Comparative analysis of welding processes using MCDM methods for the development of a component joining station

Welding methods are common in production lines, which allows to join components with various properties that can impact quality, safety, and performance. There are techniques such as electric arc, induction, gas, GTAW, and GMAW, whose selection depends on the characteristics and needs of the process, which can be complex due to the multiple requirements to be met. This paper aimed to identify attributes of welding methods so as to weigh alternatives and, through a multi-criteria decision-making method, choose the most appropriate technology for a specific process. In particular, the AHP was used to weigh attributes found in the literature, and the TOPSIS method was applied to select the welding alternatives. At the end of the manuscript, the selection that best fitted the requirements of the joining station is provided.