TOMSK POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

O.B. Shamina

INVENTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Recommended for publishing as a study aid

by the Editorial Board of Tomsk Polytechnic University

Tomsk Polytechnic University Publishing House

2014
 UDC 62:001.895(075.8)
BBC Ю251.20я73
S53

Shamina O.B.
S53 Inventive Problem Solving: study aid / O.B. Shamina;
Tomsk Polytechnic University. – Tomsk: TPU Publishing House,
2014. – 94 p.

How to find new ideas? How to make the best and optimal
decision? In this lecture notes there are described different methods and
given the exercises to enhance the way of thinking when you try to find
the solution in technical (design and manufacturing) and economical
tasks.
This book is intended for students who are interested in learning
of innovation problem solving.

UDC 62:001.895(075.8)
BBC Ю251.20я73

 FSAI HE TPU, 2014

 Shamina O.B., 2014
 Design.Tomsk Polytechnic University
Publishing House, 2014
Preface .................................................................................................. 4

Introduction ............................................................................................ 5

Part 1. Creative Approach Techniques ................................................ 10

Unit 1.1. Psychological Inertia.......................................................... 10

Unit 1.2. Task solving....................................................................... 15

Unit 1.3. Brainstorming & Synectics ................................................. 23

Unit 1.4. Morphological Analysis ...................................................... 33

Part 2. Technical System Evolution ..................................................... 38

Unit 2.1. Laws in System Evolution .................................................. 38

Unit 2.2. Contradictions in Technical System .................................. 46

Unit 2.3. Technical System Evolution Example ............................... 49

Part 3. System Contradictions Overcoming ......................................... 51

Unit 3.1. Substance-Field Analysis .................................................. 51

Unit 3.2. Principles to Overcome Contradictions ............................. 58

Unit 3.3. Physical & Chemical Effects .............................................. 73

Unit 3.4. Geometry in Inventive Tasks ............................................ 82

CONCLUSION ..................................................................................... 92

REFERENCES .................................................................................... 93

3
Preface
To my students
Contemporary engineer must have the competencies system set
while working and making decisions. The most important parts of
his\her work are the following:
 finding and assessing new technical and tech-
nological tasks,
 understanding the ways how people will use
the devices, which he\she constructed, devel-
oped and made,
 foresighting the new device appearance in the
market for the sales.
Attainments and skills which make us possi-
ble to connect manufacturing and marketing, eco-
nomics, psychology, and sociology are of great val-
ue in the engineer qualification. In the nearest future a specialist will be
helpless without knowing analysis and prediction methods. Moreover in
a world which is full of competition and opportunity, the people who are
able to create their thinking are the ones who will succeed. This ap-
proach presupposes the up-to-date methods use that are of the great im-
portance for the engineering education development and are entirely
consistent with the update statements of CDIO (Conceive – Design –
Implement – Operate) goals for engineering education.
Special thanks to my students for their interest and enthusiastic
work that encouraged me to create this lecture notes to help you be suc-
cessful in the course Inventive Problem Solving.

Good luck!

4
Introduction
«Engineering»
The skill of the engineer is to know the
moment when it is necessary to stop phe-
nomena’s learning and to begin their
mastering.

Nortcot Parkinson

According to Wiki the term “engineering” itself has a much more

recent etymology, derived from the word “engineer”, which dates back
to 1325, when an engine’er (literally, one who operates an engine) orig-
inally referred to “a constructor of military engines”1. But the word “en-
gine” itself is of even older origin, ultimately deriving from
the Latin ingenium, and meaning “innate quali-
ty, especially mental power, hence a clever in-
vention”2.
In Russian there is another now obsolete
word – “rozmusel”. There were the town build-
ers and guns foundry workers and bells name
when Ivan the Terrible was the Tsar in Rus.
In different countries there were their own
inventors, some of them are obscure, but several
are famous and respected in time. Such as Al-
Jazari, an Arab, who lived during the Islamic
Golden Age and is the author of The Book of
Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices Fig. 1.1. Al-Jazari's
(1206), where he described fifty mechanical de- hydropowered chain pump
vices along with instructions on how to con- device
struct them.

1
Oxford English Dictionary.
2
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

5
 China has been a source of many inventions, including the four
Great Inventions, such as papermaking, compass, gunpowder and print-
ing. Also the Chinese invented technologies involving mechanics, hy-
draulics and mathematics applied to horology, metallurgy, astronomy,
agriculture, craftsmanship, warfare and so on. By the Warring States
Period (403–221 BC), Chinese had advanced metallurgic technology,
including the blast furnace and cupola furnace. A sophisticated econom-
ic system in China gave birth to inventions such as paper money. The
gunpowder invention at the 10th century led to an inventions array such
as the fire lance, land and naval mine, exploding cannonballs, multistage
rocket.
In Russia, Peter the Great founded the Academy that was original-
ly called The Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Peter the First was
concerned about the technical sciences development when founded the
Academy. Among the foreign scholars invited to work at the academy
there were the mathematicians Leonhard Euler, Nicolas and Daniel
Bernulli, astronomer and geographer Joseph-Nicilas Delisle, physicist
Georg Wolfgang Kraft and others.
Psychologists made huge efforts to ana-
lyze inventiveness and creativity. Ability to cre-
ate shall be seen as depending on
 heritage,
 environment,
 overall development,
 technical training level.
In the XIX century the French psycholo-
gist T. Ribot who did much to advance the sub-
ject in both its experimental and clinical aspects,
Fig. 1.2. Théodule-Armand investigated the dependence between the imagi-
Ribot (1839–1916), nation and the age levels. In accordance with the
French psychologist Ribot’s observation the imagination peak fits to
the interval between 12 and 15 years (Fig. 1.3).
The question about inventiveness is the question about the intel-
lect – is intellect innate characteristic or acquired property. Hans J.

6
Eysenck, the author of the book “Know your own IQ”, best remembered
for his work on intelligence and personality though he worked in a wide
range of areas.

Th e le vel of i m agi nat io n

ag e

12– 15 y ears

Fig. 1.3. The dependance between the imagination

and age level

Eysenck’s investigations are the argument that innate characteristic

influences more inventiveness. During experiments with twins the heredity
was identical, but surrounding environment changed. When investigating
the children from orphan’s home, whose life was the same, monitoring in-
dicated different intelligence as usual children intelligence with different
living conditions.
Psychologists have done different investigations to determine the
main inventors peculiarities. There were found the following regularities:
 There is meaningful dependence between an intelligence quo-
tient, or IQ3, and inventiveness, but the intellectual advance
scope does not obligatory limit capability to create (it is nec-
essary that IQIQ min, after that there is not proportional
dependence).

3
When modern IQ tests are devised, the mean (average) score within an age group is
set to 100 and the standard deviation (SD) almost always to 15, although this was
not always so historically. Thus the intention is that approximately 95 % of the
population scores within two SDs of the mean i.e. have an IQ between 70 and 130.

7
  In accordance with the “rationalness – perception” scale by
Carl Gustav Jung (USA) perceptional people are more in-
ventive than the rational people. A rational person in new sit-
uation decides “how it should be” and whether it is good or
bad. What is this thing or phenomenon? How does it work?
All this is not interesting for a rational person. Jung con-
cludes that people, trusting intuition, prone to be more in-
ventive.
Perception is connected with observation and visual viewing
which can be developed via arts lessons. To train observation means to
sight on things, to understand their work, to find hidden components and
functions.
Some ways to develop imagination are to describe environment on
a far fantastic planet, to paint fantastic animal, to read popular science
books and so on.

Quiz: Engineering
1. What is engineering? Please, give your own opinion:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

2. What are the most important engineer’s work parts:

____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

8
3. Enumerate the most famous ancient inventions:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

4. Who is The Book of Ingenious Mechanical Devices Knowledge

author? Mark the right answer.

Leonhard Euler

Al-Jazari

Gottfried Leibniz

Georg Wolfgang Kraft

5. Please, point out the pick of imagination:

It fits to the interval between ______ and ________years old.

9
Part 1. Creative Approach Techniques

The idea is genius only if it con-

tains some sort of craziness.
Niles Bohr

Unit 1.1. Psychological Inertia

It is well known about psychological inertia4. It is necessary to
break down stereotype and to create
propriate conditions for new ideas gen-
eration. Psychological Inertia (PI) repre-
sents the many barriers to personal crea-
tivity and problem-solving ability, bar-
riers that have as their roots “the way
that I am used to doing it.” In solving a
problem, it is the inner, automatic voice
of PI whispering “You are not allowed
to do that!” Or, “Tradition demands that
it be done this way!” Or even, “You
have been given the information, and
5
the information is true.”

In other words psychological inertia is the habit to do usual things.

Of course, one of the most important forms of knowledge is knowledge
of how long things last. It is experience that was gotten with difficulties
and victims.

4
The lecture by S.S. Litvin “Kurs RTV” (in Russian) was used as the base of this
part.
5
James Kowalick “Psychological Inertia”:
http://www.triz-journal.com/archives/1998/08/c/index.htm

10
 There exist different psychological inertia types. Below there are
listed some of them.

 Functional direction/inertia of usual function

Familiar subject performs familiar function (pen’s function – to make

mark on the paper, the main car’s function – to be driven).

 Inertia of special terms

 Inertia of usual shape

For example, the pipe section is not only circle.

 Usual parameters and properties (temperature, size, etc.) inertia

Some japanese cameras have lead plate, the main function of this plate
is to make camera heavy, because some people consider that camera is
more prestigious if camera has got weight.

 Usual direction or measurement (searching on line, when deci-

sion is on plate, searching on plate when decision is in space, etc.)
inertia

For example, try to answer the question: how to upbuild four triangles
from six matches?

 Superfluous information inertia

You possess superfluous information but cannot determine what infor-

mation you need.

 Ambiguity inertia

In usual understanding the task may have only one answer or an object
may have only one function.

 Known decision inertia

Usually engineers are afraid of other science fields or they ensure that it is
not allowed to change an object although such constraints are available.

11
For example, T. Edison asked his listeners: what is the place for abso-
lute dissolvent keeping? Usually listeners could not solve this task. But
once one of the listeners suggested to transform dissolvent to another
phase condition – to keep it in solid state (there exist analogy: water and
sugar – ice cannot dissolve sugar).

 Non-existent prohibition effect

Man used to operate under prohibition. If prohibition does not exist man
creates it.

Psychological inertia is as immunity, which saves man from dif-

ferent troubles. But on the other hand immunity does not allow coming
true transplantation. Invention is the same: it changes rut things, but
man instinctively resists this change.

TRIZ always took into account psychology. So TRIZ includes some

techniques for psychological inertia overcoming.

 Terms and science terminology are the science knowledge part.

