A multicriteria decision-making method for additive manufacturing process selection

Purpose Because of the significant differences in features and requirements specific products capabilities various additive manufacturing (AM) solutions, selecting most appropriate AM technology can be challenging. This study aims to propose a method solve complex process selection 3D printing applications, especially by creating new multicriteria decision-making tool that takes direct certainty each comparison reflect decision-maker’s desire effectively. Design/methodology/approach The methodology proposed includes five steps: defining decision criteria constraints, extracting available parameters from database, evaluating selected based on methodology, improving accuracy adopting newly weighting scheme optimal technologies integrating information gathered whole process. Findings To demonstrate feasibility reliability this case describes detailed industrial application rapid investment casting applies weightings tailored materials database determine suitable results showed could complicated problems at both design stages. Originality/value research proposes unique solution, which employs an exclusive calculation algorithm converts decision-maker's subjective priority involved into comparable values. framework reduce duty potentially errors pairwise comparisons used other methodologies.