AMR, AGV & Intralogistics Automation worked example

Pickup and Dropoff Cycle Time Calculator at 14% queue, docking, and alignment allowance: a worked example

This worked example runs the pickup and dropoff cycle time calculator numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 14% queue, docking, and alignment allowance instead of the typical 20%. Estimate AMR or AGV pickup/dropoff workload time from handoffs, handoff processing rate, and queue or docking allowance.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Pickup/dropoff handoffs: 720 handoffs (held at the documented default)
  • Handoff processing rate: 6 handoffs/min (held at the documented default)
  • Queue, docking, and alignment allowance: 14 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 20)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Base handoff processing time = pickup/dropoff handoffs รท handoff processing rate.
  • Adjusted pickup/dropoff cycle time works out to 137 hr at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Base handoff processing time works out to 120 hr at these inputs.
  • Delay or handoff allowance works out to 14 % at these inputs.
  • Handoff processing rate works out to 6 handoffs/min at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where queue, docking, and alignment allowance sits at 20% and the headline result is 144 hr, this scenario comes in 5% below the baseline at 137 hr.
  • Use it when sizing AMR/AGV fleet throughput, validating a handoff-heavy route, or quantifying docking overhead against a shift's transfer volume. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Adjusted pickup/dropoff cycle time: 137 hr (headline result)
  • Base handoff processing time: 120 hr
  • Delay or handoff allowance: 14 %
  • Handoff processing rate: 6 handoffs/min

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Pickup and Dropoff Cycle Time Calculator calculator, set queue, docking, and alignment allowance to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.