They help specialists to understand each other. But in inventive ac-
tivity terms are hindrance. It is necessary to change terms for sim-
ple words, which are known not only by specialists but by ordinary
people. If a man cannot explain his task in terms to ordinary
schoolchild, it means that he does not understand the task. Often
the task may be solved during the explanation process for a “wit-
less” searcher without special technique use.
 Knowledge as terms carries no visible limitations. Too well system
knowledge, understanding what can be done and what cannot be
done leads to psychological inertia. It is useful to imagine system as
system in mist – non real, soft, changing. It is possible to do such
operations by operator STC (size – time – cost) use. This operator
includes brain practices:
What may happen if the system size should be reduced?
What may happen if the system size should be increased?
What may happen if time tends to zero/ infinity?

12
 What may happen if for problem solving there are millions /
is nothing?
 Successful solving demands help to imagine what actions are in
system. TRIZ operates by “Modeling by Little Men” (MLM) tech-
nique. The object is modeled as little men crowd that is ready to
move, transform, appear and disappear by order.
 More inventiveness prone.
Perception is connected with observation and visual viewing
which can be developed via arts lessons. To train observation means to
sight on things, to understand their work, to find hidden components and
functions.
Some ways to develop imagination are to describe environment on
far fantastic planet, to paint fantastic animal, to read popular science
books and so on.

13
 Quiz 1.1: Psychological Inertia

1. Overcome psychological inertia:

a. Inertia of usual direction or measure-
ment
Answer the question: how to upbuild four trian-
gles from six matches?
b. Inertia of superfluous information
Answer the question: A cock had just laid an
egg. Now a cock is sitting on the top of house
with triangle roof. This house was built not so
long ago. In what direction an egg is rolling
down off the roof?
c. Inertia of special terms
Fig. 1.4. War and Peace
by Jim Warren Try determine the main icebreaker function. If
you get “to break the ice” – not to be in despair.
d. Usual shape inertia
Point out pipe cross section form.
e. Usual parameters inertia (temperature, size, etc.)
There are three lamps in the room and a triple switch in the corridor.
You cannot see the lamps. You may come to the switch but just once
and try to determine which switch corresponds to each lamp.
2. Find the task decision:
You have six glasses in a line. First three are empty but the follow-
ing three are full of water. You can take only one glass and have to
do full and empty glass alternation.

3. Please, describe the life on imaginary planet and draw the

imaginary animal.

14
Unit 1.2. Task solving:
Heuristic
Questions’ Technique Control
Associative Thinking Technique

In order to ask correctly, it is

necessary to know majority
of answers.
Robert Sheckley

Firstly the term Evristica appeared in Col-

lection of the old Greek mathematician Pappus of
Alexandria6. Pappus lived in the 3rd century and
was one of the last great Greek mathematicians of
Antiquity, known for his Collection, and for
Pappus’s Theorem in projective geometry.

It was Peter K. Engelmaier, an engineer and

engineering philosopher, who made serious con-
tribution to the engineering science development.

Heuristic’s developers and followers had a

goal to find universal regulations for different
kinds of creativity. Meanwhile the goal was gen-
eral, and then it was a halting making of inven-
tions but keeping up with demand. Moreover
technicians did not want to take into account
creativity psychological features and psycholo-
gists did not take into consideration science and Fig. 1.5. Title page
engineering development laws. All attempts to of Pappus's Mathematicae
create sketches were as Julius Caesar’s expres- Collectiones
sion: “Veni.Vedi.Vici.”

6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pappus_of_Alexandria

15
 A Hungarian Jewish mathematician G. Pólya7 spent considerable
effort on trying to characterize the methods that people use to solve
problems, and to describe how problem-solving should be taught and
learned. He wrote about heuristic in 1944: “…so was called not clearly
described investigation area that was concerned or logics or philosophy
or psychology. Heuristic was often characterized generally, was rarely
described in detail and is off the map now.” In 1945 in his book “How
to solve it”, Pólya provides general heuristics for solving all kinds of
problems, not only the mathematical ones. The book includes advice for
teaching mathematics to students and a mini-encyclopedia of heuristic
terms. Here are a few commonly used heuristics, from book “How to
solve it”:

If you are having difficulty understanding a problem, try to draw a

picture.

If you can't find a solution, try to assume that you have a solution
and see what you can derive from that (“working backward”).

If the problem is abstract, try to examine a concrete example.

Try to solve a more general problem first (the “inventor’s para-

dox”: the more ambitious plan may have more chances of suc-
cess).

Heuristic was forgotten when cybernetics and computer allowed

to realize possibilities enumeration but then necessity to choose variants
in accordance with attributes forced to remember about heuristic. Today
the heuristics fund consists of 140 different modifications. Table 1.1
contains the heuristics groups classifications example.

7
George Pólya (1888–1985) a professor of mathematics at Stanford University. He
made fundamental contributions to combinatorics, number theory, numerical anal-
ysis and probability theory. He is noted for his work in heuristics and mathematics
education.

16
 Table 1.1
Fund of heuristics
№ of Number
Name of group
group of heuristics
Object form and structure transfor-
1. 17
mation
2. Transformation in space 17
3. Transformation in time 8
4. Force and moving transformation 14
5. Material and substance transformation 18
6. Differential ways 12
7. Integration ways 8
8. Using of prophylactic actions 16
9. Reserve using 10
10. Transformation with analogy 11

Questions’ Technique Control may be considered as one of the

heuristics directions. The most ancient and famous Control Questions’
Technique is the Socratic Method or elenchus. This technique remains a
commonly used tool in a wide discussions range and is a pedagogy type
in which a series of questions are asked not only to draw individual an-
swers, but also to encourage fundamental insight into the issue at hand.
Socrates could ask so smartly during dialog that the speaker got the
truth answering the question.

Questions’ Technique Control allows searching task in earnest.

A goal is to find task solution with the leading questions help. Inventor
answers the questions and analyses his\her task. It helps him\her to un-
derstand the system problem. A. Osborn, T. Eiloart, G. Pólya compiled
universal question lists. There are notes for inventors, the ways for
thoughts may be used. Master of brainstorming can use those question
lists.

17
 In 1965 an American magazine “Product engineering” edited the
next list of questions for inventors:
1. How was this problem solved in the past? Was it in the ancient
engineering era? Is it possible to solve this problem in the fu-
ture?
2. Was there anything created in anyone’s engineering field in
the past?
3. Can we divide an object in detail? Change the operations se-
quence?
4. How could we solve this problem under the water? In space?
The famous questions list by A. Osborn consists of nine questions
groups:
1. What new technical object application can you request? Are
there any possibilities to use new ways of application? How
can we modify the known application method?
2. Can we decide an inventive task via adaptation, simplifica-
tion, reduction? What does this object resemble to you? Can
there appear smth new, e.g. analogical idea? Did you have the
analogical problem in the past? What can you copy? What
technical object is it necessary to outstrip?
3. Which modification possibilities can be there? Can it be mod-
ified by turning, bending, stranding, and swerving? Is it pos-
sible to change purpose, function, color, movement, shape,
smell? Are there any other changes applicable?
4. What can be increased? What parts can be joined? Is it possi-
ble to increase durability? When does the increase of frequen-
cy, strength, and quality make sense? Is it possible to multiply
operating devices, other elements?
5. What can be decreased or changed? Can one join, press, thick,
miniaturize, short, narrow, break, and separate?
6. What can be changed? What parts and to what extent could
they be changed? Is it possible to use another material, pro-
cess, generation, color, sound, illumination?

18
 7. What can be transformed in technical object? Can we reverse
reason and effect, change velocity, conditions?
8. What can be rearranged? Can we interchange elements, back
to front or turn around them? Can we invert polarity?
9. Which new elements combination is possible? Can we create
new mixture, allow, composition, variety? Is it possible to
combine sections, blocks, aggregates? Can we get new ideas,
shows?

At the end of the 20th century the Department of the Interior in the
USA recommended to corporations to use the improved techniques sys-
tem. It was suggested to answer the following questions: Can we make
this operation simpler? Can we improve the work?
An English inventor T. Eiloart8 made the fullest and most success-
ful question list:
1. To enumerate all qualities and invention definitions. To trans-
form them.
2. To formulate the task clearly. To attempt to reformulate the
task. To mark out the main tasks. To determine secondary and
accessory tasks.
3. To enumerate real solving imitations.
4. To find fantastic, biological, economical and other analogies.
5. To construct mathematical, hydraulic, electronic, mechanical
and other models (model expresses an idea better than analogy).
6. Try to use:
different materials: gas, liquid, solid, foam, paste, etc.;
different types of energy: warm, magnet energy, light, impact
value;
various wave lengths, surface’s quality;
transient conditions: freezing, condensation, Curie peak;
Joule–Thomson, Faraday’s effects, etc.

8
Tim Eiloart (1936–2009) was unwittingly crucial in driving the so-called "Cam-
bridge phenomenon", manifested by the dozens of hi-tech companies:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/may/28/obituary-tim-eiloart

19
 7. To establish relations variants, possible connections, logical
coincidence.
8. To know under-briefed people’s opinion.
9. To make a group discussion, listen to all ideas without critics.
10. To use “national” decisions: sly Scottish, comprehensive
German, extravagant American, complex Chinese, etc.
11. To sleep with problem, go to work, walk, take a bath, drink,
eat, play tennis – all with this task!
12. To ramble among creative incentives (scrap damp, technical
museum, low-price things store), to look through magazines,
comics.
13. To construct a price table, volumes, materials, shifts, various
problem solving, try to find the problem in decisions, to
search after new combinations.
14. To determine ideal decision.
15. To change decision in time (faster – slower), in length (great-
er – smaller), etc.
16. To situate inside mechanism in imagination.
17. To determine alternative problems and systems that delete
link of chain and create new one.
18. Whose is the problem? Why his/her?
19. Who was the first? The history of the question. What were the
false problem interpretations?
20. Who solved this problem? What did he/she do?
21. To determine conventional restrictions and restrictions’ estab-
lishment causes.
There also exists the G. Pólya’s question list. Question lists com-
pose such a determine system, where questions cannot be changed.
Pólya’s list can be used mainly for solving mathematician tasks.

S.I. Churumov and E.S. Dgarikov created their own selfstorming

technique, where questions are different “operators”: for example,
common operator, particular case operator, fantastic operator, practice
operator (where it is necessary to determine idea use practical sphere)
and so on.

20
 In accordance with their own inventive experience authors choose the
strongest questions and Control Questions. This Technique is a better
“trial and error” technique improvement. Then it is more preferable to
use this technique for tasks solving, when any idea has come to your
mind.

Quiz 1.2: Associative Thinking Technique

1. Term “evristica” firstly was mentioned:

by an old Greek mathematician Pappus of Alexandria
in Gottfried W. Leibniz and Rene Descartes articles
in Peter K. Engelmaier book

Please, mark the right answer.

