Data-based node penalties in a path-finding algorithm in an automated material handling system

Increasing factory throughput is a critical issue in the semiconductor industry, and a quick transition of material to the next location in the automation system plays a significant role in increasing throughput. A dynamic pathfinding algorithm for a vehicle-based automated material handling system (AMHS) is discussed in this paper. The dynamic pathfinding algorithm uses distance between nodes, node penalties, and the number of vehicles queued to calculate the total cost of a path. This paper introduces the use of historical data from the AMHS and discusses how to effectively utilize such data in critical situations to improve overall AMHS performance.