Research On Multi-AGV Scheduling Based On Neuro-Endocrine Coordination Mechanism

With the rapid development of contemporary manufacturing system, requirements of flexibilityand robustness of the manufacturing system have been increased. As one of the key subsystems,Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) System has been applied to transport material and improve theflexibility, agility and production efficiency of the manufacturing system. When several vehicles areinvolved, how to achieve highly efficient movement without collisions, as well as reaction to variousdisturbances remains to be an important issue in the scheduling of multi-AGV system.By applying the neuro-endocrine coordination mechanism, which maintains biologicalhomeostasis, into multi-AGV scheduling, this paper studied task scheduling, collision avoidance aswell as the reactive mechanism against disturbances in multi-AGV system.Firstly, the structures and functions of the nerve and endocrine systems and the interactionbetween them were studied. Further studies on features and functions of the nervous and humoralregulations, and neuro-endocrine coordination mechanism in the maintenance of biologicalhomeostasis were conducted.Secondly, with an analogy between multi-AGV scheduling and neuroendocrine systems, theneuro-endocrine coordination mechanism was applied to multi-AGV system and the task assignmentand scheduling mechanism was proposed. Further studies on collisions and deadlocks in multi-AGVmovement based on Digital Hormone inspired Multi-Robot Control System model were conducted. Inorder to deal with different disturbances, the neuro-endocrine coordination mechanism was appliedinto the multi-AGV system; therefore, the agility and robustness were improved.Then, a multi-AGV scheduling simulation bench was built. Wireless and controller area networkbus communication systems were designed. Detailed design of the hardware and software of AGV,manufacturing unit and monitoring terminal were also completed.Finally, multi-AGV scheduling simulation experiments combined with actual production tasksand an analysis of experiment results were conducted. The results indicated that the neuro-endocrinecoordination mechanism could be applied to solve the problems of task scheduling, collisions anddeadlocks in multi-AGV system, as well as improve timely reaction to various disturbances; therefore,increase production efficiency of the manufacturing system.