Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are commonly thought of as simple machines that perform simple tasks in lieu of personnel. And
while this is true in some regards, the last decade has seen AGVs become integrated into many industries outside of distribution
and manufacturing—such as retail, the military, and even healthcareAdvantages of AGVs
1. Reduced Labor Costs
AGVs reduce labor costs in your operation in many ways: By replacing a human worker with an AGV, a company pays a single expense
for the equipment—the initial investment—versus ongoing costs that would come with a new hire such as healthcare coverage, payroll
taxes, salary increases, vacation time, etc.
2. Increased Safety
AGVs are programmed with safety in mind, and as such are crammed full of cameras, lasers, and other sensors that allow them to
safely operate around personnel and structures. By contrast, equipment run by human operators, such as forklifts, do not have as
many built-in safety mechanisms and ultimately rely on human input, which can be compromised in any number of ways. Whereas a
human operator always has the potential to become distracted or fatigued, and therefore cause an accident, these are not concerns
when using AGVs.
Additionally, AGVs can operate in conditions that humans either aren’t able to operate in or in conditions that humans don’t
operate optimally in, such as in extreme heat or cold or around hazardous materials.
All of this increased safety leads to reduced cost and reduced operational downtime, which can ultimately increase the
profitability of many operations.
Increased Accuracy and Productivity
Simply put: Humans make mistakes. By replacing the human element with AGVs, you remove some of the potential for inaccurate
workflows, ultimately reducing waste and increasing output, allowing your operations to become more productive and accurate. And
whereas human personnel is limited in how long they can work, AGVs are capable of running 24/7.
In addition to the obvious improvements in accuracy and productivity, by integrating AGVs with a warehouse control system or a
warehouse management system, you can streamline processes such as inventory and materials ordering.
4. Modularity
As your operations expand, it is easy to add additional AGVs as necessary (this is sometimes called a “modular system element”).
This allows you to avoid an incredibly high initial investment because instead of purchasing 20 or 30 AGVs at once, you are able
to start with one or two and transition slowly, eventually expanding your fleet to a fully-automated or mostly-automated
operation.