Analytical Hierarchy Process for Natural Fiber Composites Automotive Armrest Thermoset Matrix Selection

Abstract

The automotive industry is currently shifting to a 'green' outlook since that the popularity of natural fibers in composites plastics is accelerating in many areas and particularly the automotive industry. Nowadays, consumers are looking for vehicles more environmentally friendly and lighter in weight. For this reason, the engineers are now focusing to substitute the metal parts on utilizing the natural fiber composites. Selecting the right material in product development is a crucial decision. Imprecise decision can cause the product to be remanufactured and not in optimized condition. One of the methods that can be employed is Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). This paper illustrates the implementation of AHP method in order to select the most appropriate thermoset matrix for natural fiber composites automotive armrest. The selection is based on the weight reduction as the major aim of the study.