Multi-Criteria Decision Making Method for Selection of Machine Tool

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Multi-Criteria Decision Making Method for Selection of Machine

Tool

*Jo-Peng Tsai

Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering

Far East University Tainan County, Taiwan *Email: perng@cc.feu.edu.tw

Shan-Yang Wang Department of Computer Science and

Information Engineering Far East University Tainan County, Taiwan Email: mango@cc.feu.edu.tw

Hsin-Yu Cheng

Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering

Far East University Tainan County, Taiwan Email: hycheng@cc.kuas.edu.tw

Yung-Chou Kao

Department of Mechanical Engineering National Kaohsiung University of Applied

Sciences

Kaohsiung City, Taiwan Email: yckao@cc.kuas.edu.tw

Abstract—The objective of this paper is to show how to determine the valuable criteria for selecting machine tools from the vast amount of specifications of CNC machine tools along with consulting the experts with abundant mold manufacturing experiences is. This research also demonstrate the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method towards efficient selections of CNC machine tools that would satisfy the needs of an organization. The research results can serve as a decision-making reference for manufacturing shops to select new machine tools.

Keywords-Selection for Machine Tool, Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

I. Introduction

There are many different types of machine tools used in industry. However, lack of objective evaluation criteria results in the difficulty for selecting machine for the decision-maker. Selection of the right machine tools is a key decision-making for most manufacturing companies. The decision-maker should be an expert or at least be very familiar with the specifications of machine tool to select the most suitable of all available tools. However, a survey conducted by Gerrard reveals that the role of engineering staff in authorization for final selection is 6%, the rest belongs to middle and upper management (94%) [1].

The 4-axis vertical machining machine is one of the

most versatile and useful machines in a manufacturing shop. In this paper, we use the selection for The 4-axis vertical machining machine as an example to demonstrate the MCDM process. There are two objectives in this paper: 1. identify important evaluation criteria for selecting 4-axis CNC machining centers, and 2. provide the research process in this paper as a reference for the manufacturing shops to select machine.

II. Literature review

A. Analytic hierarchy process.

The MCDM theories integrating logic reasoning, mathematics, computer science, operation research, management science to solve the problems with multiple attributes in the real-world. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a famous method in MCDM theories. The AHP was first developed by Satty [2]. This method divides a complicated system under study into a hierarchical systems of elements. Pairwise comparisons are made of the elements of each hierarchy by mean of a nominal scale. Then, comparisons are quantified to establish a comparison matrix, and the eigenvector of the matrix is derived, which signifies the comparative weight 2010 International Symposium on Computer, Communication, Control and Automation

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machine tool, deciding the final evaluating criteria for selecting the 4-axis machining center. Based on the criteria-evaluating architecture, the decision-maker can clearly observe the whole range of evaluatiion factors and its levels for selecting feasible machines so that it is possible to avoid being confused by the large variety of specification that could contain incomplete, even biased information.

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