A Multi-Stage 2D LiDAR-Based Reactive Docking Framework for Precision Alignment of Industrial Autonomous Mobile Robots
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Reliable docking of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to heterogeneous industrial stations, including charging units, loading bays, and parking areas, remains a challenging problem because of tight mechanical tolerances, sensor noise, reflective surfaces, and the increasing effect of orientation errors during the final approach. This study presents a multi-stage reactive docking framework based on 2D LiDAR and supported by a passive U-shaped mechanical guide structure. The proposed approach combines fixed-angle laser ray sampling, dynamic index compensation, distance-based state transitions, and a recovery strategy to achieve repeatable terminal alignment without relying on visual fiducial markers or dense point-cloud registration. In the implemented system, a single front-mounted safety-rated 2D LiDAR sensor is used for docking perception and near-field safety monitoring. The docking process is evaluated under both nominal and degraded initial-pose conditions in order to assess normal operation as well as recovery performance. Experimental results obtained from 240 docking trials conducted across three station types show high task success, centimeter-level terminal alignment accuracy, and low computational burden. These findings suggest that the proposed hardware–software co-designed framework offers a practical and computationally efficient solution for precision docking in industrial AMR applications.
Source: DÜMF Mühendislik Dergisi
Authors: Mehmet Kutan, Harun Çiğ
Institution: Harran University
Language: Turkish
Subfield: Aerospace Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7222984749