Deploying Mobile Maintenance Robots in Material Flow Systems Using Topological Maps and Local Calibration

Abstract

Material flow systems are widely used in industries and logistics and can reach dimensions up to several kilometres. Automated maintenance robots are one approach to improve the maintenance intensity and quality in combination with modest operating costs. In order to deploy these robots, models of the material flow systems have to be created that are suitable for robot navigation and path planning. A method for fast and automatable environment modelling based on the modular design of material flow systems and on existing layout plans is presented in this paper.