A decision-making framework model for material selection using a combined multiple attribute decision-making method

Material selection is a difficult and subtle task due to the immense number of different available materials. In choosing the right material, there is not always a single definite criterion of selection and the designers and engineers have to take into account a large number of material selection criteria. This paper presents a logical procedure for material selection for a given engineering design. The procedure is based on a combined TOPSIS and AHP method. The proposed material selection index helps to evaluate and rank the materials for a given engineering design. Two examples are included to illustrate the approach.