AGV vs AMR. The Truth. What should you buy? Differences? Pros & Cons? - Winner?

AGV vs AMR? What's the best? I sell both of them...I love both ❤.  I do not care if they are AMRs or AGVs... I just care about the project requirements. In this article, I explain my "subjective" opinion about the differences between AGV and AMR. ????????‍♂️

           

What are the differences between AGV and AMR?

               

AMR stands for Autonomous Mobile Robot, while AGV stands for Automated Guided Vehicle. So, Autonomous and Mobile against Automated and Guided. 

         

An AMR is an Autonomous Mobile Robot with Natural Navigation able to redefine routes or paths and avoid obstacles. 

 

An AMR doesn't require predefined fixed paths. It can define its route on-the-fly. If an obstacle is detected, the AMR could adjust its path to navigate around the object.

   

Basically, Natural Navigation means that the robot maps the environment and is able to navigate and localize itself just "watching" this environment.

   

In fact it "the autonomous navigation topic" is not so simple, if you want to know more about natural navigation methods, do not miss this article: SLAM AGV Navigation.

  

          

An AGV instead, navigates automatically along given tracks (physical or virtual, magnetic tape, triangulating with reflectors, etc).

 

AGVs will not deviate from that track. When the AGV's safety sensors identify an obstacle, the AGV stops and waits for the obstacle to be removed.

             

The following video show how do vehicles behave. In this video you can see an AMR with free autonomous navigation: 

                  

 

             

On the other hand, this is an AGV with magnetic tape navigation: 

             

      

                   

Summing up, the main difference between automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots is the "autonomous" navigation.

          

The autonomous navigation implies certain additional differences, which I detail in this table and that I explain in the following chapters.  Keep on reading to understand this table and discover one by one the distinctions between AMR and AGV.

                

    

 

   

???? Be beware of those who assert that AMRs (or AGVs) are the most effective and only answer!  Probably, they are offering you "their" solution.

  

I recommend downloading agvnetwork's whitepaper on "AGV vs AMR" so that you can make your own conclusions. Naturally... it is free...  ????

                  

    

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Let’s discover differences between AGV and AMR.

   

      

AMR vs AGV? What's better?

      

You've most likely heard of AMR, or Autonomous Mobile Robots. You've undoubtedly heard that they're better than AGVs since they're more versatile, easier to deploy, less expensive, collaborative, and smarter.

        

Is this true? Are AMR Robots superior to AGVs? In many cases YES... but not always.

                          

In any case, let me tell you something. AMRs are the only future (not yet). One day, there will only be AMRs. Keep on reading to discover one by one the distinctions between AMR and AGV.

          

Let's try to identify when it is suitable to choose an AMR or an AGV.

    

Table of Contents  Are AGVs more expensive than AMRs? AMRs are safer than AGVs? AMRs are more flexible than AGVs Mobile vs Guided Robot against Vehicle Conclusions about the war between AMR and AGV

         

Cost: Are AGVs more expensive than AMRs?

           

???? If we are to compare the economic advantages of AMRs to those of AGVs, I must say that I have had the opportunity to propose alternative projects utilizing both technologies, and as usual, everything depends on the application.....

       

Come on... I guess you're thinking: "I wanted some answers, and the only thing you say is: It depends?... apologize!

        

It depends a lot on the type of mobile robot and the type of agv navigation system. 

                 

AMRs require more and more performant sensors for navigating. Moreover, they need good controllers are advanced algorithms able to manage all the info received from these sensors. 

            

This increased sensing and processing demand necessitates a more expensive vehicle. (it makes sense). ???? 

            

If we had sofisticated Laser Guided Vehicles  with Laser Navigation, probably the price difference would not be relevant because LGVs also require the same sensing and processing capability. 

  

   

    

So, if you are comparing a forklift agv with laser navigation with a forklift amr with some type of SLAM navigation... the price would be more or less the same. 

    

When comparing amrs to agvs with magnetic navigation, however, the situation changes.

     

 

If we had a small platform AMR that works with that nice natural navigation, the vehicle could cost around $30,000 or $40,000. You can find this kind of AGV with magnetic navigation at around $15,000  (even less).

 

             

If your project requires several vehicles, the gap is pretty important.   ???? ???? ????

