Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are driverless carts or forklifts that follow magnetic tape, laser scans, or mapped features. They move pallets and bins fast, cut travel time, and lower injury risk.
However, AGV models vary widely in their payload capacity, turning radius, floor tolerance, battery life, and software compatibility. Choosing a unit that doesn’t fit your aisle width, load requirements, or IT infrastructure can lead to frequent stoppages and costly repairs.
By the end of this article, you’ll know how to assess your material handling needs, identify the right AGV features for your operation, and make a confident choice for your automation journey.
Assess Your Material Handling Needs
- Load Types: Start with what you move. For example, you may have pallets, totes, cartons, or a mix. An AGV for material handling comes in pallet‑truck, fork, or cart variants. Therefore, matching a vehicle to a load prevents over‑engineering.
- Weight Capacity: List the heaviest load you’ll ever handle, and then add a safety buffer. Tuggers, for instance, might cap out around 1.5-2 tonnes, while heavier platforms go far beyond that. Consequently, size the chassis and drive train early.
- Travel Distances: Battery draw rises with every meter traveled. Range falls in proportion to distance, making mid‑route chargers or swap stations essential for longer loops. Plan fleet size and AGV for material handling duty cycles around that fact.
- Working Hours: Count actual operating hours, not just shift times. For example, continuous or 24/7 patterns need extra vehicles or opportunity charging. On the other hand, single‑shift sites can share a smaller pool without hurting throughput.
- Facility Layout: Measure aisle widths, turning circles, floor quality, and space for chargers before you order. Even slim automated guided vehicles need flat, crack‑free floors and clear safety buffers to meet sensor and navigation specs.
- Workflow Assessment: Sketch the process from inbound to outbound. Repetitive point‑to‑point moves justify an AGV for material handling. In comparison, irregular or ad‑hoc tasks may stay manual until you refine the flow.
Key Features to Look for in an AGV Forklift
- Navigation Systems: Laser scanners let the truck track reflectors on walls. Magnetic tape and floor QR codes give a fixed path with a low upfront cost. SLAM uses LiDAR to build a map on the fly while adding flexibility to an AGV for material handling.
- Safety Technologies: Safety laser scanners create warning and stop zones so the truck slows before contact. Bumpers and an emergency‑stop circuit add a last layer if detection fails. Set the zones right, or the unit will stop too frequently.
- Battery Life and Charging: Lithium‑ion packs run longer and recharge in one to two hours. Opportunity or online charging lets the vehicle top up during breaks without manual swaps. Automatic battery‑swap stations are still useful for round‑the‑clock work.
- System Compatibility: Pick a controller that exposes a clear API so your WMS or ERP can assign missions in real time. Leading vendors already link order data and vehicle status through such interfaces, which keep an AGV for material handling in sync with the rest of the floor. Check that the forklift can speak common protocols before you buy.
Match AGV Types to Your Use Case
Major AGV Forklift Types
Forklift‑style automated guided vehicles cluster into five core forms. They include pallet‑jack, counterbalance, reach‑truck, very‑narrow‑aisle turret, and tugger models. Collectively, they form the workhorse AGV for material handling on factory and warehouse floors.
Matching Types to Typical Sites
Different industries rely on specific AGV types to meet their unique needs.
- E-commerce warehouses often use pallet-jack and reach-truck AGVs to quickly move cartons from pick areas to loading docks.
- Cold chain logistics require counterbalance or reach-truck AGVs built with sealed electronics to operate reliably in freezing temperatures.
- Automotive plants prefer tugger AGVs that transport parts precisely and on schedule to each work cell.
To visualize this, imagine an online shoe warehouse: a reach-truck AGV lifts a pallet loaded with boxes and drives it to the packing station. Inside a -25°C freezer, a counterbalance AGV carefully moves beef boxes without fogging its sensors. On an automotive assembly line, a tugger AGV delivers door panels just in time for the robot to install them.
Why Choose HELI for AGV Solutions
With over 60 years in forklift manufacturing, HELI applies its innovation and sustainability expertise to create AGV solutions that combine advanced forklift engineering with intelligent automation for modern material handling.
4-6t i-Series Straddle Stacker AGV
Designed for heavy-duty environments, this AGV automates the safe, efficient transfer of bulky loads such as steel, machinery parts, or automotive components. Customizable wide legs handle oversized cargo with stability, a high-capacity lithium-ion battery supports long shifts, and built-in safety systems protect both goods and operators, helping facilities boost throughput while reducing manual handling risks.
1.5-1.6t i-Series Fork Over Stacker AGV
Ideal for warehouses and production lines, this compact AGV automates material transfers between processes, even in narrow aisles. With side-placed automatic charging, a maintenance-free AC steering motor, and stable lifting up to 1.6 tons at 3 m, it keeps goods moving without slowdown, maximizing space use, cutting manual handling, and maintaining steady production flow.
Conclusion
Instead of forcing a one-size-fits-all machine into your workflow, selecting an AGV built for your exact loads, aisle widths, and operating conditions ensures your automation investment pays off from day one.
HELI’s AGVs cover both heavy-duty and compact needs, with experts ready to tailor a system for your operation. Explore the range or request a custom plan to start optimizing your material handling automation today.
