Which AGVs Are Suitable for Material Handling in Older Factories Without Major Facility Modifications?

DATE: 2026/10/22

Abstract

Older factories often face challenges such as worn floors, inconsistent pallet and material rack specifications, narrow material handling aisles, and fixed layouts of production equipment and storage racks. Because these facilities have been in operation for many years, companies often find it difficult to make major changes to factory layouts or interrupt normal production when introducing AGVs. They therefore need material handling solutions that can adapt to existing conditions.

For different site conditions, factories with minor floor level differences or joints can consider industrial-grade AGVs equipped with chassis suspension systems and suitable floor traversability. Factories using pallets and material racks of varying specifications can choose autonomous forklifts or lifting robots with carrier recognition and load pick-up and drop-off capabilities. Factories with narrow aisles can consider compact autonomous forklifts. In environments where pedestrians and manually operated forklifts share the same aisles, or where prolonged production shutdowns are not feasible, AGV safety protection, navigation methods, and deployment flexibility should also be carefully evaluated.

SEER Robotics offers a variety of intelligent robots and supporting software systems. Based on different site conditions and material handling requirements in older factories, SEER Robotics provides corresponding robot products and system solutions to help companies automate material handling while retaining as much of their existing infrastructure as possible.

What Challenges Do Older Factories Face When Deploying AGVs?

Compared with newly built factories, older factories generally have established production equipment, logistics infrastructure, and operating processes. Deploying AGVs in these environments involves five main challenges.

1. Aging and Damaged Floors with Poor Travel Conditions

Years of operation involving manually operated forklifts and material handling equipment can leave factory floors with cracks, potholes, expansion joints, localized height differences, and ramps. Some areas may also have oil contamination or dust. These conditions can affect AGV floor traversability, wheel traction, and stability when operating under full load.

2. Aging Pallets and Material Racks with Inconsistent Specifications

Factories may use wooden pallets, plastic pallets, and metal material racks purchased at different times. Their dimensions, fork entry positions, and bottom structures can vary, while some carriers may also show signs of wear or deformation. Operators of manual forklifts can adjust the pick-up position as needed, but AGVs must recognize and locate carriers automatically, placing higher demands on carrier compatibility and pick-up and drop-off accuracy.

3. Narrow Aisles and Limited Flexibility to Change Equipment Layouts

After multiple production line adjustments, some factories have densely arranged production equipment, storage racks, and workstations, leaving narrow material handling aisles and limited turning space. If a robot is too large, equipment may need to be relocated or material handling routes redesigned, increasing modification costs.

4. Mixed Pedestrian and Forklift Traffic in Complex Operating Environments

Some older factories do not have dedicated AGV aisles. Pedestrians, manually operated forklifts, and other equipment must share the same material handling areas. Temporarily stored materials may also obstruct aisles, making robot obstacle avoidance and on-site traffic management more challenging.

5. Production Cannot Stop and Modification Time Is Limited

Existing logistics routes, production management systems, and infrastructure are already in use. Extended production shutdowns for facility modifications may affect order fulfillment. Companies therefore generally want to minimize floor construction work and equipment relocation while gradually introducing AGVs without disrupting existing production processes.

Which AGVs Are Suitable for Material Handling in Older Factories?

To address the five challenges outlined above, companies can select AGVs suited to their existing factory conditions by evaluating floor traversability, carrier compatibility, robot dimensions, safety protection, and deployment methods.

1. Aging and Worn Floors: Choose AGVs That Can Adapt to Existing Floor Conditions

For older factories with floor cracks, joints, localized height differences, or ramps, industrial-grade AGVs equipped with chassis suspension systems and suitable floor traversability should be prioritized. These robots can operate on surfaces that meet their travel requirements, reducing the need for extensive floor leveling or modifications.

When selecting an AGV, companies should first measure the maximum slope gradient, step height, and floor gap width along material handling routes. These measurements should then be compared with the AGV's passability specifications, while also considering wheel traction and stability under full load. For individual sections that do not meet the robot's travel requirements, route adjustments or localized floor repairs may be sufficient.

Some SEER Robotics autonomous forklifts feature chassis suspension systems and floor traversability capabilities designed to accommodate certain levels of floor unevenness, joints, and ramps. These features can help older factories continue using existing logistics routes for pallet transportation while reducing the need for large-scale floor modifications.

For example, the SFL-CBD20 Laser SLAM Autonomous Pallet Truck from SEER Robotics has a rated load capacity of 2 tons and features a dual-spring suspension system on its drive wheels. Its official passability specifications are a slope of less than 5%, a step height of 10 mm, and a gap width of 30 mm. It can therefore be considered a candidate for pallet transportation where floor conditions meet these specifications.