2. Play “Unnecessary word” game with chance words using the

Edward de Bono book [References, 16]:
 Choose four random words.
 Determine unnecessary word on any sign base.
 Justify this sign.
Your random words:
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________

Unnecessary word: ________________________________________

Point the sign: ____________________________________________

21
3. Play “Grouping” game with chance words using the Edward de
Bono book [References, 16]:
 Choose six random words.
 Divide words in two groups on base of any sign.
 Justify this sign.
Your random words:
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________
Point the sign 1: _________________________________________
Group 1:
1. ___________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________
Point the sign 2: _________________________________________
Group 2:
1. ___________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________

22
Unit 1.3. Brainstorming & Synectics
For a long time “trial and error” technique was considered the sin-
gle inventions technique. In 1953 A. Osborn made an attempt to im-
prove “trial and error” technique and created brainstorming. He divided
ideas’ generation and analysis processes. Today there are more than ten
such technique types.

Brainstorming – psychological technique, but the author A. Os-

born was not a psychologist. His top achievement was a job in advertis-
ing firm and he tried to find new ideas for advertising campaign. He
created brainstorming and used it in advertising field. Understanding
that it is necessary to divide idea generation process from reviewing
process is such a technique milestone. Under idea discussion many peo-
ple do not dare to express new ideas because of the sneers fear.
If unexpected supply is expressed, other participants attack it and the
idea dies without development.

Certainly the division on groups is of relative nature since it de-

pends to a very large extent on the critics’ behavior, but it is possible to
re-collect ideas generators and “nearly dreamer”. Such selection plus
prohibition on criticism, then an arrangement to support and to develop
any suggestions set up a facility for courageous and uncommon ideas.
Osborn requested to generate ideas under a condition – no critics and to
encourage any suggestion.

A little and motley “idea generators” group is chosen to organize

brainstorming. Top-managers are not included in this group and work is
conducted in an ad hoc space. All ideas are written and after that materi-
als are handed over to experts group for further valuation and selection.

“Craft council” is the brainstorming predecessor and it is known

from the Age of Discovery. Under complex conditions a captain put to-
gether his team and gave the floor to everyone. The first was a sailor
boy. It was the best way to provide captain with ideas before he took the
floor.

23
 For successful ideas generation it is necessary to overcome psy-
chological inertia and create conditions for irrational ideas break from
subconsciousness.

The brainstorming force is in the criticism prohibition. On the

other hand it is necessary to find out all shortcomings for idea
development. It means that in any case we do need criticism. George M.
Prince and William J.J. Gordon9 overcame this contradiction by forming
and teaching special groups. Groups’ participants gradually began to
enjoy working together, without having fear of criticism. Within time
the problem solving experience increases. Gordon managed to stream-
line the task solving process and to save brainstorming spontaneity.

Gordon supposed that creativity could be perceived and improved.

It is necessary to study, to organize the creativity process and to use
special methods.

According to Gordon there exist two creativity mechanisms:

 uncontrolled processes – intuition, inspiration, etc.;
 operating processes (different analogies use).
Operating processes use provides the creative efficiency increase
and creates uncontrolled processes facility. It is important to understand
task because primary conditions may be unclear.

The term synectics is of the Greek origin and it means “different

elements joining together and even apparently irrelevant elements”. The
thing is to solve a new problem via usual and already known way. On
the other hand it is important to have fresh view on usual things.
Synectics is brainstorming with the analogies use, i.e. solving task by

9
Method was developed by George M. Prince (1918–2009) and William J.J. Gordon
(1919–2003), originating in the Arthur D. Little Invention Design Unit in the
1950s. They set up Synectics Inc. (now Synecticsworld) in 1960 and the methodol-
ogy has evolved substantially in the ensuing 50 years:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synectics

24
analogy finding way in different knowledge fields or object behavior
investigation under other conditions up to the fantastic ones.

The synectics procedure10 (Fig. 1.6)

is a comprehensive creative procedure,
containing problem analysis techniques,
ideas generation and the selection stage.
Synectics concentrates on the idea genera-
tion steps with the analogy use. Analogies
allow us to move away from the original
problem statement and make a forced fit to
further development solutions on these
analogies basis. The synectics procedure is
also based on the (1) preparation, (2) incu-
bation, (3) illumination and (4) verification
(Wallas, 1926) processes. The incubation
and illumination stages are now brought
about through the analogies use: ‘To make
the strange familiar and the familiar
strange’. Ability to make the strange famil- Fig. 1.6. The Synectics process
iar and on the contrary the familiar strange (Tassoul, 2006)
is very important for creativity.

In the preparatory stages, there is a problem briefing by the prob-

lem owner, an extensive problem analysis phase through questioning the
participants, and definition of a problem statement into ‘one single con-
crete target’. After this, a purging phase takes place in which known and
immediate ideas are collected and recorded. This phase is also called
‘Shredding the Known’. From this point on, the analogies are used to
estrange you from the original problem statement and come up with in-
spirations for the new solutions and approaches. These analogies take a
number of forms that are presented in table 1.2.

10
http://www.wikid.eu/index.php/Synectics

25
 Table 1.2
Type of analogies that can be used in Synectics (Tassoul, 2006)

Types of
Comments Example
analogies

Starting from some as- For a time pressure problem,

Direct pect in the problem, one take for example ‘ships in a
Analogy looks for comparable or busy harbor’. How do they
analogous situations maneuver without incidents?

Imagine you are the time.

What if you were an
How would you feel? Maybe
Personal element in the problem,
pressed. How would you in-
Analogy e.g. a planning prob-
fluence the situation from
lem?
such a perspecive?

E.g. an anthill, or the jungle

with all the animals closely
What kind of situations
Nature together, lungs and blood
in nature does this re-
Analogy stream and all the gaseous
mind me about?
matter that needs to be trans-
ported through the body

How does the Nautilus with-

Can you place the prob- stand the pressure at 2000
lem in a fairytale or miles under the sea, and what
Fantastic
other mythical situation did the people aboard the
Analogy
and develop it from Nautilus do? (thinking of
there? Jules Verne’s “20.000 miles
under the sea”)

Paradoxi- Characterize the issue For example: blind open-

cal Anal- in two words which are mindedness, or overwhelming
ogy each other’s opposites silence

26
 Direct Analogy means any analogy search – technical, natural,
cultural etc. Decision appears as a result of real technical matching of
the object or similarity finding between different objects.

Technical analogies searching can be:

 at similar engineering fields,
 at engineering leading branch – in accordance with the task
conditions,
 in engineering branches where there is a great solving similar
tasks experience,
 in engineering branches where similar tasks is a solved under
more stringent conditions.
The next Pólya questions could be used for rational analogs
search:
 Have we ever seen such task in another form? Do we know any
related tasks?
 Is it necessary to understand what is unknown in the task and
try to remember the task with similar unknown items?
 We have a similarly solved task. Can we use this task or the re-
sult of this task?
 If we cannot solve this task it is necessary to solve similar task.
Can we give an idea of another similar task?
There can be used direct analogy different forms.
Exterior form analogy – it is necessary to find object analog on
exterior form or new object is made similar to another object on exterior
form. For example usual table and PC table.
Structure analogy – it is necessary to find analog object’s struc-
ture in surrounded world, this structure has to repeat components inter-
action by the best way. For example, the Universe atomic structure.
Functional analogy – it should determine the object functions and
find who or what performs such functions (in engineering, in nature, in
art, etc.).

27
 Situation analogy – searching of different objects phases. For ex-
ample, water could be soft – as liquid and hard – as ice.
Properties analogy – it should answer a which-question. For ex-
ample, a ball – which is? Rubber. Analogy: teat, bathing cap. A ball –
which is? Flexible. Analogy: umbrella, wind, stream.

Associative garlands analogy – garlands are formed as a word list:

a new word is formed as the previous word analog.
Personal analogy (PeA) is the strongest analogy type. The re-
searcher tries to identify it with an object and analyses any arising sen-
sations. The main idea is to become someone or something for under-
standing inner communications, interaction between system parts and
system connection with surrounding objects.
PeA particular case is modeling with little men (MLM). MLM al-
lows to see and to sense obvious system elements interaction, coopera-
tion and its objects. It is necessary to imagine that system consists of
little men which can think, move, act, have different characters and hab-
its and can obey different orders. Put yourself in the place of these little
men in order to sense and understand the object’s structure through ac-
tions and interaction between little men.
Nature Analogy (NA) means that it is necessary to search the
shape, principles of operation and so on in Nature. Today such science
as bionics has become wide spread.

Fig. 1.7. Example of a nature analogy11:

King Fisher and Shinkansen Bullet Train

11
http://www.wikid.eu/index.php/Synectics

28
 Fantastic Analogy (FA) presupposes task formulation in the
terms of tales, myths, legends. It is necessary to imagine ideal object
without possibilities and validities (lack of human and financial re-
sources, lack of power sources, etc.). FA use permits to overcome psy-
chological inertia and find a new way for task solving.
Paradoxical Analogy (PaA) is the object poetic imagery, meta-
phor, which uncovers object properties. PaA is the technique for “un-
freezing of understanding words and ways”. Object in this case is de-
termined through metaphor paradoxical form. Skill to determine the real
object as image, symbol and mark permits us to identify real and cover
object properties, its advantages and disadvantages.
An oxymoron12 is the PaA elder brother. Oxymoron is a speech
figure that combines contradictory terms. Oxymorons appear in a varie-
ty of contexts, including inadvertent errors such as ground pilot and lit-
erary oxymorons crafted to reveal a paradox.
The most common oxymoron form involves an adjective-
noun two words combination. For example, the following line
from Tennyson's Idylls of the King contains two oxymora:
“And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true.”
One case where many oxymorons are strung together can be found
in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo declares:
“O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!
Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!”
For the new solution possibilities assessment, the Synectics ap-
proach introduces another special technique: ‘itemized response’. For
every idea there are both good sides (the pluses) and poor or bad sides
(the minuses). By breaking down the idea into pluses and minuses and
then trying to turn the minuses into pluses (for example, through a crea-

12
An oxymoron (plural oxymorons or oxymora) – from Greek ὀξύμωρον, “sharp
dull”

29
tivity method), the original idea may be – systematically – transformed
into a better one.
 The above mentioned variation is visual Synectics: quiet imag-
es and music are introduced to induce an incubation phase.
Music and images let people quietly simmer away, daydream
on the images and on the music. This is done for some length of
time after which there comes a switch to much more active mu-
sic and images on the basis of which the participants now have
to generate ideas, similar to the brainstorming or brain writ-
ing.
Possible Synectic Procedure:
1. Start with the original problem statement. Invite the problem
owner to briefly present and discuss the problem.
2. Analyze the problem. Restate the problem. Formulate the prob-
lem as one single concrete target.
3. Generate, collect and record the first ideas that come to your
mind (shredding the known).
4. Find a relevant analogy in one of the listed analogies categories
(personal, nature, fantastic, etc.).
5. Ask yourself questions in order to explore the analogy. What
problem type occurs in the analogous situation? What solutions
types are there to be found?
6. Force the appropriate various solutions to the reformulated
problem statement.
7. Generate, collect and record the ideas.
8. Test and evaluate the ideas. Use the itemized response method
to select among the ideas.
9. Develop the selected ideas into concepts.
10. Present your concepts in a manner that is close to the point.
 It is better to apply Synectics for extremely complex and intricate
problems. Synectics can be used in groups as well as individually. With

30
an untrained group, the facilitator will have to work in small steps at a
time; he or she must have enough experience to inspire the group
through such a process.

