ISAHP 2009 Symposium, July 29-August 1, 2009, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
E VAL UAT ION OF T HE MAJ OR CRIT E RIA INT E NSIT IE S
FOR IRANIAN PART ICL E B OARD PRODUCT S WIT H
RE SPE CT T O MANUFACT URE R' S ASPE CT S
Majid Azizi∗
Associate professor, Faculty of Natural Resources
University of Tehran
Karaj, Tehran, IRAN
Email: mazizi@ut.ac.ir
Alireza Khakifirooz
Manager of cellulosic and packaging research group of ISIRI
(Institute of standards and industrial research of Iran)
Karaj, Tehran, IRAN
Farimah Moghimi
Graduate student, Faculty of Natural Resources
University of Tehran
Karaj, Tehran, IRAN
ABSTRACT
Kinds of the particleboards are produced in Iran. The products are different together with
respect to some physical and mechanical criteria, also quality and quantity of the production
is growing. Successful competition of the products will need to acknowledge criteria
intensities of the products. There are five major criteria which have influence on particleboard
products ranking, including, moisture percent; density; thickness swilling percent; water
absorption percent and bending strength. Three levels of the criteria intensities have been
evaluated: high (H), medium (M) and low (L). AHP and Expert Choice 2000 have been used
to evaluate weighing values of particleboards criteria and their intensities with respect to
manufacturer's aspects. The results indicated that density of the products and its high intensity
has the highest priority.
Key words: particleboard, intensity, criteria, AHP
1 . Intro ducti o n
Evaluation of wood panel products quality to develop of them is very important factor.
Consideration of standard criteria for these products leads to reach high quality and resistance
for the products. Particleboard product is a major panel product in Iran.
With respect to the statistics of formal organizations the production of the panel is fast growing in
past decade from 380000 m3 to 720000 m3. Increasing past decade consumption in particleboard
leads to consider quality specifications of the panel product. In European countries 40 percent in
particleboard product is applied in construction panels. Consideration in physical and mechanical
specifications of particleboard will improve humidity and climate resistance and water absorption
of the product. For acknowledgement of effective criteria which effect on specification of
∗
Corresponding author
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particleboard product we selected 5 of them with respect to experts of Institute of standards and
industrial research of Iran. The attributes considered most relevant from the expert's aspects are
(1) moisture percent, (2) density, (3) thickness swilling percent (4) water absorption percent, (5)
bending strength. Institute of standards and industrial research of Iran in number of 2496 consider
national standard for16 millimeter thickness particleboard (Cellulose and packaging research
group, 2002). In subsection of this part, numbers of 814, 813, 2489, 2488 and 2332 are related to
moisture percent; density; thickness swilling percent; water absorption percent and bending
strength respectively. Specification of the criteria has been showed in Table 1. Three levels of
intensities have been evaluated: high (H), medium (M) and low (L). AHP has been applied to
determine effective criteria weighing values and their intensities.
This method was first invented by Thomas L. Saaty in 1970s, and it is used in decision making
processes which have qualitative and quantitative criteria (Saaty, 2000). Effective criteria of
Iranian facial tissue determined with respect to consumer perspective by using AHP, the results
indicated softness criterion has highest priority (Azizi, 2007). Azizi et al. (2003) used AHP to
determine effective criteria for location selection of plywood and veneer units. They identified 25
criteria and sub-criteria in this research. Azizi (2008) applied AHP to determine non development
criteria for Iranian particle board industry. Chen and Li (2001) state in their paper that AHP is
useful in making business decisions, such as the evaluation of alternative marketing strategies, the
choice of candidates for jobs. Comments and discussions regarding the AHP method are also
provided.
2 . Ma teri a l s a nd Metho ds
The criteria which are influence on specifications of particleboard products are as follows:
1. Moisture percent: with respect to standard number 814, precision of measurement to
determine moisture percent of the product is 0.1 percent and range of the moisture is 0.6-0.8
percent. Moisture content has been calculated via moisture content's arithmetical means of all
of the related test samples.