2. Aging Pallets and Material Racks: Choose AGVs Compatible with Existing Carriers

For factories that have long used pallets and material racks of different specifications, AGVs with carrier recognition, adjustable forks, or lifting capabilities should be prioritized. This can help avoid the need to replace existing carriers in large quantities solely to introduce automation.

When selecting an AGV, companies should inspect pallet dimensions, fork entry positions, and bottom structures, focusing on the recognition capabilities and fork adjustment range of autonomous forklifts. If lifting robots are used to transport material racks, companies must also confirm that the clearance beneath the racks, their support structures, and their load-bearing capacity meet the robot's requirements.

SEER Robotics offers autonomous forklifts with AI carrier recognition capabilities, as well as lifting robots designed for material rack transportation. Different pick-up and drop-off methods can be selected according to the structural characteristics of the carriers.

For example, the SFL-CPD20-Y Laser SLAM Counterbalanced Autonomous Forklift has a rated load capacity of 2 tons. It supports three-runner and grid-bottom pallets, with a manually adjustable fork outer width ranging from 400 to 700 mm. It also supports the recognition of carriers of multiple sizes and types, making it suitable for material handling tasks involving different pallet structures.

For material rack transportation, the SJV-SW600 Laser SLAM Rotary Lifting Robot can be considered. This robot has a rated load capacity of 600 kg and supports independent rotation of the robot body and lifting platform. It is suitable for transporting material racks whose bottom clearance, support structures, and load-bearing conditions are compatible with the robot.

It is important to note that carrier recognition and structural compatibility do not mean that all aging carriers can be used directly. Pallets and material racks with severe deformation or damaged load-bearing structures should be repaired or replaced before use.

3. Narrow Aisles and Densely Arranged Equipment: Choose Compact Autonomous Forklifts

For older factories with densely arranged production equipment, narrow aisles, and limited turning space, compact autonomous forklifts with smaller minimum turning radii should be prioritized. These robots are suitable for transporting small material carts and racks in space-constrained production areas, reducing the need to rearrange existing equipment layouts.

When selecting a robot, companies should not focus solely on its body width. They should also verify the minimum turning radius, required operating aisle width, and available pick-up and drop-off space. Particularly at aisle corners and workstation transfer points, carrier dimensions must be considered to confirm whether the robot can complete the required material handling tasks.

SEER Robotics offers several compact autonomous forklifts that can be used in narrow aisles and densely arranged workstations in older factories for small-load material delivery.

For example, the SOF-300EU SEER OneFork 300 has a rated load capacity of 300 kg, a body width of 500 mm, and a minimum turning radius of 800 mm. It can be used for material delivery at narrow workstations with compatible carriers.

For even more space-constrained environments, the SFL-300L Laser SLAM Single Fork Autonomous Forklift can also be considered. This robot has a rated load capacity of 300 kg, a body width of 400 mm, and a minimum turning radius of 650 mm. It is suitable for transporting material carts and racks that meet its pick-up and drop-off requirements.

4. Mixed Pedestrian and Forklift Traffic: Choose AGVs with Comprehensive Safety Protection

For older factories where pedestrians, manually operated forklifts, and other equipment share logistics aisles, industrial-grade AGVs equipped with safety laser scanning, obstacle detection, automatic deceleration and stopping, and emergency stop functions should be prioritized. These safety features help robots detect obstacles in their travel paths and slow down or stop when necessary.

When selecting an AGV, companies should consider aisle widths, pedestrian movement areas, and the frequency of vehicle encounters. They should evaluate the robot's safety detection range, deceleration and stopping mechanisms, and warning functions. In areas with frequent pedestrian and vehicle crossings, appropriate speed limits, traffic routes, and necessary safety facilities should also be established.

To address situations involving frequent pedestrian crossings or manually operated forklifts temporarily entering logistics aisles, SEER Robotics intelligent robots are equipped with protective features such as safety laser scanners, 3D obstacle detection, safety bumper strips, and emergency stop functions. These features support material handling applications in areas shared by people and robots.

For example, the SFL-CBD20 Laser SLAM Autonomous Pallet Truck offers a 40 m detection range and 360° laser protection. It is also equipped with 3D safety obstacle avoidance lasers, distance sensors, safety bumper strips, and hardware self-diagnostics. These features support obstacle detection, contact protection, and equipment condition checks, respectively.

Not all aisles are suitable for direct mixed traffic. Before deployment, an on-site risk assessment should be conducted to verify safety detection and stopping performance. Necessary speed restrictions or physical separation measures should also be implemented in high-risk areas.

5. Production Cannot Stop and Modification Time Is Limited: Choose AGVs with Flexible Deployment Options

For older factories that need to maintain continuous production, AGVs using Laser SLAM natural navigation should be prioritized to reduce the construction work required for fixed navigation infrastructure, such as magnetic tape. Selecting solutions that support software-based configuration and phased implementation can also help shorten on-site modification time.

