IIoT AGV Path Planning for Circular Material Transport Layouts
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large-scale production lines, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) with circular paths often experience congestion due to frequent dispatching, especially when production line layouts are complex and have multiple categories, leading to inefficient material transportation and increased travel frequency.
Innovation Solution
An Industrial Internet of Things system is implemented, comprising a sensor network, management, and service platforms to optimize AGV path planning by generating directed graphs, decomposing material end points, calculating shortest and optimal paths, and merging them to reduce travel frequency and congestion through two-stage path planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If point-to-point path planning is used for AGV with circular path, then path planning simplicity is improved, but AGV travel frequency increases and congestion occurs at intersections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the material transportation task by decomposing material end points into multiple sub-nodes according to material requirement categories. This allows the AGV to deliver multiple types of materials in a single trip by visiting different sub-nodes, thereby reducing the number of trips required and improving transportation efficiency without significantly increasing path planning complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the traditional point-to-point path planning into a multi-dimensional optimization problem by considering material categories and sub-nodes. The path planning now operates in an expanded state space that includes not only physical locations but also material type dimensions, enabling more efficient routing that consolidates multiple delivery tasks into single AGV trips.
2Loss of time
If AGV is dispatched frequently to load materials for complex production line layouts, then material supply responsiveness is improved, but queue congestion occurs at intersections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple material delivery tasks into a single AGV trip by consolidating visits to different sub-nodes corresponding to different material categories. Instead of dispatching separate AGV trips for each material type, the system combines these tasks into one optimized route, reducing the frequency of AGV dispatches and minimizing congestion at intersections while maintaining timely material supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous useful action by designing the AGV route to efficiently visit multiple sub-nodes in a single continuous trip rather than making multiple separate trips. This continuous operation reduces idle time and intersection congestion while maintaining responsive material supply to the production line.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple sub-nodes are created for material end points, then material distribution precision is improved, but graph reconstruction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments material end points into sub-nodes based on material requirement categories, improving material distribution precision by enabling targeted delivery to specific material types. The segmentation is performed systematically according to predefined categories, which organizes the complexity in a manageable way rather than creating arbitrary divisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-defining material categories and their corresponding sub-nodes before path planning begins. This preliminary organization of material types and locations allows the system to handle the complexity of multiple sub-nodes more efficiently, as the graph reconstruction can follow a structured approach based on predetermined categories rather than dealing with unorganized complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses an Industrial Internet of Things for material transportation control, a control method and a medium thereof, wherein the management platform in the Industrial Internet of Things includes: an obtaining module configured to generate a first layout directed graph; a material module configured to assign a material requirement to a corresponding material end point and assign a material supply to a corresponding material start point; a decomposition module configured to divide each material end point into a plurality of sub-nodes; a reconstruction module configured to form a third layout directed graph; a first calculation module configured to calculate a first path; a correction module configured to form an intermediate layout directed graph; and a second calculation module configured to calculate a second path.