This article proposes an improved A* algorithm aimed at improving the logistics path quality of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in digital production workshops, solving the problems of excessive path turns and long transportation time. The traditional A* algorithm is improved internally and externally. In the internal improvement process, we propose an improved node search method within the A* algorithm to avoid generating invalid paths; offer a heuristic function which uses diagonal distance instead of traditional heuristic functions to reduce the number of turns in the path; and add turning weights in the A* algorithm formula, further reducing the number of turns in the path and reducing the number of node searches. In the process of external improvement, the output path of the internally improved A* algorithm is further optimized externally by the improved forward search optimization algorithm and the Bessel curve method, which reduces path length and turns and creates a path with fewer turns and a shorter distance. The experimental results demonstrate that the internally modified A* algorithm suggested in this research performs better when compared to six conventional path planning methods. Based on the internally improved A* algorithm path, the full improved A* algorithm reduces the turning angle by approximately 69% and shortens the path by approximately 10%; based on the simulation results, the improved A* algorithm in this paper can reduce the running time of AGV and improve the logistics efficiency in the workshop. Specifically, the walking time of AGV on the improved A* algorithm path is reduced by 12s compared to the traditional A* algorithm.
Keywords: AGV; bezier curve; improved A* algorithm; path optimization; path planning.