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Keywords : Automatic control, Control systems, Discrete simulation, Transportation.
In this study a control system to coordinate the traffic flow of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) is presented. This control system, TRACES (Traffic Control Engineering System), coordinates a system of AGVs, which are autonomous transport units.
A prototype was built as a pilot-study for the TRACES system. The formulation of the problem and simulation environment in which TRACES was tested is discussed.
For this study of the system an existing automated container terminal has been chosen. Here about 50 AGVs operating in a relatively small area look after the transport of containers between the quay where ships are loaded and unloaded and the stack where containers are stored for longer or shorter periods.
Conclusions from this research and future research and applications are presented.