ROBOTEQ has made available a new application note and a demonstration video which shows how to build an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) using just two components.

The completed AGV follows a track made of adhesive magnetic tape which is stuck to the floor. It uses a magnetic guide sensor (Roboteq’s MGS1600) and a programmable dual channel DC motor controller (Roboteq’s MDC2230) to accomplish this.

The MGS1600 sensor measures how far from the center of the tape it is and provide that information to the motor controller which adjusts the steering so that the vehicle remains at the centre of the track.

Magnetic markers positioned on the left and right side of the track give the AGV location information that is used to speed change and fork left/right decisions.

The video shows the AGV construction and the finished product, while the application note provides the wiring diagram and the source code used to run the motor controller.

Compared to other guiding techniques, magnetic guides are passive and easy to lay and modify. The tape creates an invisible field that is immune to dirt and unaffected by lighting conditions. The magnetic track can be totally hidden under any non-ferrous flooring material.