interfaces comprise electrical connection interfaces and mechanical connection interfaces; the electrical connection interfaces comprise an RJ45 network interface, a 485 / 232 serial port and a DI / DO interface; the feedback unit module (13) and the AGV general controller (16) are connected through the DI / DO interface, and the AGV general controller (16) and the safety protection unit module (14) are connected through the RJ45 interface; Step 2, obtain multiple application scenario data of the AGV, and according to the different application scenario data of the AGV, the power supply unit module (11), the interaction unit module (12), the feedback unit module (13), the safety protection unit module (14), the power unit module (15) and the power distribution cabinet are respectively designed in the computer software, thereby obtaining a plurality of power supply unit modules (11), interaction unit modules (12), feedback unit modules (13), safety protection unit modules (14), power unit modules (15) and power distribution cabinets suitable for different application scenarios of the AGV, and respectively forming a power supply unit module library, an interaction unit module library, a power unit module library, a feedback unit module library, a safety protection unit module library and a power distribution cabinet library; wherein the power distribution cabinet is used for supplying power to the power supply unit module (11) of the AGV (1); the standardization design of the power unit module (15) comprises wheel design, and the wheel is a rudder wheel, a Mac wheel or a differential wheel; Step 3, select one from the multiple application scenario data of the AGV obtained in step 2, and select a power supply unit module (11), an interaction unit module (12), a feedback unit module (13), a safety protection unit module (14), a power unit module (15) and a power distribution cabinet suitable for the selected application scenario from the power supply unit module library, the interaction unit module library, the power unit module library, the feedback unit module library, the safety protection unit module library and the power distribution cabinet library, and assemble them to form an AGV model; Step 4, select the next application scenario data of the AGV, return to step 3, and repeat until the AGV models under all application scenarios are obtained. Step 5, simulate test all AGV models obtained in step 4, if there is an AGV model test result in an application scenario meets the actual demand, then complete the modular design of AGV(1) in this scene; if there is an AGV model test result in an application scenario does not meet the actual demand, then return to step 2 to redesign each module, or return to step 3 to select modules for assembly again, until the test result meets the actual demand, complete the modular design of AGV(1) in this scene; when all AGV model test results in all application scenarios meet the actual demand, then complete the modular design of AGV(1).

2. The modular design method of AGV according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 2, the standardization design of the power supply unit module (11) includes power supply voltage design and power supply interface design; the power supply voltage is DC48V, DC96V or DC307V; the power supply interface is Anderson interface, national standard fast charging interface, national standard slow charging interface or European standard charging interface.

3. The modular design method of AGV according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step 2, the standardization design of the interaction unit module (12) includes interaction mode design; the interaction mode includes remote control and real machine driving.

4. The modular design method of AGV according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step 2, the standardization design of the feedback unit module (13) includes navigation module design; the navigation module is a magnetic navigation module, a laser navigation module or a Beidou navigation module.

5. The modular design method of AGV according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step 2, the standardization design of the safety protection unit module (14) includes obstacle avoidance module design, and the obstacle avoidance module includes at least one of linear obstacle avoidance radar, anti-collision touch edge and single-point obstacle avoidance radar.

6. The modular design method of AGV according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step 2, the standardization design of the power distribution cabinet includes cabinet size design and internal circuit arrangement design.

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