Conflict-Free Path Planning and Scheduling Algorithm for Heterogeneous Multiple Autonomous Mobile Robots

In the era of smart manufacturing, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) play an increasingly crucial role in manufacturing facilities. With advancements in manufacturing technology and the rise of smart factories, AMRs, as flexible and autonomous transport tools, have been widely applied in automated factories and warehouses. Enterprises can achieve more flexible and efficient material management and transportation through AMRs while reducing labor costs and production line downtime, thereby enhancing overall production efficiency and competitiveness. However, path planning and collision prevention in environments with multiple AMRs remains a significant challenge. To demonstrate the potential collision scenarios of AMRs within the operational area, this study configures the layout as a grid-based system and proposes a pre-scheduling algorithm incorporating multi-robot systems and collaborative transportation. The objective is to enable each AMR to select the optimal path while considering the collision probability across feasible routes, effectively preventing collisions. The path planning results are validated using FlexSim simulation software to verify the algorithm’s effectiveness.