Quiz 1.3: Brainstorming & Synectics

1. Solve the task in a group using brainstorming technique.

One day during a boxing professional match sportsmen and their

trainers encountered with some sort of a mystery. Not a strong boxer
won some matches under favorites and all by knockout. Losers told that
in the beginning his punches were ordinary, but then punches had grown
heavier. It looked like that the boxer punched by a stone.

But referee checks boxing gloves before boxing. What has happened?

Your variants:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

2. Give the examples of an oxymoron.

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
3. Give the definitions as oxymoron of
marble – ______________________________________
cloud – ______________________________________

4. Using different types of analogy with a tiger give the descrip-

tion of a pen.

31
5. Solve task in group using Synectics (different types of analo-
gy in discussion):
How to prevent illegal fir-trees cutting near the cities before
Christmas without administrative measures?
Direct Analogy:
__________________________________________________
Personal Analogy:
__________________________________________________
Nature Analogy:
__________________________________________________
Fantastic Analogy:
__________________________________________________
Paradoxical Analogy:
__________________________________________________
6. Find the task decision:
One American movie theatre was having a great fail. There was
viewers’ displeasure when ladies did not put off their hats and
therefore closed the screen. Theatre management used different
ways in order to prevent ladies from wearing their hats during the
movies, they put up advertisements, used loudspeaker but didn’t
have any results.
What has to be done for getting ladies to put off their hats during
the performance?
Your variants:
1. _______________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________

32
Unit 1.4. Morphological Analysis
It is “Ars magna” that is considered as the
morphological analysis prototype for problem
solving. Raymond Llull13 (1232–1315) Ars
Magna (or Ars Generalis Ultima) is an astonish-
ing attempt to systematise all possible
knowledge using a rigorous computational pro-
cedure. For this purpose Llull invented numer-
ous 'machines'. One method is now called
the Lullian Circle14, which consisted of two or
more paper discs inscribed with alphabetical
letters or symbols which referred to the attribute
lists. The discs could be rotated individually to
generate a large number of ideas combinations. Fig. 1.8. Ars magna
A number of terms, or symbols relating to those
terms, were laid around the full circle circumference. They were then
repeated on the inner circle which could be rotated. These combinations
were said to show all possible truth about the circle subject. Llull based
this on the notion that there were a limited number of basic, undeniable
truths in all knowledge fields and that we could understand everything
about these knowledge fields by studying these elemental truths combi-
nations.

The method was an early attempt to use logical means to produce

knowledge. Llull hoped to show that Christian doctrines could be ob-
tained artificially from the fixed preliminary ideas set. For example, one
of the tables listed the God attributes: goodness, greatness, eternity,
power, wisdom, will, virtue, truth and glory. Llull knew that all believers
in the monotheistic religions – whether Jews, Muslims or Christians –
would agree with these attributes, giving him a firm platform from
which he could start to argue.

13
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramon_Llull
14
http://lullianarts.net/downloads.htm

33
 In contemporary form General Morphology15 was developed
by Fritz Zwicky. Among others, Zwicky applied Morphological Analy-
sis (MA) to astronomical studies and the development of jet and rocket
propulsion systems.

As problem-structuring and problem-solving technique, MA was

designed for multi-dimensional, non-quantifiable problems where causal
modeling and simulation do not function well, or at all. Zwicky devel-
oped this approach to address seemingly non-reducible complexity: us-
ing the cross-consistency assessment (CCA) (Ritchey, 1998) technique,
the system allows reduction by identifying the possible solutions that
actually exist, eliminating the illogical solution combinations in a grid
box rather than reducing the number of involved variables.

The conventional approach here would be used to break the sys-

tem down into parts, isolate the vital parts (dropping the 'trivial' compo-
nents) for their contributions to the output and solve the simplified sys-
tem for creating desired models or scenarios. This method disadvantage
is that real-world scenarios do not behave rationally: more often than
not, a simplified model will break down when the 'trivial' compo-
nents contribution becomes significant. Also, importantly, many
components behavior will be governed by the states and their rela-
tions with other components – those that can be seen as the minor
ones before the analysis.

In a simple case, there can be built two dimensional morphologi-

cal maps with two main system characteristics. Then there should be
made the forms and types list of these characteristics and the table with
axes. The new system variants are the table cells meaning. The MA ex-
amples are: Mendeleev’s Periodic Table, different databases, Multipli-
cation table. At Ufa State Aviation Technical University (USATU) was
created the metalworking processing morphological model (table 1.3).

15
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphological_analysis_(problem-solving)

34
 Table 1.3

The Metalworking Processing Morphological Model

№ of № meaning Alternative meaning of

Sign
sign of sign signs
01 form change
02 volume change
product matter
03 property change
change (trans-
01 04 form and volume change
formation)
05 form and property change
type
06 form & volume & property
change
product’s mat- 01 solid
ter aggregate 02 fluxed
state type, that 03 ionized
02
is deleted dur- 04 fluid
ing manufac- 05 chemically coherent
turing process 06 matter is absent
01 diffusion
physical & 02 erosion
chemical effect 03 anode dissolution
03 in transfor- 04 water hammering
mation base 05 sintering
06 electrolysis of solu-
tion/liquid
01 thermal
02 mechanical
power type for 03 proof resilience
04 physical & 04 electrical
chemical effect 05 chemical
06 nuclear
07 electromagnetic
power admis- 01 point
sion and distri- 02 linear
05 bution charac- 03 surface
ter during
transformation
power charac- 01 continuous
06
ter in time 02 pulse

35
 01 liquid
workspace 02 gaseous
07 physical state 03 solid
type 04 viscous / fluid
05 vacuum
01 solid
tool physical 02 liquid
08
state type 03 gaseous
04 viscous / fluid
01 rotation
tool movement
02 progressive
09 during trans-
03 rotation & progressive
formation
04 motionless

 Morphological Analysis does not drop any of the components from

the system itself, but it works backwards from the output towards the
system internals. Again, the interactions and relations get to play their
parts in MA and their effects are accounted for the analysis. Morpholog-
ical Analysis enables us to get various elements, signs, properties com-
binations mass.

Quiz 1.4: Morphological Analysis

1. Find ways of house building under different conditions using
morphological tables.
You build a house
● near the North Sea on a stony shore,
● in a desert,
● in the forest near the river.
It is necessary to determine heating facilities, water facilities, decrease
energy consumption.

36
Near the North Sea on a stony shore:
…

heating facilities
water facilities
energy consumption
…

In a desert:
…

heating facilities
water facilities
energy consumption
…

In the forest near the river:

…

heating facilities
water facilities
energy consumption
…

7. Find different package types for liquid poison. Build a mor-

phological table.

37
Part 2. Technical System Evolution

No matter what sort of pose do natu-

ralists take, the philosophy still pre-
vails over them.

Friedrich Engels

Unit 2.1. Laws in System Evolution

Contemporary machineries and devices represent a set of elements
('components'), which are in special relationships and form complicated
systems16. There are a lot of system definitions, including meaningful
and structural.
TRIZ operates under the definition “technical system”. Technical
system (in accordance with TRIZ) is automat- or human-made real appa-
ratus for the defined needs satisfaction. System approach permits to
choose optimal variant at the technical system design stage. In due time
Vitruvius17 affirmed: “Machine is a wooden adjustment which gives
great assistance to heave to.”
TRIZ defines common system characteristics including:
 Systems have structure, defined by components/elements.
 Components/elements are interconnected and organized in space
and in time.

16
A system (from Latin systēma, is from Greek σύστημα systēma, “the whole com-
pounded of several parts or members, system”) is a set of interacting or interde-
pendent components forming an integrated whole:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System.
17
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (born c. 80–70 BC, died after c. 15 BC) – a Roman writer,
architect and engineer, worked in the 1st century BC. He is widely known as the
author of the multi-volume work De Architectura (“On Architecture”).

38
  Systems have interconnectivity: the various system parts have
functional as well as structural relationships to each other.
 Systems have some useful functions or function groups.
 Systems have behavior, which involves inputs, processing and
material, energy, information, or data outputs.
 Every system possesses by quality that is not equal to elements
behavior sum.
The object cannot be considered as a technical system if it doesn’t
include any of the listed features18.

Fig. 2.1. Levels of Innovations

Any technical system development is determined by the following
appropriate criteria. These criteria can be divided into four groups:
 functional,
 technological,
 economical,
 anthropogenic.

18
In detail see [9].

39
 Functional criteria are those which could give an answer to the
purpose of the system. In other words there are operating technical sys-
tem performances: for example, velocity, flight altitude, positioning ac-
curacy, etc.
Technological criteria allow us to estimate possibilities of technical
system producing (materials consumption, energy intensity, degree of
automation, etc).
Technological criteria are closely connected with economical crite-
ria. Economical criteria determine the costs for design, production, op-
eration, maintenance.
Anthropogenic criteria provide the data connected with the sys-
tem’s operability for a man – surface appearance, ergonomics and eco-
logical compatibility.
In accordance with TRIZ the main
technical system development law is the
Law of some criteria without worsening
the other’s improvement.

Technical system ideal develop-

ment can be depicted by classical S-
Curve. S-Curve in TRIZ was named the
curve that is plotted on Cartesian plane
where y-axis is numerical value of the
main system performance and x-axis is
time or system age. Technical systems
Fig. 2.2. S-Curve of technical system
(regardless of their purpose) pass the
development
stages of system (Fig. 2.2):

I. System or idea birth – slow improvement of one of the main

performances.
II. Development – production and improvement of a system,
snowballing the main performances growth.
III. Old age – main performances stabilization.
IV. Dying – system performances worsening.

