Preparing a factory for AGVs: detailed design, IT and organisation

Between signing the contract with the supplier and the first vehicle driving around the facility lies a stage that decides the success of the entire investment: preparing the AGV implementation in terms of detailed design, infrastructure, IT integration and work organisation. This is where the decisions from the conceptual phase are turned into detailed design documentation, and where the facility and the workforce are brought to a state in which installation proceeds without surprises. This guide takes you through the five areas of this phase. It is the fifth step of the step-by-step AGV implementation methodology — it follows the choice of supplier and precedes installation and the pilot programme.

One principle ties this whole stage together: the more you settle on paper and prepare before the equipment is delivered, the fewer costly corrections you will have to make later on a running system. Well-organised preparation reduces the risk of failure more than any remedial action during commissioning.

Detailed system design — fleet software as the "brain"

Together with the chosen supplier's engineers, prepare the full design documentation for the system. It covers the final route layout with the exact positions of the navigation markers, the technical specification of the vehicles (chosen model, attachments, batteries), a description of the interfaces with machines and IT systems, the layout plan for the charging stations, the health and safety plan and detailed operating scenarios — task allocation algorithms, priorities and the behaviour of the fleet in exceptional situations.

At the heart of the design is the fleet management software — the "brain" of the system, which allocates missions and controls the movement of the AGV and AMR robots. It decides which vehicle goes to collect a load, how to spread tasks across peak hours and what to do when two vehicles meet on a narrow section. The detailed design is usually developed iteratively: the supplier takes additional measurements on site, tests parts of the system in its laboratory or demonstrates selected functions. The end result is an approved design — the basis for delivery and the point of reference for subsequent acceptance.

Implementation schedule and budget

Draw up a detailed schedule broken down into stages and milestones. A typical sequence is: infrastructure adaptation, equipment delivery, system installation and integration, preliminary tests, training, pilot start-up and final acceptance. Assign responsible persons to each stage — on the supplier's side and yours — together with realistic dates. Set the budget with a contingency for unforeseen expenses; in a first implementation something almost always comes up that could not have been foreseen at the concept stage.

The schedule has to take ongoing production into account. Plan the installation work so as to minimise the impact on the facility's operations — weekends, breaks between shifts, maintenance shutdowns. Decide in advance whether temporary changes to work organisation will be needed during the implementation and how to maintain the continuity of material supply to the line when part of the route is occupied by the installation crew.

Preparing the facility's physical infrastructure

Before the vehicles arrive, bring the facility into line with the design. This is usually the most labour-intensive part of the preparations, covering several independent work fronts:

• Routes and navigation — mark out the travel paths on the floor and install the navigation infrastructure required by the chosen method: magnetic tapes, code markers or reflectors for laser navigation. In areas of frequent AGV traffic, level the floor and remove thresholds that disrupt travel.
• Floor marking and signalling — define the drop-off zones and traffic lanes with durable floor markers, put up "Caution: robot" warning signs, lights at crossings and mirrors in places with limited visibility.
• Charging stations — bring power to the agreed locations and, for lead-acid batteries, improve ventilation. Place the stations where the AGVs have easy access to them and protect them against accidental damage.
• Wireless connectivity — check that the Wi-Fi network covers the entire routes. Most modern AGVs communicate with the management system wirelessly, so gaps in coverage mean downtime. If necessary, install additional access points and configure a dedicated industrial network.
• Integration with machine safety — if the AGVs are to cross protected zones, make sure the existing safety light curtains and door interlocks work together with the system.

Integration with MES, WMS and ERP systems

In parallel with the work on the shop floor, integration of the AGV system with the plant's IT environment begins. The supplier usually provides fleet management software, which has to be connected to the higher-level systems via APIs. Agree precisely what data will be exchanged: in a typical scenario the AGV takes transport orders from the WMS and sends back confirmations of completion, although integration can be simpler — an order can be triggered by a single signal from the production line.

Treat this area as a priority. It is worth running integration tests in parallel with the equipment installation, so that before the pilot the systems "talk" to each other smoothly — integration errors are one of the most common causes of delays in AGV implementations. The earlier you catch a data format mismatch or a gap in order mapping, the less it will cost to fix.

Organisational and health and safety preparation

Technology is one side; the other is people and procedures. Take care of them in parallel, not at the end:

• Health and safety instructions and rules — update internal documents with the rules for AGV movement, right of way at crossings and what to do in the event of a collision. The health and safety department should approve the new rules before the system is started up.
• Internal communication — keep the workforce informed of progress and give advance notice of installation work and changes to traffic organisation. Good communication defuses uncertainty and rumours. A simple message works best: robots will take over the monotonous transport runs, and people will be moved to more valuable tasks.
• Training plan — decide who needs to be trained and to what extent, and align the dates with the implementation stages, for example training system operators just before the pilot starts.
• Safety tests before start-up — once the facility has been prepared, but before the AGVs are started up, carry out an internal health and safety audit. Check that the new markings are legible and that employees know how to behave. It is worth organising a drill — a simulation of an emergency.

The safety of pedestrians on routes shared with people requires separate attention. Zones where AGVs have right of way, narrow passages and crossings should be physically separated or clearly fenced off as part of pedestrian protection — barriers, mirrors on corners and audible and visual signalling are cheaper than a single incident involving an employee.

Preparing the AGV implementation — checklist

Before you allow the supplier's crew to start the installation, check that you have closed each of the five fronts of this phase:

1. Detailed design approved — route layout, vehicle specification, fleet operating scenarios and the health and safety plan.
2. A schedule with milestones and a budget with a contingency, with installation work planned so as not to paralyse production.
3. The facility prepared — routes, marking, charging stations, Wi-Fi coverage and integration with machine safety.
4. Integration with MES/WMS/ERP started and tested before the pilot.
5. Health and safety rules updated, the workforce informed, the training plan ready and the facility safety audit carried out.

This is the fifth of the nine steps of the AGV implementation methodology. You will find the full map of the process — from assessing plant readiness to operation — in the Myzer Academy pillar guide, and we develop the individual stages in separate articles.

Why is IT integration the most common source of delays?

Because it connects two worlds that previously operated separately: the AGV fleet management system and the plant's higher-level systems (MES, WMS, ERP). Data format mismatches, gaps in order mapping and unforeseen exceptional situations only come to light when information actually flows. That is why integration tests should be run in parallel with the equipment installation rather than left until the end — detecting a problem before the pilot is far cheaper than during commissioning.

What needs to be prepared in the facility before the AGVs are delivered?

Five things: marked-out and signed routes with navigation infrastructure, a level floor without thresholds in areas of frequent traffic, power brought to the charging stations, full Wi-Fi coverage along the routes, and signalling and safeguards for pedestrian traffic. Omitting any of these elements prolongs the installation and increases its cost.

Who should be responsible for preparing the implementation?

A cross-functional project team with representatives from production, logistics, maintenance, IT and health and safety, and an appointed project manager. Each of these departments is responsible for a different front — IT for systems integration, health and safety for procedures and safety, maintenance for the physical infrastructure. Without clearly assigned roles, tasks fall between departments, and it is these that most often delay the start.