Selection of a cleaning system for engine maintenance based on the analytic hierarchy process

Environmental impact assessment is an intrinsically complex multi-dimensional process which involves multiple criteria and multiple actors. Multi-criteria methods can serve as useful decision aids for carrying out environmental impact assessment. This paper proposes the use of a multi-criteria technique, namely the analytic hierarchy process, as a potential decision-making method for use in management maintenance processes. In this case, our problem concerns the selection of a parts cleaning system for diesel engine maintenance. A hierarchical structure is built for the prequalification of the criteria and the alternatives within the system. By applying the analytic hierarchical process, the criteria can be prioritized and the alternatives can be organized in descending order so that the best parts cleaning system may be selected. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.