This article deals with the implementation of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in a selected company. The aim is to analyse the use of AGVs in our country and abroad and to provide information about the use of AGVs in other countries and operations other than ours. The result of the analysis was a literature review, which points out the individual advantages and disadvantages of the use of AGVs in companies. Within the review we also address the issue of AMR vehicles, due to the modernization of existing AGVs in the company, or the replacement of AMRs with AGVs in general. Our aim is to show why AGVs can replace human work. This is mainly because of the continuous increase in the wages of employees, because of safety, but also because of the modernization of the selected company. The company has positive experience of AGVs in other sites. We wanted to point out a higher form of automation, and how it would be possible to use AMR vehicles for the same work as AGVs. In the company, we have identified jobs where we would like to introduce AGVs or AMR vehicles. Consequently, we chose the AGV from CEIT operated by magnetic tape and the AMR from SEER as an example. Based on studies, the demand for AGVs is expected to increase by up to 17% in 2019–2024. Therefore, the company is looking into the issue of the implementation of AGVs at multiple sites. The question which remains is the economic return and the possibility of investing in the automation of processes in the company, which we discuss in more detail in the conclusion of the article and in the research. The article describes the exact processes for AGVs, their workload, and also the routes for AGVs, such as loading/unloading points, stopping points, checkpoints, junctions with other AGVs, charging stations, and field elements, as well as their speed, frequency and the possibility of collision with other AGVs. Our research shows that by applying the new technology, the company will save a large amount of money on employee wages. The purchase of two AGVs will cost the company EUR 49,000, while the original technology used in the company cost EUR 79,200 annually. The payback period for such an investment is 8 months. The benefits of implementing AGVs are evaluated in the last section of this paper, where both the economic and time requirements of the different proposals are included. This section also includes recommendations for improving specific parts of the enterprise.

In this paper, we will compare two solution options to determine whether the deployment of an autonomous mobile robot will be a beneficial investment for a company not only in terms of cost, time, and manpower savings, but also in terms of efficiency and reliability in the implementation of selected logistics processes to ensure the smooth running of production. In this paper, we would like to analyse the technology in terms of functions, carrying capacity, and interconnection within the infrastructure in the enterprise. The logistics processes from material order to export to the final customer will be analysed when an automatically controlled robot is deployed. One of the solutions discusses the use of personnel and material handling equipment (tractor with transport kit). The second solution discusses the deployment of the robot and selected logistics processes. The paper concludes with a summary of both options in terms of time, cost, and efficiency of the solution.

The automation of logistics processes in companies is an essential part of the modernization and advancement of companies around the world. This article deals with the issue of deploying a selected type of automated guided vehicle (AGV) in very specific conditions. AGV is suitable for optimizing the circular supply chain in specific conditions of a manufacturing company. The deployment of AGVs is governed by the production needs of the section in question. The selection criterion was therefore the quantity of products that needed to be transported on the selected route. The article uses a new calculation of AGV requirements based on the saturation of individual components from the picking location to the assembly line. The ratio indicator was considered: driving time per shift, depending on the length of working time. Based on this calculation, the most effective option was applied from the individual solutions. Based on our calculation, we arrived at a requirement for three AGVs, plus a reserve, i.e., four. Our selected calculations were applied to the FRONT and TOP positions, where a decision was made between the option of using under-run AGVs or a truck. The decision was made based on the saturation level, and the result is described at the end of the discussion. The AGV is one of the tools for sustainable supply chain management in a company. However, it is important to evaluate the total cost of ownership, including lower labour costs, less risk of damage to goods, higher productivity, and long service life of the trucks. Thanks to these factors, AGVs often prove to be economically advantageous.