Tài liệu Smart warehouse system based robotic automation and internet of things platform

VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY FACULTY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING GRADUATION THESIS SMART WAREHOUSE SYSTEM BASED ROBOTIC AUTOMATION AND INTERNET OF THINGS PLATFORM MAJOR: COMPUTER ENGINEERING COUNCIL: COMPUTER ENGINEERING INSTRUCTOR: Dr. LE TRONG NHAN REVIEWER: Dr. NGUYEN TRAN HUU NGUYEN Student 1: Le Quang Trai 1652620 Student 2: Hoang Ha Tuan Dung 1752145 Ho Chi Minh City, December 2021 ĈҤ,+Ӑ&48Ӕ&*,$73+&0 ---------75ѬӠ1*ĈҤ,+Ӑ&%È&+.+2$ KHOA: KH & KT Máy tính %Ӝ0ÐN: .ӻWKXұW0i\7tQK &Ӝ1*+Ñ$;­+Ӝ,&+Ӫ1*+Ƭ$9,ӊ71$0 ĈӝFOұS- 7ӵGR- +ҥQKSK~F 1+,ӊ09Ө/8Ұ1È17Ӕ71*+,ӊ3 &K~ê6LQKYLrQSK̫LGiQWͥQj\YjRWUDQJQK̭WFͯDE̫QWKX\͇WWUuQK +Ӑ9¬7Ç1 +2¬1*+¬78Ҩ1'lj1* _____________ MSSV: 1752145 ______ +Ӑ9¬7Ç1 LÊ QUANG TRÃI _____________________ MSSV: 1652620 ______ NGÀNH: .Ӻ7+8Ұ70È<7Ë1+ _____________ /Ӟ3 ______________________ ĈҫXÿӅOXұQiQ Smart Warehouse System based Robotic Automation and Internet of Things Platform 1KLӋPYө\rXFҫXYӅQӝLGXQJYjVӕOLӋXEDQÿҫX 7uPKLӇXYj[k\GӵQJKӋWKӕQJFҧPELӃQWKѭӡQJVӱGөQJFKREjLWRiQWuPÿѭӡQJӭQJGөQJFKR Robot AGV trong nhà kho thông minh ;k\GӵQJP{LWUѭӡQJP{SKӓQJJLҧLWKXұWWuPÿѭӡQJGӵDWUrQ'LMNVWUDEҵQJQJ{QQJӳOұp trình 3\WKRQFKҥ\WUrQ3& 7uPKLӇXYjKLӋQWKӵFFѫFKӃJLDRWLӃS23&8$WUrQQӅQPҥQJFөFEӝ 7tFKKӧSYjKRjQWKLӋQӭQJGөQJKӋWKӕQJEDRJӗPFiFӭQJGөQJFKRQJѭӡLGQJYjJLDRGLӋQ GjQKFKRQJѭӡLTXҧQWUӏ 1Jj\JLDRQKLӋPYөOXұQiQ 30/03/2021 1Jj\KRjQWKjQKQKLӋPYө 12/07/2021 +ӑWrQJLҧQJYLrQKѭӟQJGүQ 3KҫQKѭӟQJGүQ 1) /Ç75Ӑ1*1+Æ17RjQEӝ 1ӝLGXQJYj\rXFҫX/971ÿmÿѭӧFWK{QJTXD%ӝP{Q Ngày ........ tháng ........QăP &+Ӫ1+,ӊ0%Ӝ0Ð1 *,Ҧ1*9,Ç1+ѬӞ1*'Ү1&+Ë1+ .êYjJKLU}K͕WrQ .êYjJKLU}K͕WrQ /r7UӑQJ1KkQ 3+̮1'¬1+&+2.+2$%͠0Ð1 1JѭӡLGX\ӋWFKҩPVѫEӝ________________________ ĈѫQYӏ _______________________________________ 1Jj\EҧRYӋ __________________________________ ĈLӇPWәQJNӃW _________________________________ 1ѫLOѭXWUӳOXұn án: _____________________________ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC BÁCH KHOA KHOA KH & KT MÁY TÍNH CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc ---------------------------Ngày 12 tháng 08 năm 2021 PHIẾU CHẤM BẢO VỆ LVTN (Dành cho người hướng dẫn) 1. Họ và tên SV: HOÀNG HÀ TUẤN DŨNG MSSV: 1752145 Ngành (chuyên ngành): Kỹ thuật máy tính Họ và tên SV: LÊ QUANG TRÃI MSSV: 1652620 Ngành (chuyên ngành): Kỹ thuật máy tính 2. Đề tài: Smart Warehouse System based Robotic Automation and Internet of Things Platform 3. Họ tên người hướng dẫn: T.S Lê Trọng Nhân 4. Tổng quát về bản thuyết minh: Số trang: 77 Số chương: 08 Số bảng số liệu: 3 Số hình vẽ: 58 Số tài liệu tham khảo: 5 Phần mềm tính toán: 01 Hiện vật (sản phẩm): 01 5. Tổng quát về các bản vẽ: - Số bản vẽ: Bản A1: - Số bản vẽ vẽ tay Bản A2: Khổ khác: Số bản vẽ trên máy tính: 6. Những ưu điểm chính của LVTN:  The most interest in this thesis is the simulation environment, which is developed completely by students themselves, including UI, animations and a tracking service, to capture simulation data for plotting or comparison with different approaches. This simulation allows to create events in a smart warehouse, such as packet received, packet delivery, AGV Robot position for real time tracking.  A modification of the Dijkstra algorithm is implemented in this project for routing many AGV Robots in a dynamic scenario. This work can be inherited by many projects concerning Robot movements  An end-to-end communication is based on OPC-UA protocol, which is a new service in Internet of Things, and is deployed successfully by students. This protocol is used to send comments from the main controller to the Robots. By using this protocol, a new architecture of the system is proposed by students. In this architecture, the Robot is a server, while the main controller, is a client.  Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, students show their great efforts to integrate the whole system, with a small Mecanum Robot for a demonstration. TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC BÁCH KHOA KHOA KH & KT MÁY TÍNH CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc ---------------------------Ngày 8 tháng 8 năm 2021 PHIẾU CHẤM BẢO VỆ LVTN (Dành cho người hướng dẫn/phản biện) 1. Họ và tên SV: LÊ QUANG TRẢI MSSV:1652620 Ngành (chuyên ngành): Họ và tên SV: HOÀNG HÀ TUẤN DŨNG MSSV:1752145 Ngành (chuyên ngành): KỸ THUẬT MÁY TÍNH KỸ THUẬT MÁY TÍNH 2. Đề tài: Hệ thống nhà kho thông minh dựa trên Robot tự động và nền tảng kết nối vạn vật (Smart Warehouse System based Robotic Automation and Internet of Things Platform) 3. Họ tên người hướng dẫn/phản biện: TS. Nguyễn Trần Hữu Nguyên 4. Tổng quát về bản thuyết minh: Số trang: 70 Số chương:8 Số bảng số liệu:3 Số hình vẽ:55 Số tài liệu tham khảo:14 Phần mềm tính toán: Hiện vật (sản phẩm) 5. Tổng quát về các bản vẽ: - Số bản vẽ: Bản A1: Bản A2: Khổ khác: - Số bản vẽ vẽ tay Số bản vẽ trên máy tính: 6. Những ưu điểm chính của LVTN: In this thesis, the students have successfully • Applied pathfinding algorithm for the AGV (Dijkstra) to find the low cost path. • Used OPC UA as the communication protocol between AGVs and client. • Conducted a virtual environment animation tool to evaluate the control strategy. • Created a physical model for demonstration of one AGV moving from an initial position to the destination desire. 