2. Density: with respect to standard number 813 density measurement range of the product is
0.6-0.8 g/cm2. Precision of density measurement is 0.01 g/cm2
3. Thickness swilling percent: according to standard number 2489, with based on floatation of
the sample in water 20±2 temperature and dimension of the sample 100*200 mm2, variation
of the thickness is 12 percent after 2 hour floating.
4. Water absorption percent: according to standard number 2488, with based on floatation of
the sample in distilled water 20±2 temperature, after 2 hour, the weight of the water
absorption percent with relation to dry position is measured. According to standard water
absorption percent is 50 percent.
5. Bending strength: according to standard number 2332, bending strength is measured and
limitation of the strength 160 kg/ cm2 is defined.
2.1. Preparation of the questionnaire
We did interviews with the manufacturers and product experts and were collected information
in Institute of standards and industrial research of Iran. Then with respect to manufacturers
aspects 5 criteria were recognized which are effective on the product. After the hierarchy of
these criteria was drawn up, a questionnaire was distributed among the experts from
university, producers and Institute of standards and industrial research as a two-by-two
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comparison between criteria and sub-criteria to determine the weighting value rate these
criteria influence on the product.
2.2. Analytical Hierarchy Process
AHP is a method for decision-making by which we can make some decisions which are
dependant on several criteria or multi-criteria decisions. By AHP method, first the given
structure and then the criteria relevant to decision making are compared to each other and
then the priority rate of each one are determined. Numbers which are used in two-by-two
comparison are from 1 ÷ 9 to 9 which is in the form of a standard scale (Saaty, 2000).
Application of AHP is based on the following three principles (Asgharpoor, 1999): A)
Establishment of a structure and a rank-based from for the problem. B) Establishment of
preferences by two-by-two comparison. C) Establishment of logical consistency from
measurement. The AHP is basically a simple, efficient technique for problem solving. The
resulting hierarchy is shown in Figure 1.
Particleboard
criteria
Density
Thickness
swilling percent
Moisture percent
H
H
M
H
H
M
L
Bending strength
Water absorption
percent
M
H
M
L
L
M
L
L
Figure 1: Hierarchy of effective criteria for particleboard product
3 . Resul ts
Weighting value of the effective criteria and sub-criteria for the particleboard plus geometric
mean of comparison matrices is put forward here as results of group decision making by a
group of the experts with the aid of Expert Choice Software (Figures 2-9, table1).
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Figure2: Compare the relative importance with respect to goal
4
Figure 3: Compare the relative importance with respect to the humidity
Figure 4: Compare the relative importance with respect to the density
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Figure 5: Compare the relative importance with respect to the Thickness swilling
Figure 6: Compare the relative importance with respect to the water absorption
6
Figure 7: Compare the relative importance with respect to the bending strength
Figure 8: Result of comparison with respect to the goal
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Figure 9: Result of final synthesis
Table 1: Specification of particleboard criteria
Criteria
Humidity (%)
Density(g/cm3)
Thickness swilling (%)
Water absorption (%)
Bending strength(kg/cm2)
Standard range
6-8
0.6-0.8
12
50
160
Overall range
6-8
0.6-0.8
6.65-23
25-75
160-210
4 . Di scussi o n a nd co ncl usi o n
4.1. First step: Analysis of criteria priorities
With respect to t Figure9, density, has 0.313 weighing value which is the highest priority for
the particleboard and overall consistency ratio of the current research is 0.02. Density of the
product is one of the major criterions which have influences on water absorption, dimension
swilling, bending resistance and internal adhesive. Also the producers trend to produce high
intensity density of particleboard in comparison with other intensities (figure 9). Thickness
swilling has the second priority (0.209), (figure 9). Value of thickness swilling of the board
specified after 2 hour in floating which is special for using of particleboard. In the markets,
particleboard products which have high thickness swilling percent are inappropriate boards
and indicate undesirable production situation with regard to raw material density and press
conditions. Bending strength of particleboard has third priority (0.200), otherwise, the boards
which have desirable production situation with respect to raw material and press condition,
will have high bending strength. In particleboard bending strength have high sensitivity. The
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humidity percent has forth priority (0.163); it depends on press temperature, dryer conditions
and environment humidity. Humidity of the particleboard has to check up after press and
dryer, because humidity of the board influences on density, bending strength, color and so on.
