Abstract
This study presents a software application that applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to objectively select the best temperature sensors. Three industrial applications and seven sensor alternatives are considered. The developed application performs the selection process in a computerised, easy-to-use graphical user interface. The underlying decision method ranks temperature sensors with scores resulting from the synthesis of relative preferences of each alternative at different levels considering independent evaluation criteria. Pair-wise relative comparison matrices collected from experts are embedded and are retrieved according to user specifications. A case study is conducted which involves selecting the best sensor for an automotive catalytic converter. The thermocouple is found to be the most preferred sensor with the largest score of 0.37849, the second ranked sensor is the RTD with a score of 0.34589, and the least preferred sensor is the thermister with a score of 0.27560. Sensitivity analysis shows that the selection of the best sensor is dependent on the relative weights of the criteria as well as the chosen application. AHP is shown to provide a quantitative evaluation method which is simpler, easier and more organised than subjective opinions.