7. Những thiếu sót chính của LVTN:................................................................................................. The simulation system should consider more on realistic characteristics such as how long a robot running with a specific battery. 8. Đề nghị: Được bảo vệ  Bổ sung thêm để bảo vệ  Không được bảo vệ  9. 3 câu hỏi SV phải trả lời trước Hội đồng: a. Could you explain the benefits of using OPC UA for communication? b. Why did you choose to implement a simulation system by your own, rather than build up from an open source? 10. Đánh giá chung (bằng chữ: giỏi, khá, TB): Giỏi Điểm : 9/10 Ký tên (ghi rõ họ tên) Nguyễn Trần Hữu Nguyên Thesis COMMITMENT We commit that this project is based on our supervisor ideas and knowledge. Some considers and information have not been distributed. The references, numbers and measurements are quite solid and legitimate. The bunch completed the proposal necessities set faculty of Computer Engineering. Sincerely, Le Quang Trai Hoang Ha Tuan Dung iv Thesis ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In the beginning, we would express our deepest appreciation to our thesis supervisors, Ph.D. Le Trong Nhan. He has been there providing his heartfelt support and guidance at all times and has given us invaluable guidance, inspiration, and suggestions in our quests for knowledge during our university time. Without his assistance and dedicated involvement in every step throughout the process, this thesis would have never been accomplished. We sincerely thank the teachers, who are occupying the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering in particular and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology in general, he has always been imparting knowledge in the past four years. Their support, encouragement, and credible ideas have been great contributors to the completion of the thesis. Last but not least, It would be inappropriate if I omit to thank our friends and family. The unconditional love and blessings of our late parents, the care of friends and acquaintances who never let things get dull, have all made a tremendous contribution in helping us reach this stage in our life. We thank them for putting up with me in difficult moments where we felt stumped and for goading us on to reach for our passions. Finally, we would like to wish you good health and success in your noble life. v Thesis ABSTRACT Nowadays, IoT is becoming very popular and widely used in multiple applications. Therefore, we think that it is suitable to have the capability to understand and apply this abstract to our thesis. Furthermore, using autonomous robots in smart warehouses is not considered an unfamiliar phenomenon, although it is quite common in developed countries, in Viet Nam it is still kind of a new thing. So we come up with an idea of combining these abstracts, create and smart warehouse containing autonomous robots using an IoT communication system to work. In this project, we propose an overall design of a smart warehouse which contains the warehouse’s statistic and the AGVs system processing inside. We draw out a detail map of the warehouse which represent the working environment of the AGVs, based on the map, we apply the centralize management approach (one central controller and multiple AGVS) by using the central to administer appropriate path finding algorithm and sent the result to the AGVs. For testing the working accuracy of the path finding algorithm and further development, we design a tool to analyze the result comes out from the algorithm. For the data transfer and communication between vehicles, we propose an appropriate communication protocol that is adaptive to the system dynamics. For physical testing, we create a demonstration map include line system and RFID cards attached in desire points for location mark, then we make a simple vehicle contains of functions like line following, movement ability, self locate by auto-detech RFID attached on map. For each feature, we choose the suitable hardware components and combine them into one AGV. Finally, In order to create the realistic result, we make the AGV run on real physical map while connected and receive data from central controller. vi CONTENTS Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction . . . . . 1.2 Thesis introduction . 1.3 Thesis overview . . . 1.4 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 2. Ecosystem for smart warehouse 2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2 Environment Modelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 AGV Management type (centralize, decentralize) 2.4 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 3. System Architecture 3.1 System architecture . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2 Detail architecture . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2.1 Warehouse floor - Map design . 3.2.2 Communication Protocol - OPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UA connection Chapter 4. Hardware and Software 4.1 Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1.1 AGV Operating System . . . . . 