            

An AMR seller would say that AMR installation is faster and cheaper because of no need of guidance system hardware.

       

It’s true, AMR installation and commissioning is faster and cheaper.

        

If your project requires very long routes, with many variable destinations or you need routes having many options, AMRs become more convenient against other technologies such as magnetic or laser navigation.

          

If your project does not require so complex installations, at the end of the day, AMRs are more expensive. 

            

I try to summarize these concepts in this article AGV cost estimation. How much does an automated guided vehicle cost? and this whitepaper... lot of things to be taken into consideration. 

  

   

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Moreover, if you wish to have a cost calculation for your project? You can download EXCEL AGV Cost Calculator, it takes into consideration all the cost aspects of both technologies providing an indicative investment level.

      

      

Safety: Are AMRs safer than AGVs?

       

Sorry to say. If someone tells you “An AMR is Safer than an AGV” is lying or he/she does not know what is talking about.

  

I’ve read some internet posts stating that AMRs are safer than AGVs. Of course, these post are published by companies selling or manufacturing AMRs.

      

No way. I do not agree. Both are safe. I would say that both MUST be safe in the same way.

      

AGVs count on well-defined safety Standards B56.5-2019 in US and interational ISO 3691-4:2023, mainly applied in EU. 

         

Even more, ISO 3691-4:2023 is applicable for driverless vehicles, it does not matter the type of navigation. 

 

Check this article for further and essential info about AGV safety System, it is very important in case you are thinking about implementing an AGV system: Understanding AGV Safety Systems.

   

    And again... do not miss agvnetwor's whitepaper.... tons of info

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 Some AMRs are in between AGVs and Industrial Robots (when they carry a Robotic manipulator or something similar). For this reason, it has been defined a new Safety Standard the R15.08 that specifies safety requirements for industrial mobile robots and robot systems.

         

R15.08 covers the existing gaps between standards R15.06 (Industrial Robot Safety) and B56.5 (Industrial AGV Safety).

         

In this article I explain what are the main elements of the R15.08: Ansi/Ria r15.08-1-2020.  If you are thinking about manufacturing or buying AGVs or AMRs... you should know these standards.

          

I have stated that AMRs are more flexible because they can adapt and decide their route (probabilistic approach) while AGVs do always follow a deterministic route.

        

Well, deterministic navigation, is predictable and causes less scary feeling, because staff knows exactly where the agv is moving and do not have to be afraid of any unexpected movement behavior. ????

        

Let’s admit that both AMR and AGV are safe, but in any case, let’s check these cases:

 

Tugger AMR

  

Imagine that we have a AMR that is tugging carts convoy. The AMR detects and obstacle and tries to avoid it searching for the best path. The AMR itself is safe because of safety sensors.

    

But what happens with the convoy? Are we sure that all the carts will perfectly follow the path? If convoy does not follow path trolleys could hit someone or something.

 

 

Two-way Aisle

   

In general, corridors are narrow. In case of two-ways corridor, there is space available for only one vehicle on each direction.

  

  

Imagine that an AMR comes to a stop as a result of a detected obstacle by the safety system. The AMR makes the decision to avoid this obstacle, invading the side of the route that is designated for the opposite direction.

   

What happens if a manned  vehicle arrives speedily? Are we certain that the driver will be able to stop the vehicle before the collision?

    

Of course, the aforementioned scenarios can be avoided simply removing the ability to autonomously decide the route. Similar to AGVs, the AMR could just stop (same as the AGVs) but would still keep  the other benefits like flexibility (see below).

    

   

      

Navigation: Autonomous vs Guided

          

This is the main point where AMRs arrive with a great improvement: Here it comes the Free or Natural Navigation technology

        

Automatic Guided Vehicles follow a given route, they can follow thousands of “given” routes, but these routes must be “given”. This path can be made by magnets on floor, magnetic tape, virtual path made by laser triangulation.  

        

It is not true that AGVs cannot decide what is the best route to meet a given point. AGV Systems can decide to assign a mission from A to B using corridor X, corridor Z or corridor W depending on multiple variables like corridor occupancy or expected time to destination … but if decided, they do not rectify their trajectory on-the-fly because of external obstacles.

