AGV Barcode Position Sensors

An automated guided vehicle or automatic guided vehicle (AGV) is a mobile robot that follows along marked long lines or wires on the floor, or uses radio waves, vision cameras, magnets, or lasers for navigation. They are most often used in industrial applications to transport heavy materials around a large industrial building, such as a factory or warehouse. Application of the automatic guided vehicle broadened during the late 20th century.

Until 2018, a new type of navigation technology which is call Barcode Position Technology came out for AGV industry, which is guided the AGV by reading barcodes on the floor.

The Advantages of Barcode Navigation Technology are low maintenance cost and strong variability.

How Barcode Position Sensor Works In The AGV?

The Barcode Position Sensor(BPS) is installed in the AGV. It can help AGV to know its current position and direction. When the sensor reads the "labels" printed with barcode (generally QR or DataMatrix code) on the floor and outputs the barcode number and the deviation values of X, Y and θ, so that the AGV can analyze and adjust the direction and position, and at the same time will feedback the real-time position and status to the AGV Control System.

Support 1x1 QR or Datamatrix and 4x4 Datamatrix barcode labels, the advantage of 4x4 DataMatrix Label is that it is more suitable for harsh environments, even if several barcodes are dirty and cannot be read, other barcodes can still work normally.

For example, look at below the demo for 1x1 QR Label, AGV is already yawing at this time. When the barcode position sensor continuously reads and outputs deviation value of X, Y, θ, AGV will calculate and start to correct the position and direction according to the actual data.

TagNumber - AGV's current station

X - The value of the center point deviated from the X axis

Y - The value of the center point deviated from the Y axis

θ - AGV's rotation angle

After the AGV is adjusted according to the result of the bar code sensor, it will return to the original position. At this time, the center of the field of view and the center of the label coincide. After the AGV is adjusted, it will continue to move according to the route issued by AGV Control System.

The labels printed with barcodes are arranged on the floor according to the rule to form a grid (picture"Label Distribution Map"), and the distance between each label is the same in about 1 meter. Each label represents a station (such as "01","11","21"), the entire label distribution map will be presented in the AGV Control System.

When receiving order, AGV Control System will formulate the driving route and control the Automated Guided Vehicle(AGV) to transport the shelf to the destination through wireless communication. For example, a AGV now is on station "01" and the destination is station "C0", then the Host may formulate the driving route of "01"-"11"-"21"-"22"-"23"-"24"-"C0".

Base on the situation that multiple Automated Guided Vehicles(AGV) are walking on the distribution map at the same time, the Host will determine whether need to adjust the way according to the current position of the AGV to avoid collision.

HV5 Series Barcode Position Sensor is mainly used for AGV positioning and navigation, catched the image and analyze the meaning of the 2D barcode in the image through advanced hardware algorithms. And support view the real-time image, parameters configuration and output results through the Demo software.

Features

● Advanced algorithms, reliable reading rate for damaged, dirty, low-contrast barcodes

● Equipped with outstanding decoding algorithms and optics, faster reading performance.

● Large field of view, view angel reach 94°.

● Supporting reading of 1x1 QR code, 1x1 Dtatamatrix code and 4x4 Datamatrix code.

● Flexible reading distance from 70mm to 150mm.

● Higher accuracy 0.1mm and 0.1°.

● IP64 housing protection, can be used in any harsh industrial environments.