RFID for Automated Guided Vehicles
An AGV that loses its way blocks production. A robot that grabs the wrong pallet causes warehouse chaos. That’s why manufacturers of automated guided vehicles and mobile robots use RFID to complement camera and lidar.
The Problem
Autonomous vehicles typically navigate using laser scanners and cameras. This works well – until the environment changes. A new shelf, a parked forklift, changing light conditions: Suddenly the map is outdated and the vehicle is uncertain.
Pure odometry – counting wheel rotations – drifts over time. After a hundred meters, that can mean several centimeters of deviation. Not enough for precise docking at a loading station.
The Solution
RFID tags in the floor provide absolute position references. The vehicle drives over a tag, reads its unique ID, and knows exactly where it is. No drift, no dependence on lighting conditions, no confusion with similar-looking locations.
The tags are passive transponders – small plastic discs that are glued or embedded in the floor. They need no power, no maintenance, and last for years. Infrastructure costs are minimal compared to complex sensor setups.
For load carrier recognition, RFID works the same way: The robot reads the tag on the pallet and immediately knows what it’s carrying and where it goes. No confusion, no wrong delivery.
Why Manufacturers Want This
Reliability is the main argument. An AGV that gets stuck once a week costs more than the saved labor costs. RFID floor markers give the vehicle certainty – even when the camera is briefly blinded or the laser scanner sees a reflection.
The second reason is simplicity. Setting up new routes means: stick tags and register them in the software. The customer can do this themselves, without expensive commissioning by the manufacturer.
Technical Implementation
For floor navigation, we use HF technology. The range of a few centimeters is actually an advantage here: The vehicle reads only the tag directly beneath it, not the one three meters away.
For load carrier recognition at greater distances, UHF is used. This lets the robot read the pallet tag from half a meter away as it approaches.
The modules are designed for speed. At one meter per second travel speed, there’s little time for reading – our readers handle it.
What We Deliver
Different modules for different applications: QR15 or QuasarMX for HF floor applications, DwarfG2 or PLRM for UHF load carriers. Plus matching antennas that mount under the vehicle.
Developing AGVs, AMRs, or conveyor systems? We’ll advise you on RFID integration into your platform.