40
 The First stage may be called as system “birth” and “childhood”.
At this stage we can observe a slow system growth and formation.
The Second stage is a time of system intensive progress. This
stage peculiarity is a new system active expansion – it ejects others from
ecological niche and gives rise to modifications numbers that are adopt-
ed for different conditions.
The Third stage is an “old age” of a system. This is a system sta-
bilization stage. There is a system performance improvement at the be-
ginning, but then the performance does not improve in spite of the
growing input. The complexity grows and there occurs a system crisis.
The Fourth stage is a system’s “dying” stage. The previous stage
system crisis creates necessary conditions for fundamental changes and
a new system appearance (subsystem in TRIZ).
There are special laws at every stage of technical system devel-
opment.
Technical system evolution laws in accordance with the Theory of
Invention problem solving were first formulated by G.S. Altshuller in
his book “Creativity as Exact Science”. In his pioneering work (dated
1975), Altshuller subdivided all technical systems evolution laws into 3
categories:
Statics – describes viability criteria of newly created technical sys-
tems.
Kinematics – defines how technical systems evolve regardless of
conditions.
Dynamics – defines how technical systems evolve under specific
conditions.
Static Laws

System parts completeness law

Any working system must have 4 parts: engine, transmission,

working unit (working organ) and control element (steering organ). En-

41
gine generates the needed energy, transmission guides this energy to
working unit, which ensures contact with outside world (processed ob-
ject), and control element makes the whole system adaptable.

Energy conductivity system law

As it is known, every technical system is an energy transformer,

this energy should circulate freely and efficiently through its 4 main
parts (engine, transmission, working element and control element). The
energy transfer can be via substance, field or substance-field.

System parts harmonizing rhythms law

The vibration frequencies or the parts periodicity and system

movements should be synchronized with each other.

Kinematic Laws
System ideality increasing degree law
System ideality is a qualitative ratio between all desirable system
benefits and its cost or any other harmful effects. When trying to decide
how to improve a given invention, one naturally would attempt to in-
crease ideality, either to increase beneficial features or to decrease cost
or reduce any harmful effects. The ideal final result would have all the
benefits at zero cost. That cannot be achieved; the law states, however,
that successive versions of a technical design usually increase ideality:
Ideality = benefits / (cost + harm)
System parts uneven development law

A technical system encompasses different parts, which will evolve

differently, leading to the new technical and physical contradictions.
Super-system transition law
When a system exhausts the further significant improvement pos-
sibilities, it’s included in a super-system as one of its parts. As a result a
new system development becomes possible.

42
Dynamic Laws
Transition from macro to micro level
Working elements development proceeds at first on a macro and
then a micro level. The transition from macro to micro level is one of
the main (if not the main) modern technical systems development
tendencies. Therefore in studying the inventive problems solution, spe-
cial attention should be paid to examining "macro to micro transition"
and physical effects which have brought this transition about.
Increasing the S-Field involvement
Non-S-field systems evolve to S-field systems. Within the S-field
systems class, the fields evolve from mechanical fields to electro-
magnetic fields. The substances dispersion increases in the S-fields. The
links number in the F-fields increases and the whole system responsive-
ness also tends to increase.
Later there was formulated one more law – system dynamics in-
crease [8]. There could be seen the relationship between these categories
and the technical system “birth, development, old ages and dying mod-
el” – S-Curve, used by Altshuller for the engineering evolutional pro-
cesses description. For example, at the system “birth” stage there are in
force System Parts Completeness Law and System Energy Conductivity
Law.
Every system is energy conductor and converter. If energy does
not go through system and system elements don’t get energy such sys-
tem is unable to operate. The energy is used for the system’s work, for
allowance, for waste, for system work control. Thus, it is important to
build system that is not only a good energy conductor but which pro-
vides minimum energy loss.
At the system development stage there should be taken into con-
sideration the following laws: System Parts Harmonizing Rhythms and
System Ideality Increasing Degree because those systems are well oper-
ating, where there are elements supply system operation frequencies
with the best useful functions.

43
Quiz 2.1: Technical System Evolution Laws
1. Please, give YOUR OWN system definitions and
draw the system (in the way you personally under-
stand!)
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

2. Give the technical system development criteria examples:

Functional:
____________________________________________
Technological:
____________________________________________
Economical:
____________________________________________
Anthropogenic:
___________________________________________

3. Distribute in the table below the technical system evolution

laws in certain order in accordance with S-Curve:
 System parts uneven development law
 System parts completeness law
 The degree increase system ideality law
 Transition from macro to micro level
 System dynamics increase law
 Rhythms harmonizing system parts law
 Super-system transition law
 System energy conductivity law

44
System birth

System development

Old age

“Dying”

45
Unit 2.2. Contradictions in Technical System
The contradictions appear as a result of system parts uneven de-
velopment. In every system the elements life paces are different and it is
because the system gradually dies away. Then
there appears a system crisis. At this stage the
administrative, technical and physical contra-
dictions become sharp and the result is such a
problem situation, which can be determined as
 system elements unsatisfactory state,
 system elements unsatisfactory inter-
action,
 unsatisfactory interaction between
system and environment elements.
Administrative contradictions establish fact that there exists a
problem situation. It is necessary to do something but what and how to
do – is quite unknown. If a problem situation analysis was done correct-
ly one can work to technical contradiction. In TRIZ technical contradic-
tion is a situation when the attempt to improve one characteristic pro-
vokes the another one worsening. Technical contradictions are the con-
flict mirror between systems parts or systems properties.

Technical contradiction is the conflict between different system

parts. To formulate physical contradiction it is necessary to find zone,
where demands to physical condition interfere. For example a zone must
have property A and at the same time it must not have property A. If
such zone is detected then typical inventive principles and contradic-
tions matrix to solve typical technical contradictions may be used.

If it is possible to overcome contradictions – the system evaluates,

if it is not possible – the system “dies away” because of the limited re-
source. You can overcome contradictions by different ways:

46
  increasing the system dynamics,
 increasing the S-Field involvement,
 transition from macro to micro level,
 transition to a super-system.
For example, for more effective work the so called “rigid” sys-
19
tem must become dynamic, we mean that it should change its structure
and operating mode in accordance with the environment change.

Firstly technical systems have rigid internal connections; there are

not subsystems for operating mode change, such systems are vulnerable,
often they fall out and are of short duration. Transformations are con-
nected with rigid elements to flexible change, using of pneumatic and
hydraulic constructions and so on. At the next stages there is introduced
a feedback, physical and chemical effects; systems and subsystems are
changed by ideal systems.

System extensive evolution possibilities on the macro level are

quickly reduced and mass increasing, outer dimensions, energy intensity
are limited by physical bounds. Therefore the transition to micro-level is
necessary: there are new energy reserves and possibility to use new sub-
stance properties. In other words molecules, atoms, ions, electrons, etc.
work inside of wheels, shafts, gears. They are easily ruled by fields with
the help of physical and chemical effects.

Designers can purposefully search optimal construction variants

with cognition and technical evolution laws use and this helps to reduce
costs on the idea generation and technical project realization.

For example, General Motors specialists worked out programs for

turbine buckets where there was realized a self-perfection possibility in
accordance with Darwin’s evolution theory, such as genetic code muta-
tion and different construction variants intraspecific competition.

19
Rigid system in TRIZ is system with rigid links

47
Quiz 2.2: Contradictions in System

1. Enumerate system contradiction types:

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
2. Point out the ways to overcome contradictions:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
3. Find the task decision:

It will be better to protect pilot

and airplane from enemy projectiles.
Different countries engineers found
an idea about airplane armoring.
There were many attempts but the
planes were extremely heavy and
were flying on a slow-speed.

What decision was made?

4. Find the task decision:

Once the Greek ambassador Ismeny came to Percian Tzar

Artaxerxes I. Ambassador was whispering: “Bow down to the ground,
otherwise Tzar did not notice you”. But it is not the custom for proud
Greeks to bow to enemy tzars.

It is necessary to bow – otherwise negotiations will not take place – but it

is not the custom. What could be done?

48
Unit 2.3. Technical System Evolution Example
Technical system as a musician ensemble or a sport team is well
when everyone plays coordinately. So the inventors firstly try to find
“system formula” – fortunate parts combina-
tion. It is the first stage in system life. Each
from four stages has its own tasks and features
and at every stage their own practice is used.
Let’s have a good look at airplane histo-
ry. At the first stage the inventors were inter-
ested: What is it – an airplane? What parts an
airplane should include? What are these parts:
wings plus engine or wings without engine?
What wings type must be there – fixed or Fig. 2.3.
waved? What engine type must be there – V. Vasnetsov. Flying-carpet. 1880
muscular, steam, electrical, combustion? At
last the airplane formula was founded: fixed
wings and combustion engine.

The second system evolution stage began – “trees correction”. In-

ventors improved separate system parts, tried to find the best dimen-
sions, shape, etc. At the second stage end the airplane began to look fa-
miliar for us, but at the same time the airplane began to lose its patterns
because the third stage is a system dynamic change: rigid parts trans-
formed to flexible, there were invented retracted landing gears and
wings, changing their shape and area, there ap-
peared a moveable nose. Also there were invent-
ed vertical take-off airplanes with rotary engines.
There were patented transformed airplanes.

The fourth stage is the self-steered systems

stage. As example there are space vehicles,
which can reform during work: to throw down
worked off missile stages, to open wings with
solar batteries, etc. Fig. 2.4. Blended wing body

49
 Evolution from stage to stage is connected with object characteris-
tics and construction change. Technical systems evolution analysis
shows that the main transition reason to the next stage is the necessity to
delete main defect/defects in existing technical objects generation.
Meanwhile the principal defect is connected with the system progressive
evolution criteria improving and this principal defect removal is realized
via object construction consequent change.

Quiz 2.3: Technical System Evolution:

Information Gathering
Analytic Investigation
Presentation
Your task is to survey technical system search laws
in the system evolution

Present the system investigation result, such as:

● railway transport
● clock
● airplane
● bicycle
● submarine, etc.

CONFERENCE WEEK: INTERMEDIATE ASSESSMENT

TECHNICAL SYSTEM EVOLUTION (PRESENTATION)

50
Part 3. System Contradictions Overcoming
As it was mentioned above the contradictions appear as a result of
system parts uneven development. In accordance with the contradictions
formulation level there may be administrative, technical and physical [8].

Altshuller screened patents in order to find out what contradiction

kinds were resolved or dissolved by the invention. From this he devel-
oped a 40 inventive principles set and later a contradictions matrix. Ma-
trix rows indicate the 39 system features that one typically wants to im-
prove, such as speed, weight, accuracy of measurement and so on. Col-
umns refer to typical undesired results. Each matrix cell points to prin-
ciples that have been most frequently used in patents in order to resolve
the contradiction. Later there were worked out typical principles, stand-
ards, geometrical, physical and chemical effects and phenomena indexes
to obviate contradictions.

Unit 3.1. Substance-Field Analysis

The modeling is one of the effective cognition techniques. The re-
al object is replaced by ideal system, which has the main characteristics
similar to real model. It is easier to work with models but the investiga-
tion results are applicable to real system. There exists a huge number of
models – from language description to designing model similar to the
real object in the proportionate scale.
One more technique that is frequently used by inventors involves
the substances analysis, fields and other resources. Altshuller developed
methods to analyze resources; several of his invention principles involve
the different substances use and fields that help to resolve contradictions
and increase technical system ideality. TRIZ uses non-standard defini-
tions for substances and fields and such technical system model is
named SuField (Su – substance and Field).

