AGV Battery-Aware Conveyance Control to Prevent Overdischarge
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Solution Overview
Problem
The frequent replacement of batteries in automated guided vehicles (AGVs) due to overdischarge, which occurs when the battery's remaining amount is insufficient to reach the conveyance destination, leads to reduced battery life and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A management apparatus that estimates the battery's remaining amount based on conveyance conditions, including distance, load, and environmental factors, and decides on an optimal driving mode to prevent the battery from dropping below a critical threshold, either by charging en route or selecting a different AGV.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the AGV uses the battery to convey the target object to the destination without intermediate charging, then the conveyance operation is simple and efficient, but the battery may enter overdischarge state causing rapid degradation and frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The management apparatus performs preliminary estimation of the battery's remaining amount at the conveyance destination before the AGV departs. Based on this advance calculation, the system decides whether charging is needed at intermediate points, preventing overdischarge before it occurs and extending battery life while maintaining conveyance efficiency
2Reliability
If the management apparatus estimates remaining battery amount and decides on intermediate charging, then battery overdischarge is prevented extending battery life, but the conveyance process becomes more complex with additional charging stops
Solution Approach 1:
The management apparatus continuously monitors the AGV's current position, remaining battery amount, and conveyance progress. This real-time feedback enables dynamic decision-making about intermediate charging, allowing the system to optimize battery management while keeping the conveyance process adaptable and not overly complex
3Reliability
If the AGV battery is frequently replaced due to overdischarge, then the risk of battery degradation is eliminated, but the maintenance cost and operational downtime increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary battery state assessment and plans intermediate charging stops before the AGV begins conveyance. This advance planning prevents overdischarge events that would lead to battery replacement, thereby maintaining continuous operation and eliminating operational downtime associated with battery changes
Data Source
AI summary
A management apparatus manages driving of a plurality of automated guided vehicles that convey a conveyance target object in a production facility. The apparatus acquires remaining amount information of a battery provided in a selected vehicle selected from the plurality of automated guided vehicles, acquires a conveyance condition of a conveyance target object, the conveyance condition including a condition for specifying a conveyance destination, estimates, based on the remaining amount information and the conveyance condition, a remaining amount of the battery at the time of conveying the conveyance target object to the conveyance destination, and decides a driving mode of the selected vehicle based on an estimation result of the estimation unit.