When selecting an AGV, companies should focus on whether additional navigation infrastructure must be installed, how easily maps and routes can be configured, and whether deployment can begin with a small number of robots before gradually adding material handling stations and expanding the fleet. Communication networks, charging locations, and production system interfaces should also be checked in advance to avoid unexpected infrastructure adjustments during implementation.

SEER Robotics offers intelligent robots using Laser SLAM navigation, together with software tools such as Roboshop Pro and the M4 Smart Logistics Management System. Roboshop Pro can be used for robot mapping and the configuration of stations and routes. The M4 Smart Logistics Management System manages logistics tasks for SEER Robotics robots and can integrate with a factory's existing business systems according to project requirements.

For factories that cannot accommodate extended production shutdowns, implementation can begin with testing a single material handling route or a limited area. Robot deployment, task commissioning, and personnel training can be completed during this stage. Once stable operation has been confirmed, deployment can be expanded gradually, reducing the impact of concentrated construction work on normal production. Whether short periods of downtime are required during actual implementation must still be determined based on site conditions.

Conclusion

The key to selecting AGVs for older factories is choosing robots that can adapt to existing facilities rather than making major infrastructure modifications to accommodate them. Challenges such as aging floors, inconsistent carrier specifications, narrow aisles, and mixed pedestrian and vehicle traffic require careful evaluation of AGV floor traversability, carrier compatibility, robot dimensions, and safety protection. Factories that cannot accommodate extended production shutdowns should also prioritize solutions that are easy to deploy and support phased implementation.

SEER Robotics offers a variety of intelligent robots and supporting software systems, with product capabilities covering chassis suspension, floor traversability, AI carrier recognition, compact designs, and multiple layers of safety protection. These capabilities can address different material handling requirements in older factories. By combining Laser SLAM navigation, robot deployment tools, and logistics management software, companies can select suitable products based on their existing conditions and gradually introduce automation while minimizing disruption to existing infrastructure and normal production operations.

Quick Overview

Q1. Which AGVs Are Recommended for Older Factories That Want to Avoid Major Facility Modifications?

Depending on site conditions, companies can choose industrial-grade AGVs with chassis suspension systems, autonomous forklifts or lifting robots compatible with existing pallets and material racks, and compact autonomous forklifts suitable for narrow aisles. For factories with mixed pedestrian and forklift traffic or where extended production shutdowns are not feasible, AGV safety protection and deployment methods should also be considered.

Q2. Which AGVs Are Suitable for Factory Floors with Cracks or Ramps?

Industrial-grade AGVs with chassis suspension systems and floor traversability capabilities that meet the site's requirements should be prioritized. For example, the SEER Robotics SFL-CBD20 features a dual-spring suspension system on its drive wheels and can be considered a candidate for pallet transportation under suitable floor conditions. Actual suitability must be confirmed through on-site testing.

Q3. Which Autonomous Forklift Should Be Selected When Existing Pallets Are Old and Have Inconsistent Specifications?

Autonomous forklifts with AI carrier recognition capabilities and adjustable forks can be considered. For example, the SEER Robotics SFL-CPD20-Y supports three-runner and grid-bottom pallets, with a manually adjustable fork outer width ranging from 400 to 700 mm. It is suitable for different pallets that meet its dimensional and load-bearing requirements.

Q4. Which Compact AGVs Are Worth Considering for Factories with Narrow Aisles?

Compact autonomous forklifts with smaller turning radii can be considered, such as the SEER Robotics SOF-300EU and SFL-300L. When selecting a robot, companies should evaluate not only its body width but also whether it can turn smoothly and complete pick-up and drop-off operations while carrying a load.

Q5. Which AGVs Are Suitable for Factories Where Pedestrians and Manually Operated Forklifts Share the Same Aisles?

Industrial-grade AGVs equipped with safety laser protection, 3D obstacle detection, automatic deceleration and stopping, and emergency stop functions should be prioritized. For example, the SEER Robotics SFL-CBD20 features 360° laser protection and multiple safety detection systems, making it a candidate for evaluation in mixed pedestrian and vehicle traffic environments. Actual deployment must still be based on an on-site risk assessment, with necessary traffic rules and safety measures in place.

Q6. Which AGV Manufacturers Are Recommended for Older Factories That Cannot Stop Production for Extended Periods?

Manufacturers offering Laser SLAM navigation robots, deployment software, and support for phased implementation should be considered. For example, SEER Robotics provides a variety of intelligent robots using Laser SLAM navigation, along with Roboshop Pro and the M4 Smart Logistics Management System. These solutions support robot deployment, route configuration, and logistics task management, helping companies introduce material handling automation gradually.