        

AMRs instead, are not obliged to follow a route and are able to autonomously decide the best path.  In some applications, this feature is great to ensure that load is delivered to destination in time.

     

If an AGV finds an obstacle on its route, this obstacle will be noticed by the safety system and will stop the AGV. The AGV will not move until the obstacle is removed.

    

      

AMR can detect the obstacle and avoid it minimizing the time stopped because of the safety reasons. 

 

If a vehicle or mobile robot is compact and its area of operation is densely populated with humans, obstacle avoidance may be an ideal fit.
    

In commercial centers, hospitals, hotels, airports, the chance of mobile robots encountering an obstacle, such as a person, is high. Therefore, you will not want to stop or slow their job each time they  encounter an obstacle. In these cases, using obstacle avoidance makes perfect sense.

               

AMRs are suitable for applications having multiple, crowded and variable destinations, for example:

            

   

  

Flexibility: Are AMRs more flexible than AGVs?

     

Yes. It is true (excuses if I write it too big...)

      

AMRs offer the possibility to change routes easily and effortless. Tipically, you can drive manually the robot, it maps the environment and creates a path... and that's all. 

       

If you want to change an AGV magnetic route, it is very easy but it would require some more job.

       

If you want to change an LGV route or add new picking or delivery destination… you’d probably can’t do anything by your own and you’ll need supplier full support. ????????‍????

        

AMRs are extremely flexible and allows multiple destinations and tracks without any effort during the implementation. Once the environment is mapped, you can even ask the AMR go from A to B and it will autonomously decide its track. 

        

But! The point here is: Do you always need such a huge flexibility? Sorry, maybe this answer does not like you… it depends.

      

It depends on the application. Think about a production line that is producing material placed in a box each 23 min, 3 shifts a day, and this material goes to another machine, always there.

 

 Why should you need so much flexibility? or in other words: would you pay a more expensive vehicle to have this flexibilty feature?

        

Think about an automotive manufacturer line production. You have to deliver a container with doors to a given point in the assembly line, at a given tac time, for 5 years.

 

Once the flows are defined, they will not change. This is to say, that tehre are some applications where you would not need to be so flexible. 

         

 

Robot against Vehicle

        

Why an AMR should be a robot and an AGV should be a Vehicle? 

      

I can imagine that some AMR Marketing Manager thought that calling them Robots would make them more friendly and “collaborative”.  AGV and AMR can be collaborative, it depends on what you put on top of the vehicle and how do you manage the interface with the human operator.

      

We can have a robotic arm or manipulator on an AMR, and, we can also have a robotic arm or manipulator on an AGV. What is the difference? 

       

There is not any reason why an AMR should be a collaborative robot and an AGV should not be collaborative.  Maybe, our Marketing friend, wanted to create the “idea” that AGVs are non-collaborative and stupid.

   

Conclusions about the war between AMR and AGV

      

As explained, the main difference is the navigation technology. For this reason, we must check pros & cons of each navigation method. 

     

     

There is a new and great navigation technology, adaptable flexible and scalable.

      

Marketing has distinguished this technology  from other available robots in the market. AMRs have done a huge step forward that will push all the AGV /AMR industry towards the definitive and reliable Free Navigation. 

    

AMR represents a huge opportunity in certain applications but not for all the applications. Every single project must be analysed and understood.

The decision between an AGV and a mobile robot should be based on a number of variables, including the nature of the application, the layout of the facility, the required payload capacity, and the desired degree of flexibility and adaptability.

 

Before settling on a technology, it's crucial to take into account the application's unique requirements.

       

You have to be sure if it is technically and economically convenient to have AMRs or to have AGVs.

     

In the future, when the natural navigation technology will be completely developed, cheap and reliable at 100%, we will not have any difference between AMRs and AGVs because all the vehicles will perform the natural navigation.

      

Last advice, you need to understand your project and requirements and you have to identify the right product for it.

       

Who cares if it’s called AGV or AMR?

     

Keep on learning   What is a Laser Guided Vehicle? LGV Vehicle: Advantages and Disadvantages Mobile Robot Applications - 7 Key Uses that AGVs can't do. Explanation of R15.08 - Safety Standard for Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) What is a Warehouse AMR? Types and Applications