The problem of controlling the magnetic path
tracking guidance system of lightweight flexible Automated
Guided Vehicles (AGVs) is presented. Light AGVs are usually
designed to move small payloads. They have limited load weight
capacity, since load weight values large with respect to the vehicle
weight can significantly reduce the motion performances. So,
guidance controllers are usually conservatively designed. Also,
if the payload weight ranges in a large span, light AGVs path
tracking controllers are tuned on the basis of the largest expected
payload, with strong performance limitations at smaller
weights. In this paper, a state space dynamical model for the
differential drive path tracking system of the AGV has been
developed. In order to guarantee desirable control specifications
for a wide range of possible masses (50 < M < 1000kg), the
payload mass is considered as uncertainty in the model. Then
we analyze robust stability domain in the controller parameter
space via randomization technique. Namely, we describe the
regions where the controllers satisfy control action constraints
(current limitation), desired speed defined by transient time
values and regions such that ||T(s)||∞ ≤γ . This approach allows
us to design controllers satisfying simultaneously several control
objectives expressed both as common engineering specification
and as mathematical constraints. Finally, two set of controller
parameters have been chosen and experimental tests have been
performed on a vehicle used in a commercial vehicle engines
assembly line.