A fuzzy multiple decision support for jag selection

A rough mill is a manufacturing facility where lumber is processed into components to be used in assembling wood products such as windows and doors. A cut-list is a list of components of specific sizes and quantities which are scheduled to be processed at one time. Selection of suitable jags (loads if lumber) from candidates for a given cut-list is a complex decision due to the imprecision in the description of jags and cut-lists. Four criteria that determine a good jag are yield, cost, percentage of order satisfied, and processing time. The importance of each criterion depends on the cut-list that is being processed. In this paper, a fuzzy multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) approach for jag selection is utilized as a Decision Support System (DSS) for the Decision Maker (DM). Fuzzy sets are defined to describe the cut-list, and fuzzy rules are constructed to set the pairwise weights between decision criteria. The fuzzy weights for multiple criteria are determined using a Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Three cut-lists are tested in the decision support system. The generated fuzzy weights reflect the requirement of cut-lists, and proper jags are selected using fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS).