Determination of Quality Value of Cotton Fiber Using Integrated Best-Worst Method-Revised Analytic Hierarchy Process

ABSTRACT

Selection of cotton fibers in terms of their quality value has created a domain of emerging interest among the researchers. In this study, a newly developed Best-Worst Method (BWM) was integrated with Revised Analytic Hierarchy Process (RAHP) to rank cotton fiber lots on the basis of six apposite fiber properties namely fiber bundle tenacity, elongation, micronaire, upper half mean length, uniformity index, and short fiber index. Ranking performance of this integrated approach closely resembles those of the other multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches. No occurrence of rank reversal during the sensitivity analyses corroborates the stability and robustness of the BWM-RAHP method. Uniqueness of the present study lies in the fact that this is the maiden application of the vector-based BWM approach, that uses fewer pairwise comparisons than other variants of MCDM, in a cotton fiber grading problem. The RAHP adds value to the decision model by overcoming the problem of ranking inconsistency. Rank correlations between the ranking based on quality value of cotton and those based on yarn tenacity are also encouraging, and further bolster the efficacy of the BWM-RAHP method.

摘要

从质量价值的角度选择棉花纤维，在研究人员中产生了一个新的兴趣领域. 在本研究中，将新开发的最佳-最差方法（BWM）与修订的层次分析法（RAHP）相结合，根据六种适当的纤维特性，即纤维束韧度、伸长率、马克隆值、上半平均长度、均匀度指数和短纤维含量，对棉纤维批次进行排名. 这种综合方法的排名性能与其他多准则决策方法非常相似. 灵敏度分析过程中没有出现秩反转，这证实了BWM-RAHP方法的稳定性和稳健性. 本研究的独特性在于，这是基于向量的BWM方法在棉花纤维分级问题中的首次应用，该方法比MCDM的其他变体使用更少的成对比较. RAHP通过克服排名不一致的问题为决策模型增加了价值. 基于棉花质量值的排名与基于纱线韧度的排名之间的排名相关性也令人鼓舞，并进一步增强了BWM-RAHP方法的有效性.

KEYWORDS:

• AHP
• BWM
• cotton
• MCDM
• quality value
• sensitivity analysis

关键词:

• 棉
• 质量价值
• 敏感性分析

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

The highlights of the present research are as under

• This is a maiden ever application of Best-Worst Method (BWM), as a criteria-weighting tool, in the domain of textiles, in general, and cotton selection problem, in particular.

• The vector-based BWM possesses some unique features uncommon in other variants of MCDM. It gives consistent results (i.e., criteria weights) every time using a fewer number of pair-wise comparisons (on the basis of reference comparisons only) than popularly used AHP method.

• BWM together with Revised AHP (RAHP) forms a robust decision-making model devoid of the problem of rank inconsistency. BWM is used to determine optimal weights of the criteria, whereas RAHP is used for final ranking and selection of cotton fibers based on quality value.

• Ranking performance of this integrated approach closely resembles those of the earlier approaches. No occurrence of rank reversal during the sensitivity analyses corroborates the stability and robustness of the BWM-RAHP method. Moreover, the BWM-RAHP method performs better in real-life situation compared to the traditional methods of cotton grading, as envisaged by better correlations between ranking given by present approach and those based on yarn tenacity.

• The new approach is simple, comprising a few simple mathematical equations, and quite flexible having no limitations of the number of criteria and alternatives.

• Application of this newly developed BWM method can be integrated to other MCDM exponents and extended to other domains of textile industry, as well, to solve any real-world decision problem.

Additional information

Funding

There is no funding involved in this research/study.