Quantitative Analysis of AGV System in FMS Cell Layout

B. Ramana; S. Sudhakara Reddy; B. Ramprasad

doi:10.14429/dsj.47.3979

B. Ramana V:R. Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada.
S. Sudhakara Reddy K.S.R.M. College of Engineering, Cudapah.
B. Ramprasad K.S.R.M. College of Engineering, Cudapah.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.47.3979

Keywords: Flexible manufacturing Systems, Automated guided vehicles, Material handling

Abstract

Material handling is a specialised activity for a modern manufacturing concern. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are invariably used for material handling in flexible manufacturing Systems (FMSs) due to their flexibility. The quantitative analysis of an AGV system is useful for determining the material flow rates, operation times, length of delivery, length of empty move of AGV and the number of AGVs required for a typical FMS cell layout. The efficiency of the material handling system, such as AGV can be improved by reducing the length of empty move. The length of empty move of AGV depends upon despatching and scheduling methods. If these methods of AGVs are not properly planned, the length of empty move of AGV is greater than the length of delivery .This results in increase in material handling time which in turn increases the number of AGVs required in FMS cell. This paper presents a method for optimising the length of empty travel of AGV in a typical FMS cell layout.

Author Biographies

B. Ramana, V:R. Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada.

Mr B Ramana is a graduate in Mechanical Engineering from Bangalore University and Post-Graduate in Production Engineering from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Presently, he is working as Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering Department, at VR Siddartha Engineering Follege, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.

S. Sudhakara Reddy, K.S.R.M. College of Engineering, Cudapah.

Mr S Sudhakara Reddy received his BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Kakatiya University in 1984 and MTech in Design & Production Engineering from Regional Engineering College. Warangal; in 1986.. He worked as Lecturer and as Associate NCC Officer at VR Siddartha Engineering College. Vijayawada for six years. Since October 1993. he has been working as Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering. atj KSRM College of Engineering. Cuddapah.Andhra Pradesh.

B. Ramprasad, K.S.R.M. College of Engineering, Cudapah.

Mr B. Ramprasad. received his BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Sri Venkateswara University in 1996.