As one of the core equipment of intelligent factory logistics, automatic guided vehicle (AGV) plays an increasingly important role in the automation system of factory logistics. They walk through the warehouse and efficiently complete the handling task, which brings great convenience to production, but also has certain security risks. The safety application standard of AGVs can be referred to ISO 3691-4 (in our previous content, you can search for the relevant content oh).

At present, the recommended configurations of the solution for the safe operation of AGVs are: security scanners, security analysis units (i.e., security controllers) and industrial firewalls.

The production workshop is in full swing: components, materials on the packaging machine and pallets in the warehouse must reach the production line on time. Traditional AGV systems are rail-style, similar to trains or trams, and follow a predetermined route. Vehicles that navigate freely, known as autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), take more flexible routes. Because of working with people, in this dynamic and changing environment, no matter what type of AGV system, it must be the first to be safe. So, for mobile robots, how can you ensure both productivity and safety?

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Modular security solutions

The complexity of AGV systems increases with their capabilities, and modular security solutions increase the productivity of applications. An orbiting AGV system must be able to maintain a defined warning and safety zone according to its own speed and stop operation in the event of an obstacle. Pilmagnetic’s safety laser scanner PSENscan is capable of this type of safety protection, monitoring the production area to prevent collisions that could lead to hazards. If you need to cover the emergency stop function, you can use a more flexible solution that covers the PSENscan scanner and the modular safety relay myPNOZ.

More safe areas

Free navigation mobile platforms can autonomously navigate around obstacles or people without stopping, so the safety features of such systems are more complex. The security laser scanner is constantly “scanning” the surrounding environment, and the relevant data is read directly by PSENscan’s ROS (robotic operating system) software package, which users can use in their SLAM (Synchronous Positioning and mapping) algorithms to create a map of the environment for navigation.

The PSENscan has up to 70 protection zones and can be dynamically adjusted: when the AGV is running at high speed, the corresponding protection zone is larger so that obstacles can be detected and action can be taken in time, and when the AGV is running at a slower speed, the protection area is relatively smaller to avoid stagnation as much as possible. In this way, the AGV can be moved more efficiently. The configurable small controller PNOZmulti with a speed monitoring module (expansion module for motion monitoring) enables very reliable selection of the appropriate safety protection area.