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Moving Product With An Automation Guided Vehicle (AGV)

Learn if an automated guided vehicle (AGV) is the solution for your manufacturing process. Explore applications, return on investment, and questions to consider.

Toyota AGV tugging product in a warehouse.

In the past, companies often invested in systems designed for repetitive tasks or processes that required products to visit multiple stations. Today, more businesses need flexibility in their production lines, a need that can be efficiently addressed with an automated guided vehicle (AGV). AGVs provide adaptable, efficient movement of materials, making them a versatile solution for modern production demands.

AGV Warehouse Applications

To qualify as an AGV candidate, the product should move horizontally for a portion, if not all, of production. The product may move from point to point within the manufacturing process and at times be on a strict time schedule at each station. In some instances, the product itself moves along the line. For others, carts deliver other pieces, such as parts, for installation.

Return On Investment

Many companies explore AGVs due to heavy forklift traffic in areas with high risks of pedestrian accidents and product damage. Implementing AGVs not only reduces these risks but also cuts costs by minimizing the need for additional forklifts and lowering operator expenses. AGVs offer a strong return on investment with their lower maintenance costs compared to forklifts.

ProLift can assist you with decisions regarding the navigation method of the product, path selection, traffic control options and system controls to locate the AGV. If the production line is changed, software reprogramming can also be sourced.

Should You Consider An AGV?

If your product doesn’t need to be stored on vertical racks, consider these key questions. If you answer "yes" to each, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) might be a suitable solution for your warehouse:

  • Can the product or pallet be set to a dolly for transport with a total weight less than 3,000 lbs.?
  • Can dollies or carts be sized to maneuver loads through aisles?
  • Does the product/material movement require more than 4 man-hours per shift?

    Contact ProLift to schedule a facility survey with a warehouse solutions consultant and learn more about available automated guided vehicles.
Warehouse layout and design with pallet racking.

Warehouse Layout and Design

Your partnership with ProLift begins before product is purchased. Our warehouse consultants integrate material handling systems, physical space, and the flow of material to create a streamlined, efficient process.

  • Increase storage and floor space
  • Maximize inventory & pallet positions
  • Plan for lifting height & aisle width
  • Invest in the ideal equipment for the application
How To Select Pallet Racking

Warehouse Solutions From Design To Dock