An improved grey relational analysis as a decision-making method for manufacturing situations

Abstract

Decision-makers in the manufacturing sector frequently face the problem of assessing a wide range of alternative options, and selecting one based on a set of conflicting attributes. There is a need for simple, systematic, and logical methods or mathematical tools to guide decision-makers in considering a number of selection attributes and their interrelations and in making good decisions. This paper uses a new multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) method, grey relational analysis (GRA), for solving the deterministic decision-making problems of the manufacturing environment. The method is improved in the present work by integrating with analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the fuzzy logic. Three examples are presented to illustrate the potential of improved GRA and the results are compared with the results obtained by using other decision-making methods. The comparisons show that the improved GRA is comparatively more logical for solving MADM problems of the manufacturing environment.