Route Optimization of AGVs with an Improved Fishbone Warehouse Layout

AGV (Automated Guided Vehicles) as one of the most intelligent technologies is widely applied in the warehousing operations with a high speed development in the intelligent logistic fields. Automated material warehousing systems have proved that they would improve the effectiveness of material loading, unloading and handling company as well as reducing the labor cost and strengthening the working safety. AGV, as one part of the automated material warehousing systems, preforms powerful actions in the full chain of cargo handling in warehouse. Effective planning of AGV running route is the key for improving the efficiency of material loading and unloading. Based on this, this article aims to improve warehouse operation efficiency and control capabilities with an innovated fishbone layout warehouse design. Firstly, the improved fishbone warehouse layout is designed by an embedded central corridor compared to classical layout. Then, AGV route optimization model is proposed, which is transformed into secondary allocation model for getting a better and more optimal solution. Finally, the genetic algorithm is used to verify the feasibility of the proposed model. The results show that the proposed route optimization method for AGV can effectively reduce the distance among materials shelf and loading point according to the improved fishbone layout warehouse. Under the same circumstances, the reduction of total distance of AGV can reach to 12.8% compared to the benchmark example.