Selection of welding process to fabricate cruciform joints using analytic hierarchic process based on qualitative factors

Selection of a welding process is an unstructured decision problem involvin g multiple attributes (factors). To provide decision support for the weldin g engineer, an all encompassing analysis of multiple attributes is necessar y. The present paper reports a new procedure using an analytic hierarchic p rocess for the selection of a welding process to fabricate cruciform joints of ASTM 517 "F" grade steels, based on the qualitative factors of the weld ing processes, when the quantitative factors appear to be equal.