Meeting 1 Summary

This was the first face-to-face ASTM Committee F45 meeting with excellent attendance (35) 

and participation, mainly from equipment manufacturers. All committee and sub-committee 

officers were present and provided initial comments prior to discussion towards development 

of documented standard performance measurements and test methods for AGV’s and mobile 

robots. Discussion determined no clear need to change F45 scope as this committee strives to 

be inclusive of automatic vehicle solutions for industrial and commercial use. However, the 

term ‘ground’ was added to mobile ground robot to exclude aerial and marine industrial 

vehicles. Similarly, brief (1 hr or less) discussions for each subcommittee focus area led to the 

following points:

F45.01 (Environmental Effects Subcommittee): Environmental ‘Effects’ may change the title to 

Environmental ‘Measurements’ to emphasize methods of characterizing the surrounding 

conditions and how they affect vehicle performance. The highest priority to consider is 

sunlight/high intensity light affecting vehicle functionality. Also, both indoor and outdoor 

vehicle environments, sensor interference, and other environmental aspects will be considered.

F45.02 (Docking and Navigation Subcommittee): A navigation working document WK48955 is 

being developed through a task group and a demonstration of what the task group is 

considering was shown. A relabeling of ‘navigation’ to a narrower ‘navigation: defined spaces’ 

will retitle WK48955, as well as consideration for not only vertical path barriers, but tape-line 

path-barriers on one side or no vertical walls and only tape or other ground-plane markers

defining the path. Working document WK50379 for docking has also begun. Docking was 

discussed during the wrap-up session after the docking test method demonstrations where 3 

DoF and 6 DoF docking and loaded and unloaded vehicle test methods referenced to a facility 

coordinate frame were suggested.

F45.03 (Object Detection and Protection Subcommittee): Object detection of typical industrial 

objects will be addressed in generic form to be determined. Static and dynamic obstacles, 

including overhead clearance (e.g., airplane fuselage, garage door) and exposure time of the 

obstacle (e.g., obstacle crossing the path or headed towards the vehicle on the path) will also 

be addressed.

F45.04 (Communication and Integration Subcommittee): Communication and integration will 

consider vehicle-to-facility and vehicle-to-off-board (e.g., management, controls, power) 

systems and not onboard vehicle component communication and integration. Secure 

communication with vehicles andintegration of vehicles into facilities while sharing facility 

networks will be considered. 

F45.91 (Terminology Subcommittee): A very brief discussion of terminology evolved to discuss 

AGV vs. mobile robot, etc. A terminology working document WK48954 is near ballot as a task 

group has been using e-meetings to develop terms and definitions useful to this committee and 

based on other standards and industry group terms.
Demonstrations of F45.02 and F45.03 test methods were provided by NIST, University of 

Massachusetts-Lowell and Adept for the attendees to have a firsthand view of performance 

test methods that may be considered for these subcommittee documents. 

E-meetings will now commence for all subcommittees with the F45 Chairman initiating the first 

of these meetings and sub-committee chairmen planning follow-on meetings. 

The next face-to-face meeting is planned to be in conjunction with Modex in April 2016 in 

Atlanta, GA.