51
 SuField analysis produces a structural model of the initial techno-
logical system, exposes its characteristics, and with the special laws help
transforms the problem model. Through this transformation the solution
structure that eliminates the initial problem shortcomings is revealed.
SuField analysis is a special formulas language with which it is possible
to describe easily any technological system in specific (structural) mod-
el terms. A model produced in this manner is transformed according to
special laws and regularities, thereby revealing the problem structural
solution.
SuField (Fig. 3.1) is the minimum structure model of
F working technical system, it includes
 substance-item S1 (that it is necessary to
change, work out, replace, control, etc.),
 substance-tool S2 (tool does necessary ac-
tion and is the reason of technical contradic-
S1 S2 tion),
 external field F (interaction power or energy
Fig. 3.1. SuField model between S1 and S2).
Every technical system can be represented as structural model that
includes one or several SuFields. This model allows checking shortcom-
ings, initial system “diseases”, which are connected with technical sys-
tem evolution objective laws malfunction.
It is necessary to note that in TRIZ notion “field” distinguishes
from the same notion in physics. Today inventors do not use weak and
strong nuclear interaction physical fields but broadly apply “technical
fields”: mechanical, acoustical, chemical interactions, etc.
SuField transformation suggests to inventor what may be entered
to the system for task solving – substance, field or both of them but it
doesn’t tell what these fields and substances are. To get technical an-
swer it is necessary to select the proper ones. TRIZ recommends to
begin with fields because the fields number is less than substances.

52
 In TRIZ the term “substance” means any object – it does not de-
pend on size or complexity. It may be ice or ice-breaker, cutting tool or
lathe, half-product or complex object.
Term “field” means space every point of which is connected with
some scalar or vector value. In TRIZ there are used both physical
(gravitational, electromagnetic, weak and strong nuclear interaction
fields) and “technical” fields. There is abbreviation in TRIZ
“MAHCEM” to remember these fields:
М – mechanical field (interaction). There is a wide manifesting
variability and this field possibilities: simple mechanical
force and deformation in different directions, pressure (in-
creasing and reducing), inertial, gravity and centrifugal forc-
es, vibration, blow, air and hydrodynamical effects, etc.;
А – acoustic field. This field continues mechanical field action:
acoustic vibrations, infra- and ultrasound, stationary waves,
resonance oscillations, etc.;
H – heat field (heating and cooling);
C – chemical field (interaction), using different chemical reac-
tions;
E – electrical field including electrostatic and constant/alternating
current field;
М – magnetic field, generated by permanent magnet or con-
stant/alternating current.
Lately there appeared so many invention solutions connected with
the biochemistry, biotechnology, optical phenomena use. Possibly the
fields list can be extended using optical and biological fields.
The above mentioned fields majority are connected with their
“own” substances:
chemical field – with different catalysts, inhibitors, active or inert
substances,
electrical field – with charged particles (electrons, ions),
magnetic field – with ferromagnetic materials.

53
 The fields enumeration order is connected with abbreviation
MAHCEM. This abbreviation reflects the technical systems evolution
succession in direction from simple mechanical interaction to most ef-
fective magnetic field. One more tendency is observing in fields use. It
is transition from constant fields to variable and impulse fields. It is ef-
fective to use several fields combination, especially of adjacent fields in
abbreviation MAHCEM: heat and chemical, chemical and electrical,
electrical and magnetic.
Patent information statistic analysis shows that there exist certain
common SuField models conversation laws in accordance with technical
systems evolution laws. These laws permit to solve most of the practical
tasks.
 It is difficult to control the substance (to find out, to measure, to
change), it is necessary to provide with effective control
Usually it is connected with absent in SuField one or two elements
(such model is called not full SuField). It is necessary to complete – to
introduce missing elements (substances or fields). If task is on meas-
urement or detection it is necessary to introduce second substance (for
example, luminophor, ferromagnetic, etc.), which is interacting with ex-
ternal field.
If task is on travel, crushing, surface preparation, deformation,
viscosity changes, etc. – ferromagnetic particles and magnetic field in-
troduction. If it is impossible to introduce S2 substance, the task can be
solved with the help of natural frequency measurement object or inside
S2 external field and external S2 are introduced; S2 is introduced on time
or in very tiny amounts; as S2 is used as the S1 part; inside the object
copy of object is used; S2 is introduced as a chemical compound.
 In initial system there is full SuField, but SuField interaction be-
tween elements is punk
Such SuField is called harmful, it is necessary to destroy this
SuField. There are some techniques to destroy harmful SuField. For ex-
ample, the third substance is introduced. This third substance is existing

54
substances modification. The second field opposed to the first harmful
one can be introduced.
 SuField “forcing”
SuField “forcing” is used while action but it is necessary to rein-
force this action in order to increase the original system effectiveness.
The SuField “forcing” essence is using more effective fields. New sub-
stance S2 is introduced, the field F1 acts on this substance and S2 chang-
es its properties. It is easy to find out this change with the F1 field help.
 Substance or field has two properties which conflict one with an-
other, it is necessary to improve one property but not to worsen the
another one
If there are property and anti-property (hot – cold, strong – week,
magnetic – non-magnetic), the conflict can be removed by division in
space, in time and in structure (when whole has one property but part –
another). If division of substance in time is used then the effectual tran-
sition from one state to another has to be done by the substance itself.
This substance has to change its forms (matter state change, magnetic
transition temperature, etc.).
SuField analysis is the tasks solving effective tool. Moreover
SuField is important for another instrument in TRIZ such as standards
system for inventive problem solving. Standard is a combination from
one or several principles for task solving and special physical effects.
Now there are known 77 standards, which are divided into 5 classes:
1. SuField systems building and destroying. The main idea is
in transition from non SuField to Sufield. In this case the field
is doing more or less and additional substance is introduced to
defined zone to protect or reinforce action.
2. Sufield systems development. Transition to comlex SuField
is realized. Ferromagnetic substances and magnetic field are
introduced. System development is connected with its
dynamization.

55
 3. Standards for transition to above-system and to micro-
level. Physical effects and phenomena are used (for example,
heat expansion, phase transition, etc.).
4. Standards for measurement and revealing. In this case
SuField is completed to find and to measure the field.
 Techniques for introduction to SuField of the new ele-
ments without any elements: copies use, emptiness, sub-
stances modification.
Now there could be formulated the SuField increasing law:
Technical system evolution is connected with SuField increasing,
non SuField systems try to be SuField and in SuField systems the num-
ber of connections between elements is increasing.

Quiz 3.1: Substance-Field Analysis

To build Su-Field model, analyze and find decision for next tasks.
1. It is necessary to bring diamond granules on base by angle up. How
to do it without manual labor use?
2. There exists group way for ampoules’ soldering: 25 ampoules are
placed in iron holder and group burner is placed upon the holder. Fire
control is too bad. As a result some ampoules over-heated and medi-
cine became worse, but other ampoules were not soldering.
3. Liquid helium obtaining machine has an important detail – pressure
reducer valve. This detail represents a vertical 3 m height tube with
approx 10 cm diameter. Ones upon a resin ball, an iron bolt and a
copper nut were dropped into tube.
4. Small parts from ceramics are attached to the grinding machine table
by special mix from colophony and paraffin. It is expansive and labo-
rious. What could replace these materials?

56
5. In a highly populated district there was found a huge unexploded
bomb, which was in the ground for many years. Sappers arrived,
overviewed bomb and heard ticking. No doubt – the bomb clock
mechanism began working. How much time there would remain be-
fore the bomb explosion – nobody knew. People have been evacuat-
ed but explosion will bring huge damage…
6. It is necessary to find quickly cracks in a cooling unit.
7. Micro wire is produced on a plant with the automatic machine use.
Diameter control is realized in a rather primitive way: machine is
stopped, micro wire part is cut and weighed. Diameter is calculated
by relative density. Find a simple and effective way for the diameter
control.
8. Hundreds of millions cups, saucers and plates are produced annually.
Every product pots twice. After the first furnacing the products are
sorted and potted again. New conditions depend on the first furnacing
result. For sorting workwoman strikes each product item by hummer
carefully and determines the burning degree by the product sound. It
is necessary to create automatic machine for such work. What is the
automated work base principle?
9. There was produced a deep hole and a thread in a detail. Chips get on
the bottom of the hole. It’s possible to rescue chips via compressed
air. In this case these chips may stick or carry out and hurt machine
operator. It’s impossible to change the part location. What could be
done?

57
Unit 3.2. Principles to Overcome Contradictions
Patents analysis demonstrated that about 40 strongest principles
exist in order to obviate technical contradictions using effective deci-
sions. There was developed a set of 40 inventive principles and later a
contradictions matrix. Matrix columns indicate 39 system features that
one typically wants to improve, such as speed, weight, measurement
accuracy and so on. Rows refer to typical undesired results. Each matrix
cell points to principles that have been most frequently used in patents
in order to resolve the contradiction.
Altshuler abandoned this defining and solving “technical” contra-
dictions method in the mid 1980's and included in the solving inventive
problems algorithm, ARIZ SuField modeling, 76 inventive standards
and a number of other tools. Also this matrix formed the “Inventive ma-
chine – principles” program basis. The principles list is summarized be-
low in original formulation by Altshuler.

The List of Principles20

1. Segmentation
 Divide an object into independent parts:
Replace mainframe computer by personal computers.
 Make an object easy to disassemble:
Quick disconnect joints in plumbing.
 Increase the fragmentation or segmentation degree:
Replace solid shades with Venetian blinds.
Use powdered welding metal instead of foil or rod to get better joint
penetration.
2. Taking out
Separate an interfering part or property from an object, or single out
the only necessary object part (or property):
Locate a noisy compressor outside the building where compressed
air is used.

20
Translation from Russian to English: http://www.triz40.com/aff_Principles.htm

58
 Use fiber optics or a light pipe to separate the hot light source from
the location where the light is needed.
Use a barking dog sound, without the dog, as a burglar alarm.
3. Local quality
 Change an object's structure from uniform to non-uniform, change
an external environment (or external influence) from uniform to non-
uniform:
Use temperature, density, or pressure gradient instead of constant
temperature, density or pressure.
 Make each part of the object function in conditions most suitable for
its operation:
Lunch box with special compartments for hot and cold solid foods
and for liquids.
 Make each part of an object fulfill a different and useful function:
Pencil with eraser.
Hammer with nail puller.
Multi-function tool that scales fish, acts as a pliers, a wire stripper,
a flat-blade screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver, manicure set, etc
4. Asymmetry
 Change the object shape from symmetrical to asymmetrical:
Asymmetrical mixing vessels or asymmetrical vanes in symmetrical
vessels improve mixing (cement trucks, cake mixers, blenders).
Put a flat spot on a cylindrical shaft to attach a knob securely.
 If an object is asymmetrical, increase its asymmetry degree:
Change from circular O-rings to oval cross-section to specialized
shapes to improve sealing.
Use astigmatic optics to merge colors.
5. Merging
 Bring closer together (or merge) identical or similar objects, assem-
ble identical or similar parts to perform parallel operations:
Personal computers in a network.
Thousands of microprocessors in a parallel processor computer.
Vanes in a ventilation system.
Electronic chips mounted on both sides of a circuit board or subas-
sembly.

