Skip to Navigation | Skip to Content
College Industry Council on Material Handling Education

Number of AGVs: An Experiential Learning Based Exercise

Download the AGV Classroom Module (27 MB)

By using this module, students will learn about automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and AGV Systems (AGVS). In particular, after being introduced to AGV technology, the students will be presented with analytical models to determine the number of AGVs needed in an AGVS. A computerized decision-support tool that implements the analytical models can then be used to reinforce the models and/or to solve large problems. A case study is included for application of the models and decision-support tool.

The lecture resources can be used over two 75-minute lecture periods to introduce AGVS and the analytical models to determine the number of AGVs in a system. The computerized tool and case study can be introduced in a third lecture (and can be modified only to consider the AGV aspect of the case). Each part of the case should take approximately a week or one week and a half for the students to complete.

Here is an overview of what files are included in the AGV ZIP file in the link above:

  1. Lecture Resource - AGV Overview Presentation (PPT format): AGV Presentation.ppt
  2. Lecture Resource - AGV Overview Presentation Handouts (PDF format): AGV Presentation.pdf
  3. Lecture Resource - AGV Overview Video (WMV format): AGVS_HI.wmv
  4. Lecture Resource - Overview to Determining the Number of AGVs in a System (PDF format): AGV_Example.pdf
  5. Lecture Resource - Models to Determine the Number of AGVs in a System (PDF format): numveh.pdf
  6. Computerized Tool - AGV Decision-Support Tool (Excel format): AGVDST.xls
  7. Computerized Tool - AGV-DST Overview Presentation (PPT format): AGV DST.ppt
  8. Computerized Tool - AGV-DST Overview Presentation Handouts (PDF format): AGV DST Pres.pdf
  9. Computerized Tool - AGV-DST Training Manual (PDF format): AGVDST_Manual.pdf
  10. Case Study - "Teen Fashion Center: Automated Material Handling" (PPT format): Case.ppt
  11. Case Study - Instructor's Analysis for AS/RS (Excel format): ASRS Model.xls
  12. Case Study - Instructor's Analysis for AGV (Excel format): AGV Analysis.xls

This module was developed by Dr. Russell Meller and Dr. Brett Peters and approved by CICMHE in April 2005.