From the perspective of application scenarios, AGV are mainly used in handling scenarios, and wherever there is handling, there is the possibility of AGV application
As a substitute for human resources, the demand for moving AGVs has become increasingly strong. In 2019, China’s AGVs sold 40,670 units, up 37.4 per cent yr-on-yr. In 2020, the new application value of AGVs (reducing human-to-human contact) was released due to COVID-19 epidemic, accelerating the development of entire AGV industry application scenarios. It is estimated the AGV sales volume hit 53,000 units in 2020, and forecasted to exceed 130,000 units by 2026.
“From the perspective of application scenarios, AGV are mainly used in handling scenarios, and wherever there is handling, there is the possibility of AGV application. By application fields, the automobile industry, 3C electronics, tobacco industry, and logistics industry are the most widely used and most promising industries for AGV. Among them, the largest application field is e-commerce logistics services, accounting for about 32.8 per cent of the total AGV demand,” read a report by Research and Markets.
It continued, ” AGVs can automatically carry according to the optimal driving route, accurately dock at the desired manual picking platform, and pick out the corresponding quantity of goods. The matching AGV intelligent management system can complete the supervision of all cargo situations and operation links, and can check the storage, delivery, transportation, etc. of goods at any time, so that customers can grasp the dynamics of their own goods in real time.”
Another typical application of AGV is in the automotive industry, and mainly in the engine assembly line, or the docking of the chassis and platform. For example: automatic transportation of raw materials, transportation of the assembly line, transportation to and from the test area, automatic transportation between workshop and finished products. Judging from the current data of domestic automobile manufacturers, most players have adopted domestic AGV as a circulation hardware for in-plant production logistics, with a high localization rate.
In terms of competition pattern, AGV carries relatively high localization rate but scattered market concentration, and the market steps into an era of competition. Every AGV manufacturer has its own unique advantages. Since 2015, the AGV industry has entered a period of rapid development, and there are large variables in the industry. Relatively speaking, enterprises with deeper technological accumulation and more unique functional development may benefit more from industry changes.
