Smart Automated Guided Vehicle Design Project Report - IIU Malaysia

This report details the design and development of a smart Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) at International Islamic University Malaysia. The project focused on creating an autonomous mobile robot for material transportation, aiming to reduce labor and costs. The project objectives included mechanically designing the AGV, developing a simple operating system, integrating sensory systems and control algorithms, and evaluating performance. As the team leader, the author oversaw the project, guided team members, and ensured the AGV met size specifications. Key aspects involved understanding AGV theory, applying engineering skills (including Matlab), and utilizing components like line-following sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and APC220 radio transmitters. Challenges included sensor accuracy and environmental lighting, which were addressed through calibration. The project successfully developed an efficient AGV system, increasing productivity by reducing manufacturing cycle time. Desklib offers a platform to explore this and other solved assignments for students.

Competency Demonstration Report
Career Episode 2

CE 2.1 Project Information
Name of the project: DESIGN OF SMART AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLE
Location of the project: Gombak, Malaysia
Project Duration: 4 months
Organization: International Islamic University Malaysia
Role and Designation during the time: Team Leader
CE 2.2 Project Background
CE 2.2.1 Characteristics of the project
Autonomous mobile robot is generally used for the purpose of transporting of the
materials in the workstations is gaining popularity. Any type of mobile robots are always termed
as Automated Guided vehicle or the AGV and is associated with functioning as a carrier of
materials for the purpose of delivering products from one place to the other.
Because of the fact that the autonomous mobile robots are capable of completing their
assigned tasks in an independent manner without any need of extra interventions from human
beings, has made it become a growing field of research. This is generally done for the purpose of
having a reduced number of workers as well as reduced cost. However the area of focus is still
associated with including the navigation of the autonomous vehicles. Despite of the fact that the
machine based robot navigation technology has become the mainstream still the traditional line
of following robot is still used in a wide range of applications and this is mainly due to the low
costs and the simplicity of the circuit designs.

CE 2.2.2 Objectives developed for the project
I have been associated with the maintenance of some of the major significant as well as
standards at the time of execution of the particular project which in turn is associated with acting
as the reason for this type of designing or working parameters were being followed efficiently.
Thus in order to complete the project along with providing a perfect design for the Autonomous
guided vehicles so as to help it in becoming effective as well as efficient, I have eventually been
associated with developing certain objectives and this includes the following:
 To develop and design mechanically the smart AGV.
 To develop the simple system that can operate the smart AGV.
 To integrate sensory system and control algorithm for the AGV
 To evaluate the performance and control of the AGV
CE 2.2.3 My area of work
Since this is my second professional project which I have conducted and because of the
reason I was much experienced by working on my previous project, I have been recruited as the
team leaderin this specific project. In addition to this I would also like to mention that while
conducting this project, I did not face many complexities for completing the tasks. Once I was
provided with the complete design of the Autonomous Guided Vehicles, I have been associate
dwith helping my fellow team members to understand the main requirements of the project along
with the processes and the working principles of the AGV which would be consisting of user
friendly specifications along with making sure that the size of the AGV is scaled down so to get
fitted with the 2x2 meter layout. Due to the leadership qualities and skills related to logical
reasoning the members of my team kept a confidence upon me for leading them towards
completing the project successfully.

Project Leader (Me)
Team MemberTeam Member Team Member
CE 2.2.4 Project Group
Figure 1: Team Members Associated with the project
CE 2.2.5 My responsibilities throughout the project
For this particular project of designing and development of the Autonomous Guided
Vehicles with the system for the purpose of actuating the AGV itself. I was subsequently
assigned for evaluating the entire design of the AGV along with reviewing the entire design so as
to propose certain suggestions which would be helping in making eth system become more
efficient. Besides this I was also provided with eth responsibility of focusing upon the interface
of the entire systems so as to make it more user friendly along with making sure that it is meeting
the size specification so as to make the AGV well fitted in a 2x2 meter layout. Since I was ateam
leader of the project, I also had the core responsibility of considering of the major constraints
along with understanding them.

