A Simulative Approach to AMR Fleet Sizing in Decentralized Multi-Robot Task Allocation

Abstract

As the Industry 4.0 shifts towards the adoption of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in warehouses, decentralized decision-making has become a key design principle. Multi-robot task allocation (MRTA) is a problem that involves assigning tasks to AMRs while optimizing the performance of the system. However, modeling decentralized MRTA applications for optimization without a central instance poses significant challenges due to the autonomy and flexibility of AMRs. In this paper, we propose a simulative approach to address the fleet sizing problem combined with decentralized MRTA applications for AMRs. Based on simulation data, models have been developed that predict key performance indicators (KPIs) for different warehouse layouts and requirements, using techniques from machine learning and mathematical optimization. The model represents KPIs such as constraint satisfaction and utilization rates in a decentralized MRTA scenario including a self-organizing material flow application. Based on this model, we introduce a fleet size selection mechanism. This research contributes to the field of Industry 4.0 by providing a generalizable simulative approach that is adaptable to flexible warehouse environments, allowing for the application of any MRTA algorithm. Moreover, this approach allows the integration of different KPIs, facilitating the adaptation of requirements.