COMPUTER-AIDED OPTIMUM SELECTION OF ROLLER-BEARINGS

The paper presents a methodology for evaluating roller bearings in ter ms of their suitability for a given application. The method is based o n a multiple-attribute decision-making approach called TOPSIS (Techniq ue for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution). The meth od is suitable for computer processing. An interactive software packag e, BEARCAS, that selects an optimum roller bearing for a given set of conditions and attributes on the basis of this procedure has been deve loped. The package can be used by equipment manufacturers and designer s. The proposed system is dynamic and easily updatable. The software's facilities are exhaustive, and have hitherto not been available in th is form so that they can become a stage in computer-aided mechanical e ngineering. The selection procedure is demonstrated by an example.