Quick. How much is that automatic guided vehicle (AGV) system going to run you? In all likelihood, you don't have much of an idea. But you can get a ballpark answer, and in short order too.

The "2003 Automatic Guided Vehicle System Cost Estimating Guide" lets you figure the total cost of an installed system. It accepts three different scenarios in terms of vehicle quantities and three levels of system functionality and complexity. The guide is available from the Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems Product Section of the Material Handling Industry of America.

Intended as a starting point for developing budgets, the guide is based on the costs of installed systems and provides projected cost ranges to create an average. The next step is to work directly with suppliers to determine the details of a system to arrive at an actual cost.

For more information, visit www.agvssolutions.org or www.mhia.org/agvs.