A New Approach to Artefact Material Selection for Interim Checks of CMMs that uses MADM Tools

The essential condition for artefact (well-calibrated objects) used for interim checks of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) requires ‘higher geometric and dimensional accuracies than the accuracy of the machine under test’. The present work describes a logical procedure of material selection for artefacts that satisfies these requirements, by using the concept of the multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) technique. To select materials from the pool of feasible alternatives and to sort them according to their performance and technical properties, preference index (PI) ranking and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) methods are used. Four different properties of materials are chosen as criteria and seven different materials are considered to be alternatives for artefact. The ranking of the alternative materials is done after due analysis by considering the material properties for artefact. Dolerite is ranked as the best material for artefacts. To check the consistency and robustness of the solution, a sensitivity analysis approach is used.