AHP-TOPSIS model to evaluate maintenance strategy using RAMS and production parameters

The focus of the present research concerns a maintenance strategy selection model. An integrated approach is proposed, able to match Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) for the evaluation of maintenance policy, in order to improve production performance and to reduce cost organization. The proposed model has been applied in a real case study of a textile industry. Different maintenance alternatives were considered and different criteria and sub-criteria were evaluated using Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Safety (RAMS) and production parameters. The results suggest the best maintenance solution for all machines in the analyzed textile process. The model has also been tested, by performing a sensitivity analysis, where the weight of each criterion has been varied. The proposed technique is based on general parameters and for this reason can be used in different industrial fields to select proper maintenance strategies. The results and the satisfaction of management derived by using the proposed method confirms how AHP-TOPSIS methodology represents an effective approach to arrive at best maintenance selection in order to reduce Maintenance Cost and increase System Availability.