3D Simulation for AGVs/AMRs: Fleet Planning in the Factory

Mobile Robots AGVs And AMRs Sould Be Planned As Part of the Overall System

2026-06-15 By Bernd Maienschein 2 min Reading Time

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As the number of mobile robots continues to grow, their scheduling becomes increasingly complex. Traditional planning approaches reach their limits when it comes to the behavior of AGVs and AMRs in conjunction with facility layout, material flow, charging infrastructure, and control systems.

This simulation shows the AGV's scan fields for upcoming turns.(Image: Dualis) — This simulation shows the AGV's scan fields for upcoming turns.
(Image: Dualis)

As Ralf Dohndorf, Vice President of Factory Simulation at Dualis, a Dresden-based (Germany) software and services specialist, explains, planning for mobile robotics in many projects begins with the question of how many vehicles are needed to achieve a specific transport capacity. However, this approach falls short, as the interplay of various factors determines performance during actual operation. Traditional planning methods, such as using Excel, are no longer sufficient for today’s requirements. Often, multiple vehicles, varying order priorities, limited buffer areas, the charging infrastructure, and other automation components all interact. Even minor changes in the layout or order structure could have a noticeable impact on throughput, wait times, and utilization. And this is precisely where the 3D simulation platform Visual Components and the Mobile Robots library from Dualis demonstrate their strengths.

Our simulation solution is not just for visualization; it is a tool for making informed decisions.

Ralf Dohndorf, Vice President Simulation at Dualis

In this case, simulation serves as a decision-making tool: it allows companies to assess, even before implementation, how many vehicles are actually needed, where bottlenecks might occur, and how robust a system is during peak loads or future scaling. This means they know how the system will perform under realistic conditions.

Integrated 3D Factory Simulation

As Dualis’s Dohndorf explains, there are specialized tools on the market for planning mobile robots that are suitable for clearly defined transport processes or for analyzing a vehicle fleet in isolation. However, these tools only allow for a limited assessment of the overall system.

Visual Components, in combination with the Dualis Mobile Robots library, reportedly enables an integrated 3D factory simulation in which mobile robots can be modeled alongside other automation components. The simulation supports companies throughout the entire project lifecycle—from the concept phase through planning and commissioning to optimization during ongoing operations. Accordingly, simulation results provide measurable metrics on throughput, utilization, wait times, and energy consumption, creating a solid foundation for investment and optimization decisions.

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