Investigating the Factors Affecting Production Line Productivity Improvement Using a Hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach

Abstract

In today's competitive environment, reducing waste in production lines is considered one of the most critical and challenging issues facing manufacturing industries. Waste not only imposes additional costs on organizations but also negatively affects product quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, factors such as equipment deterioration, inadequate employee training, poor preventive maintenance practices, and the lack of precise production standards play significant roles in either increasing or reducing waste levels. Therefore, identifying and evaluating these factors is essential for achieving optimal production performance and enhancing organizational competitiveness. This study aims to identify and prioritize the factors affecting waste reduction in the production line of Zarmakaron Company using an integrated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach, specifically combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). To achieve this objective, fourteen factors were identified and classified into four main categories, including human factors, machinery and equipment factors, managerial and process-related factors, and physical and environmental conditions. These factors were subsequently analyzed and prioritized. In addition, six potential improvement strategies were evaluated and ranked based on the identified factors, and the most effective strategies for reducing production-line waste were proposed.