Fuzzy TOPSIS decision method for configuration management

[[abstract]]Mass customization refers to an environment in which reducing quantities and increasing varieties of products are being manufactured. A product configuration is defined as an aggregation of parts whose functions and performance parameters must be defined and controlled to achieve the overall performance of a system or product. Since the product configurations would be varied based on consumer needs, selecting effective product configurations from among several alternatives is a challenge during the mass customization design stage. This study developed a structural model which combines a fuzzy quality function deployment with a fuzzy Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to solve this problem. The configuration alternatives ranked using the proposed method can provide a useful reference for decision makers in implementing configuration management