When a warehouse introduces AGV forklifts, the most difficult part is often not the AGV route itself. It is the point where a human forklift, pallet jack, conveyor, or warehouse operator hands a pallet to the automated fleet.
A poorly designed handover point can create waiting time, pallet positioning errors, blocked aisles, and unnecessary manual intervention. A well-designed handover point gives the AGV a predictable pickup location and allows warehouse employees to work without entering automated traffic areas. 《How to Select the Right Automated Forklift for Your Warehouse》
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A handover point is a predefined location where responsibility for a pallet changes between manual warehouse operations and the AGV system.
Typical examples include:
A manual forklift delivering pallets from receiving to an AGV pickup area
An operator moving pallets from a production-free staging area to an automated storage zone
A conveyor presenting pallets to an AGV
A dock-side operator preparing pallets for automated transport
An AGV delivering pallets to a manual picking or shipping area
The objective is not simply to give the AGV a location to stop. The complete handover process should define where the pallet is placed, how its position is detected, when the AGV is allowed to approach, and how the next task is released.
Manual warehouse traffic is usually less predictable than automated traffic. Forklift operators may approach from different directions, stop at slightly different positions, or temporarily occupy the same area.
AGVs, in contrast, require defined operating conditions.
The handover area therefore acts as a buffer between two different operating systems.
A good design should answer:
Where exactly is the pallet placed?
How is pallet presence detected?
How is pallet orientation checked?
Can a manual forklift enter while an AGV is approaching?
What happens if the pallet is not available?
What happens if the pallet is placed incorrectly?
How does the WMS or fleet controller know that the handover is complete?
The first consideration is separation between the manual travel path and AGV operating path.
Where possible, the manual forklift should be able to approach and leave the handover location without entering the AGV's primary travel corridor.
The pallet placement position should also be clearly defined. Depending on the AGV design, this may require floor markings, pallet stops, guides, sensors, or a defined docking position.
For high-bay warehouses, the handover area should preferably be located outside the narrow storage aisles. This allows manual equipment to deliver pallets without introducing additional human traffic into automated VNA aisles.
The AGV should not assume that every pallet waiting at the handover point is ready for pickup.
Depending on the system architecture, pickup conditions can include:
Pallet presence detected
Correct pallet orientation
Pickup position available
Task released by the fleet control system
Required destination available
No safety obstruction in the approach area
If these conditions are not satisfied, the system should have a defined exception procedure rather than repeatedly sending the AGV to the same blocked position.
The software workflow should correspond to the physical workflow.
For example, a typical process could be:
WMS creates a transport task.
The task is sent to the fleet control system.
The AGV is assigned to the pickup location.
The manual operator places the pallet at the defined handover point.
Pallet presence is detected.
The AGV approaches the pickup position.
The AGV verifies pickup conditions.
The pallet is loaded.
The AGV transports the pallet to its destination.
The system updates the task status.
The exact interface depends on the WMS, WCS, RCS, PLC, sensors, and AGV platform being used.
The most effective handover point is not necessarily the one with the shortest AGV travel distance. It is the one that minimizes repeated human involvement.
For example, if an operator must manually reposition every pallet because the AGV cannot reliably pick it up, the automation system has simply moved the manual work to another location.
Before deployment, observe actual pallet handling and identify the causes of variation. These may include different pallet types, damaged pallets, inconsistent pallet orientation, mixed forklift approaches, or temporary staging.
Empty handover position
Correctly positioned pallet
Incorrect pallet orientation
Multiple pallets waiting
Manual forklift occupying the area
AGV arriving before the pallet is ready
Pallet removed before AGV arrival
Communication interruption
Safety scanner activation
Task cancellation
Before requesting an AGV proposal, provide the supplier with the actual handover workflow rather than only the warehouse layout.
Pallet dimensions and weight
Pallet types
Manual forklift types
Pickup and drop-off locations
Expected transport frequency
WMS/WCS/RCS architecture
Required safety separation
Peak operating periods
Temporary staging requirements
This information allows the supplier to design the AGV interface around the actual warehouse process rather than assuming an idealized pallet flow.
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