CE 2.3 Distinctive Activity
CE 2.3.1 Comprehending the Theory of the Project
The most important features of the mechanical engineering which I have been associated
with considering for conducting the entire project included the working process of the AGVs.
The first thing which I have been associated with considering while initiating the project is that
the AGV is moving in accordance to the inputs of the user and once the AGVs receives the input
it would be associated with following two of the liens in the floor. Besides this I have also
considered the usage of radio transmitters for helping the AGVs to communicate with each other
so as to help them in knowing their exact locations which in turn would be helping in elimination
of the risks due to crash. The entire project was to be overviewed and approved which included
the electric source the connection and many more.
CE 2.3.2 Engineering knowledge and skills applied in the project
In order to conduct this project work, I used Matlab for CMP machine. The one and only
short coming which I had at the time of conducting the entire project work was lack of problem
solving skill. However after gaining knowledge about the entire project and the issues which
would likely to occur I got myself entirely prepared for solving any kind of situational problems
which might arise at the time of execution of the project. Besides this I would also like to say
that I have been associated with the usage of my core skills as well as knowledge in this project
which has helped me a lot in solving the various kind of issues. In addition to all this, my
capability of thinking out of the box acted as the core advantage for the entire project.

CE 2.3.3 Accomplishment and Task Performed
I have been associated with undertaking the entire AGV system which has been
constructed by making use of a combination several other subsystems which are associated with
working together so as to perform the desired task. Some of the major subsystems which I
considered included the line following sensors, ultrasonic sensors and the APC220 Radio
Transmitter.
I have been associated with making sure that in order to design the line follower sensor
the Ldr sensors are used assisted with a led which would be helping in following the lines.
Receiving the reading from the sensors which is desired was very much challenging but it was
the best option as the Ldr sensors along with being sensitive, is having different range of
readings in accordance to the Ldr. Example of the Ldr sensor has been depicted in the figure
provided below:
Figure 2: LDR sensor

I have been associated with using APC 200 as I have understood the fact that there is an
essential need of having communication and this APC200 is associated with helping in
transferring of signals between the devices. Ultrasonic sensor is another device which we have
utilized for our project with an aim of preventing the AGV from crossing with the other AGV.
I had undertaken these following equipment’s which the main requirements of the project
are:
Figure 3: Ultrasonic sensor
Figure 4: LED
The setup of the project has been provided below:

Figure 5: Project setup
Below is the figure depicting the connection of the Microcontroller and the PC by making
use of the APC220:
Figure 6: PC Controlled to the microcontroller using APC220

Figure 7: APC220 Radio Data Module
CE 2.3.4 Identified issues and their solutions
2.3.4.1 Issues
Throughout the entire project of developing the AGV I have been associated with the
identification of certain limits and the are in turn responsible for limiting the effectiveness of the
Automated Guided Vehicles. The major issues is to produce the sensors which are having the
capability of detecting the range of the light value in an accurate manner. Even after the
existence of the several testing and calibration still the results are seen to be different because of
the lighting existing all around the surrounding. The receiving of the desired readings is also
challenging because of their sensitivity and the existence of different range of reading of the
different LDR.
2.3.4.2 Solutions
The major problem of this project which I have supervised is the own readings of the
LDR sensors or the resistances. One of the major way by this this problem can be avoided or

eliminated by means of calibration of the LDR sensors so as to make then function in a
reasonable manner. Me and my team have been associated with doing this by means of putting
the black and the blue colored line in one side and the silver colored line on the other side and
this in turn would be helping in knowing the direction by making use of the LDR sensor which
would be responsible for comparing between the two lines. The higher readings obtained would
be associated with depicting the fact that if the sensor is present in the black or the blue line.
CE 2.4 Project Review
CE 2.4.1 Project Overview
The project of developing the Automated Guided Vehicle so as to reduce the number of
workers along with being associated with functioning in an efficient way at the same time was
completed with ease as well as with extreme accuracy and efficiency. The specific project of
development of Automated Guided Vehicle has been associated with increasing the total
productivity since it was associated of lowering the entire manufacturing cycle time and total
machining time.
CE 2.4.2 My contribution to work
I had to lead the entire team associated with the project of developing the Autonomous
Guided Vehicle so as to complete the entire project successfully. Besides this I also had to
arrange for group meetings so as to discuss about the important aspects of the project with others
along with the projects major constraints. Before initiating the project I also had to make sure
that all the requirements of the project were readily available. Besides all this I was always ready
for tacking any kind of disputes occurring in the project.