4.1.2 AGV Controller . . . . . . . . . . 4.1.3 AGV Sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1.4 AGV Actuator . . . . . . . . . . 4.1.5 Power source . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1.6 Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1.7 Line circuit diagram of the AGV 4.1.8 Detail connections of the AGV . . vii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 2 3 3 . . . . 5 5 7 8 9 . . . . 10 10 12 12 13 . . . . . . . . . 14 14 14 19 22 26 28 29 31 32 Thesis 4.2 Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2.1 Development Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 5. AGV Mobility and Strategy 5.1 Robot Control Principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1.1 Basic Robot control principle . . . . . . . 5.1.2 Mecanum Wheel Robot Control Principle . 5.1.3 Implementing the IR Sensor Logic . . . . . 5.1.4 Controlling Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2 Robot Navigation Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2.1 Autonomous Guide Vehicle State . . . . . 5.2.2 Central Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 Path Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3.1 Shortest Path Algorithms . . . . . . . . . 5.3.2 Possible collisions and prevention method 5.4 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 36 36 37 38 39 42 42 44 45 46 48 49 . . . . . . . . 50 50 51 51 53 53 55 56 57 . . . . 59 59 59 61 61 Chapter 8. Experiment and Validation 8.1 Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.2 Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 63 65 Chapter 6. 6.1 OPC 6.2 OPC 6.3 OPC 6.4 OPC 6.4.1 6.4.2 6.5 OPC 6.6 OPC OPC UA based communication Unified Architecture (OPC UA) definition UA Requirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UA Architechture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UA Connection and Data exchange . . . . Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Data exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UA Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UA Development Tool - UA expert . . . . Chapter 7. Prototype Model 7.1 Physical model . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.1.1 Map design for demonstration . 7.1.2 AGV design for demonstration . 7.2 Final result . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thesis 8.3 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix 69 LIST OF FIGURES 1.1 Amazon runs complex simulations to coordinate the robots on the field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2.1 2.2 2.3 Rectangle warehouse sample [2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abstract model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Centralize and decentralize control architectures . . . . . . 6 7 8 3.1 3.2 3.3 System architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Map design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communication Protocol - OPC UA . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 12 13 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 Raspberry Pi 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JetSon Nano Version B01 4GB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comparision between Raspberry Pi 4 and Jetson Nano [4] Arduino Uno R3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arduino Mega . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ESP32 and ESP8266 modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TCRT5000 infrared reflection sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . RFID RC522 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camera IMX219-160 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raspberry Pi Camera V2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L298N Motor Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V1 Dual Shaft Plastic Geared TT Motor . . . . . . . . . . Pin connection diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4x battery holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jetson Nano add-on board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mecanum wheels 60mm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RFID Card 13.56MHz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Black Vinyl Lane Marking Tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 17 18 20 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 27 28 28 29 30 30 x Thesis 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 Wiring diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . Detail connections of the AGV . . . . Nomachine connect with Jetson Nano Eclipse IDE for Python Interface . . PlatformIO UI on VScode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 32 33 34 35 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 Line robot principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mecanum wheel control principle . . . . . . . . . . IR sensor principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Movement - Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Movement - Rotate 180 degree - Rotate Left, Right Movement - Cross line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . State Machine Diagram of AGV Behaviour . . . . State Machine Diagram of Central Behaviour . . . Flowchart of Dijkstra algorithm . . . . . . . . . . . The results with Dijkstra algorithm . . . . . . . . . Type of possible collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 46 47 48 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 The OPC UA Architecture[14] The client-server model . . . . OPC UA flow chart . . . . . . The opc ua sercurity model . The UA Expert developer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 54 55 56 57 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Detail map for demonstration Real map view . . . . . . . . Real AGV in demonstration . AGV demonstration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 60 61 62 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Result of finding shortest path with single robot . . Result of finding shortest path with multiple robot Warehouse business model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Packet types distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Serving time gantt chart of single AGV . . . . . . . Serving time gantt chart of multiple AGVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 65 66 67 68 69 xi . . . . . . . . . . . . interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LIST OF TABLES 4.1 4.2 4.3 Raspberry Pi 4 Features and Technical Specification . . . . Jetson nano B01 Features and Techinical Specficiation . . IMX219-160 Camera vs RPi Camera V2 . . . . . . . . . . xii 16 17 25 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction The increasing use of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) in manufacturing to implement a automated warehouse (smart warehouse) has far reaching consequences for the industrial communication systems. The reason for this phenomenon comes from that AGV can improve manufacturing and warehouse efficiency without heavy investments. As compared to manual trucks, AGVs has an advantage on high precision which means it has lower risks of damage to goods, pallets, and racks. Furthermore, we can optimize the vehicles running which help minimized the use of energy and also controlled driving, thus grants the AGVs the ability of collision avoidance and leads to a longer equipment lifetime. Furthermore, as correspond to fixed automation, the automated vehicle has higher flexibility while not being locked to a preset path. However, to develop a usable AGV system to put into a smart warehouse is far from simple task. Unlike for other machines, the use of wired networks is not possible in the case of AGV, which have to move through large internal and external areas. On the other hand, production support algorithms based on machine learning require huge volume of data provided by AGV. In this way, a communication with AGV, becomes convergent rather with IoT than with the classical industrial communication. In this context, path finding algorithm can be used to optimise the external transporting tasks that are performed by AGV. Moreover, AGV need to contact with other AGVs and central controller, then a machine to machine communication must be applied. In this project, considering the warehouse environment, when the operations inside can diversity unexpectedly, using 1 Thesis AGV is a great choice to deal with the situation. 1.2 Thesis introduction A smart warehouse is the culmination of warehouse automation (in other words, automating various components of your warehousing operations). Similar to smart homes, a smart warehouse is enabled with several automated and interconnected technologies. These technologies combine together to increase the productivity and efficiency of the warehouse, minimizing the number of human workers while decreasing errors. As Royce Digital explains, “In manual warehouses, we usually saw workers moving around with lists, picking products, loading them into carts and then delivering them to the shipping docks,” but in smart warehousing, “Orders are received automatically, after which the system confirms if the products are in stock. The pick-up lists are then sent to robot-carts that place the ordered products into containers and deliver them to workers for the next step.” Smart warehouse application has been used by various companies which include both using to form a production chain or even supply (sell) these products. We can clearly see these examples in a large company like Amazon,... In our thesis, we are heading towards creating an environment based on the idea of Amazon Warehouse where a large amount of robots is used. Amazon needs this robotic system to supercharge its order fulfillment process and make same-day delivery a widespread reality. To describe how the system works, you grab a flat package, hold its bar code under a red laser dot, and place it on a small orange robot. You press a button and the robot to do the bidding, bound for one of more than 300 rectangular holes in the floor corresponding to zip codes. When it gets there, the bot engages its own little conveyor belt, sliding the package off its back and down a chute to the floor below, where it can be loaded onto a truck for delivery.