59
 Make operations contiguous or parallel, bring them together in time:
Link slats together in Venetian or vertical blinds.
Medical diagnostic instruments that analyze multiple blood parame-
ters simultaneously.
6. Universality
 Make a part or object perform multiple functions; eliminate the other
parts need:
Toothbrush handle that contains toothpaste.
Child’s car safety seat converts to a stroller.
7. Nested doll
 Place one object inside another; place each object, in turn, inside the
other:
Measuring cups or spoons.
Russian dolls.
Portable audio system (microphone fits inside transmitter, which fits
inside amplifier case).
 Make one part pass through a cavity in the other:
Extending radio antenna.
Extending pointer.
Seat belt retraction mechanism.
Retractable aircraft landing gear stow inside the fuselage (also
demonstrates Principle 15, Dynamism).
8. Anti-weight
 To compensate the object weight, merge it with other objects that
provide lift:
Inject foaming agent into a logs bundle, to make it float better.
Use helium balloon to support advertising signs.
 To compensate the object weight, make it interact with the environment
(e.g. use aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, buoyancy and other forces):
Aircraft wing shape reduces air density above the wing, increases
density below wing, to create lift (This also demonstrates Principle 4,
Asymmetry).

60
 Vortex strips improve lift of aircraft wings.
Hydrofoils lift ship out of the water to reduce drag.
9. Preliminary anti-action
 If it is necessary to do an action with both harmful and useful ef-
fects, this action should be replaced with anti-actions to control
harmful effects:
Buffer a solution to prevent harm from pH extremes.
 Create beforehand stresses in an object that will oppose known un-
desirable working stresses later on:
Pre-stress rebar before pouring concrete.
Masking anything before harmful exposure: use a lead apron on
body parts which aren’t exposed to X-rays; use masking tape to
protect object parts which shouldn’t be painted.
10. Preliminary action
 Perform, before it is needed, the required object change (either fully
or partially):
Sterilize all instruments needed for a surgical procedure on a
sealed tray.
 Pre-arrange objects in such a way that they can come into an action
from the most convenient place and without losing time for their
delivery:
Kanban arrangements in a Just-In-Time factory.
Flexible manufacturing cell.
11. Beforehand cushioning
 Prepare emergency means beforehand to compensate for the rela-
tively low object reliability:
Magnetic strip on photographic film that directs the developer to
compensate poor exposure.
Back-up parachute.
Alternate air system for aircraft instruments.
12. Equipotentiality
 In a potential field, limit position changes (e.g. change operating
conditions to eliminate the need to raise or lower objects in a gravi-
ty field):

61
 Spring loaded parts delivery system in a factory.
Locks in a channel between 2 bodies of water (Panama Canal).
Skillets in an automobile plant that bring all tools to the right posi-
tion (also demonstrates Principle 10, Preliminary Action).
13. The other way round
 Invert the action(s) used to solve the problem (e.g. instead of cool-
ing an object, heat it):
To loosen stuck parts, cool the inner part instead of heating the
outer part.
Bring the mountain to Mohammed, instead of bringing Mohammed
to the mountain.
 Make movable parts (or the external environment) fixed, and fixed
parts movable:
Rotate the part instead of the tool.
Moving sidewalk with standing people.
Treadmill (for walking or running in place).
 Turn the object (or process) 'upside down'.
Turn an assembly upside down to insert fasteners (especially
screws).
Empty grain from containers (ship or railroad) by inverting them.
14. Curvature
 Instead of using rectilinear parts, surfaces, or forms, use curvilinear
ones; move from flat surfaces to spherical ones; from parts shaped
as a cube (parallelepiped) to ball-shaped structures:
Use arches and domes for strength in architecture.
 Use rollers, balls, spirals, domes:
Spiral gear (Nautilus) produces continuous resistance for weight
lifting.
 Go from linear to rotary motion, use centrifugal forces:
Produce linear cursor motion on the computer screen using a
mouse or a trackball.

62
15. Dynamics
 Allow (or design) the object characteristics, external environment,
or process to optimal change or to find an optimal operating condi-
tion:
Adjustable steering wheel (or seat, or back support, or mirror posi-
tion).
 Divide an object into parts capable of movement relative to each
other:
The “butterfly” computer keyboard (also demonstrates Principle 7,
“Nested doll’).
 If an object (or process) is rigid or inflexible, make it movable or
adaptive:
The flexible boroscope for examining engines.
16. Partial or excessive actions
 If 100 percent of an object is hard to achieve using a given solution
method then, by using 'slightly less' or 'slightly more' of the same
method, the problem may be considerably easier to solve:
Over spray when painting, then remove excess. (Or, use a stencil –
this is the Principle 3 application, Local Quality and Principle 9,
Preliminary anti-action).
Fill, then “top off” when filling your car gas tank.
17. Another dimension
 To move an object in two- or three-dimensional space:
Infrared computer mouse moves in space, instead of a surface, for
presentations.
Five-axis cutting tool can be positioned where needed.
 Use a multi-story objects arrangement instead of a single-story one:
Cassette with 6 CD’s to increase music time and variety.
Electronic chips on printed circuit board both sides.
 Tilt or re-orient the object, lay it on its side:
Dump truck.
 Use ‘another side’ of a given area:
Stack microelectronic hybrid circuits to improve density.

63
18. Mechanical vibration
 Cause an object to oscillate or vibrate:
Electric carving knife with vibrating blades.
 Increase its frequency (even up to the ultrasonic):
Distribute powder with vibration.
 Use an object's resonant frequency:
Destroy gall stones or kidney stones using ultrasonic resonance.
 Use piezoelectric vibrators instead of mechanical ones:
Quartz crystal oscillations drive high accuracy clocks.
 Use combined ultrasonic and electromagnetic field oscillations:
Mixing alloys in an induction furnace.
19. Periodic action
 Instead of continuous action, use periodic or pulsating actions:
Hitting something repeatedly with a hammer.
Replace a continuous siren with a pulsed sound.
 If an action is already periodic, change the periodic magnitude or
frequency:
Use Frequency Modulation to convey information, instead of Morse
code.
Replace a continuous siren with sound that changes amplitude and
frequency.
 Use pauses between impulses to perform a different action:
In cardio-pulmonary respiration (CPR) breathe after every 5 chest
compressions.
20. Continuity of useful action
 Carry on work continuously; make all object work parts at full load,
all the time:
Flywheel (or hydraulic system) stores energy when a vehicle stops,
so the motor can keep running at optimum power.
Run the bottleneck operations in a factory continuously, to reach

64
 the optimum pace (From theory of constraints, or tact time opera-
tions).
 Eliminate all idle or intermittent actions or work:
Print during the printer carriage return – dot matrix printer, daisy
wheel printers, inkjet printers.
21. Skipping
 Conduct a process, or certain stages (e.g. destructible, harmful or
hazardous operations) at high speed:
Use a high speed dentist’s drill to avoid heating tissue.
Cut plastic faster than heat can propagate in the material, to avoid
deforming the shape.
22. ‘Blessing in disguise’ or ‘Turn Lemons into Lemonade’
 Use harmful factors (particularly, harmful effects of the environ-
ment or surroundings) to achieve a positive effect:
Use waste heat to generate electric power.
Recycle waste (scrap) material from one process as raw materials
for another.
 Eliminate the primary harmful action by adding it to another harm-
ful action to resolve the problem:
Add a buffering material to a corrosive solution.
 Amplify a harmful factor to such a degree that it is no longer harm-
ful:
Use a backfire to eliminate the fuel from a forest fire.
23. Feedback
 Introduce feedback (referring back, cross-checking) to improve a
process or action:
Signal from gyrocompass is used to control simple aircraft autopi-
lots. Statistical Process Control (SPC) – measurements are used to
decide when to modify a process (Not all feedback systems are au-
tomated!). Budgets – measurements are used to decide when to
modify a process.
 If feedback is already used, change its magnitude or influence.
Change sensitivity of an autopilot when within 5 miles of an air-
port.

65
24. ‘Intermediary’
 Use an intermediary carrier article or intermediary process:
Carpenter’s nail set, used between the hammer and the nail.
 Merge one object temporarily with another (which can be easily
removed).
Pot holder to carry hot dishes to the table.
25. Self-service
 Make an object serve itself by performing auxiliary helpful func-
tions:
A soda fountain pump that runs on the pressure of the carbon diox-
ide that is used to “fizz” the drinks. This assures that drinks will not
be flat, and eliminates the need for sensors.
Halogen lamps regenerate the filament during use – evaporated
material is redeposited.
 Use waste resources, energy or substances:
Use heat from a process to generate electricity.
Use food and lawn waste to create compost.
26. Copying
 Instead of an unavailable, expensive, fragile object, use simpler and
inexpensive copies:
Virtual reality via computer instead of an expensive vacation.
Listen to audio tape instead of attending a seminar.
 Replace an object, or process with optical copies:
Do surveying from space photographs instead of that on the
ground.
Measure an object by measuring the photograph.
 If visible optical copies are already used, move to infrared or ultra-
violet copies:
Make images in infrared to detect heat sources, such as diseases in
crops or intruders in a security system.
27. Cheap short-living objects
 Replace an inexpensive object with multiple inexpensive objects,
comprising certain qualities (such as service life, for instance):

66
 Use disposable paper objects to avoid the cleaning and storing du-
rable objects cost. Plastic cups in motels, disposable diapers, dif-
ferent kinds of medical supplies.
28. Mechanics substitution
 Replace mechanical means with sensory (optical, acoustic, taste or
smell) ones:
Replace a physical fence to confine a dog or cat with an acoustic
‘fence’ (signal audible to the animal).
 Use electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields to interact with
the object:
To mix 2 powders, electrostatically charge one positive and the
other negative. Either use fields to direct them, or mix them me-
chanically and let their acquired fields cause the grains of powder
to pair up.
 Change from static to movable fields, from unstructured fields to
those having structure:
Early communications used omnidirectional broadcasting. We now
use antennas with very detailed radiation pattern structure.
 Use fields in conjunction with field-activated (e.g. ferromagnetic)
particles.
Heat a substance containing ferromagnetic material by using vary-
ing magnetic field. When the temperature exceeds the Curie point,
the material becomes paramagnetic, and no longer absorbs heat.
29. Pneumatics and hydraulics
 Use object gas and liquid parts instead of solid parts (e.g. inflatable,
filled with liquids, air cushion, hydrostatic, hydro-reactive):
Comfortable shoe sole inserts filled with gel.
30. Flexible shells and thin films
 Use flexible shells and thin films instead of three dimensional struc-
tures:
Use inflatable (thin film) structures as winter covers on tennis courts.

