Application of a decision making method in the forging condition optimisation for manufacturing automotive components

In the present paper, a decision making method based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process is used for the selection of the best forging condition for manufacturing Al-MMC automotive components. Three candidate solutions, in terms of three different sets of initial die and billet temperatures, and die speed, were defined by means of FEM simulations; they were performed in proper strain rate and temperature windows determined by hot formability studies on 6061/Al2O3/10p composite. Five criteria for evaluating the different alternatives with respect to the overall goal were defined: i) product quality, ii) production rate, iii) die cost, iv) heating cost, and v) forging load. The AHP method allowed to establish that the alternative characterised by an initial die temperature of 350 degrees C, an initial billet temperature of 400 degrees C, and a die speed of 3 mm/s is the optimum solution since it has the highest global priority level.