Integration of expert system with analytic hierarchy process for the design of material handling equipment selection system

A key task in the material handling system design process is the selection and configuration of equipment for material transport and storage in a faci lity, Material handling equipment selection is a complex, tedious task, and there are few tools other than checklists to assist engineers in the selec tion of appropriate, cost-effective material handling equipment. This paper describes the development of an intelligent material handling equipment se lection system called material handling equipment selection advisor (MHESA) . The MHESA is composed of three modules: (1) a database to store equipment types with their specifications; (2) a knowledge-based expert system for a ssisting material handling equipment selection; and (3) an analytic hierarc hy process (AHP) model to choose the most favorable equipment type. The con cept proposed in this paper can automate the design of a material handling equipment selection system, and provides artificial intelligence in the dec ision-making process. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B,V. All rights reserved.