[1] 2 Thesis Figure 1.1: Amazon runs complex simulations to coordinate the robots on the field. With this idea and description from Amazon’s warehouse. We are considering some aspects and apply them to our project. 1.3 Thesis overview In this thesis, we are planning to fulfill these following achievements: • Apply pathfinding algorithm for the AGV (Dijkstra) to find the lowcost path. • Use OPC UA as the communication protocol between AGVs and client. • Conduct virtual environment animation tool to evaluate the control strategy. • Create a physical model for demonstration of one AGV moving from an initial position to the destination desire. 1.4 Conclusion By applying the idea of amazon of building a smart warehouse system, we are trying to build our warehouse with some smart functions: 3 Thesis The robots used in smart warehouses frequently resemble AGV and automate the vehicle retrieval process by physically delivering requested items to the desire destination of the orders. The IoT is what allows the robots in the smart warehouse system to communicate with all the other necessary technology and complete their tasks. Control principle is used primarily to increase productivity and minimize errors. AGVs can be applied with algorithm to find the most efficient way to reach and pick products. Control principle can also determine specific AGV to work on task. RFID allows warehouses to switch from paper tracking methods to tracking with digital tags. When it comes to both positioning and item differentiation purposes, RFID also takes the place of barcode readers. While barcodes had to be precisely aligned with the reader to be registered, RFID scanners can identify packages when simply pointed in the appropriate direction. Furthermore, the collaboration of RFID, wearables, and sensors provides warehouse managers with real-time monitoring of the progress and location of all inventory. Sensors system also enable vehicles to carry on with all the facility and continuously access information instead of relying on an unmoving workstation. Additionally, the network of sensors in a smart warehouse is responsible for monitoring the entire operation and ensuring that everything progresses appropriately. 4 CHAPTER 2 ECOSYSTEM FOR SMART WAREHOUSE 2.1 Introduction Applying this to the environment the AGVs running on, there are some factors that need to be considered: Environment shape, package type, environment status, and AGVs type. As we declare these aspects clearly, we will be able to create a small type of smart warehouse itself and apply some automation functions along with this warehouse. Firstly, the shape of the warehouse: based on the sample warehouse figure below we consider that the overall shape and the inner areas should be a rectangle. More importantly, this kind of shape will provide only straight lines, edges and the design of the line system for the AGVs will be simplified (our car will use the following line principle for directing from one point to another). As pre-describe the shape, the car movement can also be pre-set so all the AGV can be working in multiple environments which are similar type as the initial one. 5 Thesis Figure 2.1: Rectangle warehouse sample [2] Secondly, the package type which the AGV will be transporting: all items should be flat packages, with an RFID card attached for sorting. And the weight should follow a standard so it will not affect the AGV’s movement. Flat packages provide us with a simpler way to handle compared with other free-form packages, with an RFID card attached to it, the AGV can easily scan this card and classify type, series, ... any information included in the package. Finally, the environment’s status (light, obstacles,...) will affect the AGV’s movement and work: the light should be maintained at the same rate because this is one of the main aspects which will cause the faults in AGVs following the line. Obstacles are an essential problem which we need to solve so the AGV can work properly. The more stable the environment, the more accurate the AGVs.[3] 6 Thesis 2.2 Environment Modelling Figure 2.2: Abstract model The model which we design in the early stages of the development process is to determine how to program the pathfinding algorithm, along with manage the movement strategy of the AGV inside the line system. As the picture illustrates, the far-most left-hand side is the parking lot where all the non-task AGV waiting and begin ready to take instructions. While two places with the shoe icon locate above and below the parking area are where the cargo is being dropped, meaning the AGV from initial places will direct to these two cargo holders to receive packages. and then deliver these packages to the colored destinations at the far-most right of the map. After all the work is finished, the AGV will find a way back to its parking place. That is most likely the brief description of both map designing and process planning for our system. 7