Study of the Dynamics of Automated Guided Vehicle Using Mecanum Omnidirectional Wheel ☆

The paper presents the result of the dynamics simulation of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) using four Mecanum omnidirectional wheels when the tilt angle of each wheel’s roller is changed. Mecanum omnidirectional wheels have the ability to work flexibly, but operators are generally concerned about the vehicle’s efficiency issues. The performance of the wheel significantly influences the extensive application range of the vehicle. The method of modeling automated guided vehicles and Mecanum wheels is applied in order to build its kinematic model and dynamic model with omnidirectional wheels when the roller’s angle of incline is changed. Based on Lagrange’s equation of type II, the equation of motion of the vehicle is established in accordance with the actual situation that the vehicle is being applied. The rolling friction coefficient and the adhesive coefficient of Mecanum wheels were measured experimentally on different road surfaces, including concrete, wood, brick, and stone. The study's findings successfully address efficiency challenges in vehicles using omnidirectional wheels when varying the incline angle of each roller and applying fuzzy logic for trajectory control in autonomous vehicles.