ANTS4.0

About the project

The ever faster changing requirements of customers mean that intralogistics must become much more flexible. Current solutions are often complex and lack flexibility. For this reason, we are developing a versatile, automated and easily adaptable solution with driverless transport vehicles.

Adaptive intralogistics with low-cost Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) through the implementation of ant colony algorithms

The ANTS 4.0 research project is working on a new type of logistics concept that can respond flexibly to changes in production. The interaction of NAiSE Traffic-Control, the intelligent path planning algorithm from the Institute of Ergonomics and Technology Management at the University of Stuttgart, the low-cost AGV (Scooty) from the Institute of Materials Handling and Logistics (IFT) at the University of Stuttgart, and the intelligent floor from Bosch Rexroth provide the solution.

The aim is to develop an innovative and efficient logistics concept from these components. To this end, the transport orders are first collected in the order management system. Once the AI algorithm has calculated the optimum route, the route is transmitted to the intelligent floor. This shows the route sections in color using the integrated LED strips. The Scooty uses a camera to orient itself to the illuminated LED strips and thus transports the goods to their destination. If the NAiSE indoor localization system or the intelligent floor detects an obstacle on the route, it is recalculated. This avoids unnecessary waiting times on the transport route.

The system will be set up on a 200 m² demonstrator area in the ARENA2036. At the same time, the Sonthofen Technology Transfer Center is carrying out a simulation that will transfer the system to a much larger area and thus evaluate its benefits in real production halls.

Motivation and goals

The "Biologization of Technology" funding programme of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) aims to use processes from nature as models for production processes.

In the ANTS 4.0 research project, the behavior of a swarm of ants forms the basis for the behavior of the Scooty vehicles on the intelligent floor. The aim of ANTS 4.0 is to use the organizational skills of ants as a model for the production environment and to create a self-organizing logistics system. The production environment will be completely changeable, as workstations will be supplied with energy without contact. The traffic control system adapts flexibly to the new environment at all times and adapts the route planning.

With the help of the results from the project, employees in intralogistics are relieved of monotonous and physically strenuous work and can focus on value-adding activities. At the same time, cost savings can be realized for the AGVs as the floor takes over important control tasks. We use simulations in which we compare the two systems with each other to check how high the savings will be.

The combination of versatile production, low-cost vehicles and dynamic route planning in real time demonstrates a new concept for intralogistics with the aim of increasing efficiency and saving space.

Cooperation in the project

We work together in a consortium, consisting of the IAT and IFT of the University of Stuttgart, the start-up NAiSEthe Technology Transfer Center Sonthofen and the Bosch Rexroth AG. Our aim is to jointly develop a demonstrator in the ARENA2036, where we can demonstrate our innovative system. demonstrate and evaluate our new system.

The transport vehicle

Scooty is a concept study of the IFT for cost-effective and small-scale AGVs with an area-moving chassis chassis. In the lowcost-segment for the KLT-transportation (600 x 400 mm) are such trolleys with superior maneuverability are still not very common. The vehicle body uses very compact drive-steer modules that are variable in number and footprint and can therefore be ideally adapted to the intelligent floor.

The intelligent floor

The intelligent floor is a Bosch Rexroth development in the field of "Factory of the future". In the vision of the factory of the future, only the walls and ceilings are fixed. Everything else is movable. The intelligent floor is a flexiblesystem that can be at any to the productionproduction at any time. The energy for machines is transmitted without contact, piezoelectric sensors recognize people and vehicles and forward the information to the traffic control system. LED light strips show adaptable driving and walking routes at all times.