How AGVs and Forklifts Create a Safer, Smarter, and More Efficient Operation
Written by Tony Raggio, General Manager Sales – ANZ Mobile Automation, Dematic
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) have become indispensable in modern warehousing, manufacturing operations, offering safer and more efficient goods movement and delivering stronger supply chain performance than manual processes alone. They can also operate alongside traditional forklift fleets, forming a powerful collaboration that drives significant operational improvements. Across Australia and New Zealand, companies from a diverse range of industries are utilising AGVs in their facilities, including the likes of Arnott’s, Bickford’s Group, Bridgestone, Lactalis Australia, Lion Beer, and Toll Group.
Defining AGVs and Their Evolving Role
AGVs are vehicles programmed to follow predefined or dynamically determined virtual paths to transport goods within a facility. AGVs typically use laser navigation and historically were often reserved for carrying heavy loads such as pallets. In contrast, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) have been known for free-roaming navigation enabled by advanced sensors and software, typically focusing on lighter items such as totes or cartons.
In recent years, however, the distinction between AGVs and AMRs has begun to blur. Some AMRs now feature pallet-carrying capabilities, allowing them to handle heavier loads than ever before. Meanwhile, due to predetermined paths, AGVs continue to provide customers with reliable and stable pallet movements per hour, referred to as ‘Predictable Logistics’.
Complementing Traditional Forklifts
While AGVs bring the promise of continuous, automated operation, forklifts remain indispensable in many facilities. The role of a forklift operator is not solely to move goods from point A to point B but often involves complex judgement calls on product handling, on-the-spot changes, and navigating irregular storage conditions. Human operators excel in adaptability, which makes forklifts particularly valuable for tasks that demand immediate decision-making or highly specialised handling.
When AGVs and forklifts work together, they can form a powerful hybrid model that optimises operational flow. AGVs can handle repetitive, predictable tasks such as transferring standard pallets between production lines, storage areas, or shipping bays. Forklifts, on the other hand, can be reassigned to more intricate or urgent jobs, effectively minimising downtime and labour-intensive tasks. This dual approach can be especially beneficial in dynamic facilities that process a high volume of goods and need to adapt to unexpected changes in demand or product flow.
Key Benefits of Implementing AGVs
The appeal of AGVs lies in their ability to improve efficiency, reduce human error, and operate around the clock. By automating the most repetitive and time-consuming transport tasks, businesses can enhance productivity while allowing skilled forklift operators to focus on more complex activities.
Multi-Shift Operations and Rapid ROI:
AGVs are designed to run 24/7 without needing breaks or shift changes, making them ideal for multi-shift environments. Because they reduce the labour requirements linked to repetitive tasks, automated forklifts often achieve a return on investment in as little as two to three years. This rapid payoff is particularly attractive to businesses dealing with labour shortages or aiming to rein in overhead expenses.- Speed, Efficiency, and Accuracy:
Many AGVs operate at consistent speeds and follow designated paths with minimal variance, which helps maintain predictable throughput. By minimising human error, these systems also reduce product damage and misplacements. This reliability makes AGVs especially valuable in facilities where even small errors can significantly disrupt overall operations or lead to high rework costs.
- Suitability for Challenging Conditions:
AGVs excel in harsh or demanding environments that may be uncomfortable or dangerous for human workers. In cold storage or freezer environments, for example, operating conditions often require frequent staff rotations and careful monitoring of worker health and safety. AGVs face no such limitations. They operate continuously and reliably within temperature-controlled zones, mitigating risks and cutting down on the complexities that come with maintaining a human workforce in extreme conditions.
- Space Optimisation:
Many AGVs use advanced sensors and software to navigate more efficiently than a traditional forklift driver might. This high level of precision allows AGVs to work more consistently, optimising the customer’s facility to make better use of available floor space. Such AGV layouts can be particularly advantageous in high-rent or urban distribution centres where space is at a premium.
Meeting Environmental and Structural Requirements
Though modern AGVs are increasingly flexible and adaptable, their success still depends on certain fundamental environmental conditions. Chief among these is floor quality. An uneven or poorly maintained floor can lead to problems with vehicle alignment and stability, especially when AGVs are lifting or placing heavy loads. Ensuring the floor is level and free of significant obstructions or damage is critical to smooth deployment.
Most AGVs also rely on wireless connectivity and the ability to share data in real time. Warehouses integrating AGVs must ensure they have reliable Wi-Fi coverage or another suitable communication infrastructure. Any required modifications, such as installing AGV opportunity charging stations or creating dedicated loading and unloading zones, should be carefully planned. However, most modern AGVs are designed to coexist safely alongside manual forklifts and pedestrian traffic without the need for large-scale structural alterations, making them a relatively low-disruption addition to existing operations.
Australian and International Safety Standards
Safety is one of the most critical considerations for any automated system, especially when it involves vehicles moving in busy warehouse environments. In Australia, AGVs must comply with the requirements set out in AS 5144-4, which aligns with the international standard ISO 3691-4. These standards outline the essential safety features an AGV must have, including obstacle detection, controlled travel paths, and emergency stop mechanisms.
Dematic AGVs serve as a benchmark in this regard. Their vehicles are built with sensor arrays that provide continuous 360-degree scanning, instantly detecting obstacles such as pedestrians, forklifts, or stacked goods in their path. If an obstruction is detected, the AGV will slow down or come to a complete stop if necessary, resuming travel once the route is clear. This collision-avoidance capability ensures that workers and equipment are kept safe, even in congested or fast-paced environments.
Dematic AGVs are equipped with compliant dual path safety components, which are all cross monitored via a compliant safety programmable logic controller (PLC). High-visibility lighting and audible alarms add further layers of awareness, allowing pedestrians and forklift drivers to remain alert to the AGV’s presence. Emergency stop buttons, easily accessible on the vehicle, provide an instant override in any situation that demands it.
Creating a Safer, Smarter Warehouse Ecosystem
AGVs and forklifts can function as complementary technologies rather than mutually exclusive options. Forklifts will remain crucial for tasks requiring human oversight and flexible judgment, while AGVs excel at repetitive, round-the-clock movement of pallets, reducing downtime and labour-intensive tasks. The result is a balanced ecosystem where human-driven forklifts and automated vehicles coexist in a safe, efficient, and highly productive environment.
AGVs represent a tangible competitive advantage, helping companies gain unprecedented levels of reliability, lower operational costs, and safer working conditions for their employees. As more businesses face pressures from labour shortages, tight margins, and rising consumer demand, the adoption of AGVs will continue to accelerate.
Learn more at https://www.dematic.com/en-au/products/agv/, or contact us.
Dematic Counterbalance Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV)