Fuzzy group decision making for selection among computer integrated manufacturing systems

A decision to invest in new manufacturing enabling technologies supporting computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) must include non-quantifiable, intangible benefits to the organization in meeting its strategic goals. Therefore, use of tactical level, purely economic, evaluation methods normally result in the rejection of strategically vital automation proposals. This paper includes four different fuzzy multi-attribute group decision-making methods. The first one is a fuzzy model of group decision proposed by Blin. The second is fuzzy synthetic evaluation, the third is Yager's weighted goals method, and the last one is fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. These methods are extended to select the best computer integrated manufacturing system by taking into account both intangible and tangible factors. A computer software for these approaches is developed and finally some numerical applications of these methods are given to compare the results of all methods. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.