Water absorption percent has least priority (0.115) in comparison with other criteria. With
respect to standard measurements, the boards are floating, during of the test, but there is not
similar situation in case of furniture and construction panels as well as water absorption
impressed by density, press condition, glue and additive material.
4 .2 . Seco nd s tep: Ana l y s i s o f cri teri a i ntens i ti es
Humidity intensities: the range of humidity percent is 6-8 percent (table1). With respect to the
results humidity percent with high intensity (0.063) (figure 9) has highest priority. High
intensity humidity is favorable factor which is positive and increase bending strength and
density of the board.
Density intensities: density with high intensity (0.171) (figure 9) has highest priority.
Deference of high and low intensities of density is high and it influences the quality and
specification of particleboard in distinctive range, which is confirmed by standard
organization. With respect to production condition density intensity influences the other
specification of the board.
Thickness swilling intensities: low intensity of thickness swilling is considered (0.098)
(figure 9). Deference of high and low intensities of thickness swilling is high too. High and
low intensities of thickness swilling are 23% and 6.65% respectively (table1), with respect to
standard organization results, which are confirmed deference of low and high intensities in
current research, also the market trends to supply low intensity of thickness swilling for
particleboard.
Water absorption intensities: low intensity of water absorption with 0.057 weighing value in
comparison with high intensity (0.023) is considerably (figure 9). With respect to standard
organization results high and low intensities of water absorption are 75% and 25 %
respectively (table1), high deference of high and low intensities indicate significance of the
intensities deference in the particleboard. Water absorption criterion has lowest priority in
comparison with other criteria, but range of intensities variation is very effective in
particleboard specification.
Bending strength intensities: High intensity of bending strength has 0.133 weighing value
with highest priority (figure 9). Deference of high and low intensities for bending strength is
very high which indicates
this criterion is very sensitive in particleboard products, otherwise, in the market,
particleboard with low intensity of bending strength (160 kg/cm2 ) in comparison with high
intensity of bending strength (210 kg/cm2 ) (table1)has not advantage, according to the
producers. Desirability of the boards is increased with high intensity of bending strength but
other criteria of the boards have to not decrease due to it, otherwise, it needs economic
feasibility.
REFERENCES
Asgharpoor, M.J. (1999). Multi-criteria decision making. Tehran University,
p.
Tehran,
398
Azizi, M. (2008). Non development criteria for particleboard industry. OR 50 conference,
University of York, United Kingdom
9
Azizi, M., Amiri. S., & Faezipour, M. (2003). Using AHP method to determine effective criteria for
plywood and veneer units location (case study Iran), Journal of the institute of wood science, Vol.
16, Num. 3, Issue. 93.
Azizi, M. (2007). Determination of effective criteria in Iranian facial tissue industries with
respect to customer’s perspective, ISAHP 2007, Vina Del Mar, Valparaiso, Chile
Cellulose and packaging research group, (2002). Properties and test methods, No. 2496,
Institute of standards and industrial research of Iran.
Chen, E. W., & Li, H. (2001). An approach to determine measures for business performance,
Measuring Business Excellence, 3
Saaty, T.L. (2000). Decision making for leaders, RWA Publications, Pittsburg, PA.
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E Val Uat Ion of T He Maj or Crit e Ria Int e Nsit Ie S for Iranian Part Icl e B Oard Product S Wit H Re Spe CT T O Manufact Ure R' S Aspe CT S
Kinds of the particleboards are produced in Iran. The products are different together with respect to some physical and mechanical criteria, also quality and quantity of the production is growing. Successful competition of the products will need to acknowledge criteria intensities of the products. There are five major criteria which have influence on particleboard products ranking, including, moisture percent; density; thickness swilling percent; water absorption percent and bending strength. Three levels of the criteria intensities have been evaluated: high (H), medium (M) and low (L). AHP and Expert Choice 2000 have been used to evaluate weighing values of particleboards criteria and their intensities with respect to manufacturer's aspects. The results indicated that density of the products and its high intensity has the highest priority....Read more
