Quality characteristic extraction for complex products with multi-granular fuzzy language based on the triple bottom lines of sustainability

Abstract

Advanced product optimization design methods can greatly improve the market competitiveness of enterprises in manufacturing industry and promote the sustainable development of economy, society and environment. Quality characteristic is the carrier of product quality and closely related to sustainable product design. To manage reasonably the environmental, economic and social goals in actual product design, this paper proposes a quality characteristic extraction method for complex products with multi-granular fuzzy language based on the triple bottom lines of sustainability. Satisfaction evaluation of a customer group expressed in multi-granular fuzzy language is given full consideration with the adoption of dominant granular structures. Interval rough number (IRN) is employed for product quality function development (QFD) to fully retain the calculation simplicity of rough sets and expression flexibility of interval numbers in the correlation transformation between customer requirements and quality characteristics. A multi-objective optimization model for the quality characteristic extraction of complex products is established according to the triple bottom lines of sustainability, and an improved fruit fly optimization algorithm with the segmented variable step size is designed to solve it efficiently. Lastly, the rationality and effectiveness of the proposed method are demonstrated by the case study of a computer numerical control (CNC) machine tool.