67
 Isolate the object from the external environment using flexible
shells and thin films:
Float a bipolar material film (one end hydrophilic, one end hydro-
phobic) on a reservoir to limit evaporation.
31. Porous materials
 Make an object porous or add porous elements (inserts, coatings, etc.):
Drill holes in a structure to reduce the weight.
 If an object is already porous, use the pores to introduce a useful
substance or function.
Use a porous metal mesh to wick excess solder away from a joint.
Store hydrogen in the pores of a palladium sponge. (Fuel “tank”
for the hydrogen car – much safer than storing hydrogen gas).
32. Color changes
 Change the object color or its external environment:
Use safe lights in a photographic darkroom.
 Change the object transparency or its external environment:
Use photolithography to change transparent material to a solid
mask for semiconductor processing. Similarly, change mask mate-
rial from transparent to opaque for silk screen processing.
 Use coloring agents for oversight by objects which are invisible.
 Use radioactive tracers.
33. Homogeneity
 Make objects interacting with the same material object (or material
with identical properties):
Make the container out of the same material as the contents, to re-
duce chemical reactions.
Make a diamond cutting tool out of diamonds.
34. Discarding and recovering
 Make object portions that have fulfilled their functions (discard by
dissolving, evaporating, etc.) or modify these directly during opera-
tion:

68
 Use a dissolving capsule for medicine.
Ice structures: use water ice or carbon dioxide (dry ice) to make a
template for a rammed earth structure, such as a temporary dam.
 Conversely, restore consumable object parts directly in operation:
Self-sharpening lawn mower blades.
35. Parameter changes
 Change an object's physical state (e.g. to gas, liquid, or solid):
Freeze the liquid centers of filled candies then dip in melted choco-
late, instead of handling the messy, gooey, hot liquid.
Transport oxygen or nitrogen or petroleum gas as liquid, instead of
gas, to reduce volume.
 Change the concentration or consistency:
Liquid hand soap is concentrated and more viscous than bar soap
at the point of use, making it easier to dispense in the correct
amount and more sanitary when shared by several people.
 Change the flexibility degree:
Use adjustable dampers to reduce the noise of parts falling into a
container by restricting the container walls motion.
Vulcanize rubber to change its flexibility and durability.
 Change the temperature:
Raise the temperature above the Curie point to change a ferromag-
netic substance to a paramagnetic substance.
36. Phase transitions
 Use phenomena occurring during phase transitions (e.g. volume
changes, loss or absorption of heat, etc.):
Water expands when frozen, unlike most other liquids. Hannibal
used this water phenomenon when marched to Rome a few thou-
sand years ago. Large rocks blocked passages in the Alps. He
poured water on them at night. The overnight cold froze the water,
and the expansion split the rocks into small pieces which could be
pushed aside. Heat pumps use the vaporization heat and condensa-
tion heat of a closed thermodynamic cycle to do useful work.

69
37. Thermal expansion
 Use thermal materials expansion (or contraction):
Fit a tight joint together by cooling the inner part to contract, heat-
ing the outer part to expand, putting the joint together, and return-
ing to equilibrium.
 If thermal expansion is being used, use multiple materials with dif-
ferent thermal expansion coefficients.
The basic leaf spring thermostat: (2 metals with different expansion
coefficients are linked so that it bends one way when warmer than
nominal and the opposite way when cooler).
38. Strong oxidants
 Replace common air with oxygen-enriched air:
Scuba diving with Nitrox or other non-air mixtures for extended
endurance.
 Replace enriched air with pure oxygen:
Cut at a higher temperature using an oxy-acetylene torch.
Treat wounds in a high pressure oxygen environment to kill anaer-
obic bacteria and aid healing.
 Expose air or oxygen to ionize radiation.
 Use ionized oxygen:
Ionize air to trap pollutants in an air cleaner.
 Replace ozonized (or ionized) oxygen with ozone.
Speed up chemical reactions by ionizing the gas before use.

39. Inert atmosphere

 Replace a normal environment with an inert one:
Prevent degradation of a hot metal filament by using an argon at-
mosphere.
 Add neutral parts or inert additives to the object:
Increase the powdered detergent volume by adding inert ingredi-
ents. This makes it easier to measure with conventional tools.
 To lead process in vacuum.

70
40. Composite materials
 Change from uniform to composite (multiple) materials:
Composite epoxy resin / carbon fiber golf club shafts are lighter,
stronger and more flexible than metal. The same is used for airplane
parts. Fiberglass surfboards are lighter and more controllable and
easier to form into a variety of shapes than wooden ones.
Frequently the task initial formulation is not clear for inventor. It
is very important to understand how to solve the task: to use the primary
problem definition or to restate the task.

Quiz 3.2: Principles to Overcome Contradictions

Make decision using the principles
1. A plant got an order to produce a large number of 1 mm thick-
ness glass plates. Blanks were cut, there was blank edges oper-
ating, but the plates were often broken. It’s impossible to in-
crease the plates thickness. What could be done?
2. The smelting furnaces body is cooled by the water that circu-
lates in the pipes which are situated behind in order to protect
layer. One day pipes got broken, the water went into the fur-
naces with smelt and there was a high risk of explosion. What
could be done? Water system must be saved.
3. When there is a flaw in an acid pipe the acid is pouring off,
pipe should be washed and filled by inert gas. Once the
maintenance had to be done quickly but the inert gas was out of
stock. What could be done?
4. Special radial sliding tool is used for the finishing treatment by
diamond hone of hole in vanadic alloys. This tool is complex
and expensive. For a new product treatment it is necessary to
get more precise tool. A tool with sliding mechanism is too
complex and fretful. What could be done?
5. When producing artificial limb for physically challenged it is
necessary to get artificial limb form. Such work requires an ex-

71
 perienced sculptor, but it is not always possible to find one.
There might be done a copy of the original limb but there will
be two left or two right limbs. What could be done?
6. It usually takes several hours to precipitate sediment to the bot-
tom of the plug. To facilitate the control purification index ac-
tivators there is used a process with active chemical sedimenta-
tion or centrifuges, but it is very complex and expensive. In-
ventor Martianov showed a trick. He took a tube with liquid,
turned away and demonstrated the tube with precipitated sedi-
ment. How did he make it?
7. You have a glass parallelepiped. How to measure its grand di-
agonal without calculations?

72
Unit 3.3. Physical & Chemical Effects
in Inventive Tasks

Techniques improvement is connected with technical develop-

ment. Mechanical techniques are replaced by more effective physical
and chemical. For example, in mining industry inside of mechanical
bucking and ore lifting on the surface now there exist new techniques:
ore body lixiviation, metal solution acceptance and the metal via chemi-
cal way extraction.

In manufacturing the micro technology leads to revolution trans-

formation: complex details are raised as mono-crystal, inner substance
properties are changed by strong electrical, optic or magnetic fields. In
building the substance fundamental properties use allows refusing from
complex and expansive mechanisms.

For example, thermal expansion helps to design crushproof jack,

to build arc bridges at least five times faster without falsework and lift-
ing gears use. On the building place it is possible to make load-carrying
part of arc bridge by height near 20 meters: two metallic plates by
length 100 meters are juxtaposed one on another and asbestos washer is
situated between them. Lower sheet is heated by high frequency current
up to 700 degrees Celsius, combining with upper sheet and arc is ready
when such “pie” will get cool.
By what effect micro technology efficiency may be explained? It
is difficult to understand where there are the substance as an action in-
strument and the substance as labor subject. There is no direct action,
labor subject or machine working part as it may be when mechanical
methods are used. The substances particles (molecules, atoms) imple-
ment labor subjects function. We can impact by definite field on system
parts, create special conditions and the process itself becomes handy.

73
 Transition from mechanical and macro physical techniques to mi-
cro physical allows to simplify every technological process and to get
economical effect and non-polluting processes.
Nature leads its manufacturing on atoms level automatically with-
out noise and without waste. But it is necessary to remember about pos-
sible bounds and saving nature.

Every principle is connected with physics in fact. For example,

segmentation on a micro-level is dissociation – association, desorption –
sorption, etc. Complex changes are the main typical principles. The
bridge between inventive tasks and physics is building up to date.

 Centrifugal force

Centrifugal force appears when the body changes its movement

direction but body energy is saved. This force is directed only from rota-
tion center.

Means of formed surfaces polishing by moving abrasive band:

band is pressed to template’s work surface by centrifugal forces.

Method used for products processing with parabolic shape: there

used tank rotation with liquid and liquid with greater specific weight is
used as forming element. Liquid with lesser specific weight is hardened
under rotation. It permits to cheapen and to improve the surface accuracy.

 Memory effects

Some metal alloys (titan – nickel, gold – cadmium, copper – alu-

minum) have memory effect. If there is a need to manufacture a detail
from such an alloy and to deform this detail, then after hitting up to cer-
tain temperature detail returns to its original shape. A titanium nickelide
(TiNi)–based alloy now is the most famous and unique.

TiNi-based alloys produce a huge force when returning their orig-

inal form. A.A. Boikov’s Institute of Metallurgy staff used this alloy
property. Complex shape detail is produced from TiNi-alloy, alloy re-
members shape and after that detail is formed to flat sheet. The sheet

74
surface is covered by another alloy or metal with usual different tech-
niques use – by rolling, by sputtering, by explosive bonding, etc. After
heating up this metal “layer cake” turns to detail with complex shape.

This technique may be used for sandwich products creation of any

shapes when it is impossible to produce such form by usual ways. TiNi-
alloys are good for working, efficient, corrosion-proof, they reduce the
vibration. Designers used TiNi-alloy for sputnik’s antenna: when
launching antenna is rolled up and compact, but in space after being
heated up by sun antenna takes very complex shape.

Potential for alloys with memory effect use is great: this is ther-
mal automatics, high-speed sensors, relay, control devices, thermal
jacks, etc.

 Thermal expansion

Under thermal expansion or solid matters pressing huge forces are

produced. This effect may be used in technological processes.

For example, this property is used in electrical jack for reinforcing

steel tension when ferroconcrete is produced. The principle is very sim-
ple: ferroconcrete is bonded with metal bar, which has suitable thermal
expansion quotation. The bar is heated by current from welding trans-
former, then bar is hard fastened and heat is taken away. The tug in
hundreds of tons is appeared after cooling and bar linear dimensions
shortening. This tug can stretch cool ferroconcrete to the value demand-
ed. In this jack the molecular forces work and jack can’t crack.

 Phases change

Under the 1st phase change the matter density and energy are
changed discontinuously, always a certain heat energy amount is sepa-
rated out or consumed. Under the 2nd phase change the matter density
and energy are changed continuously, but heat and heat conduction are
changed discontinuously. Heat energy is not separated out or consumed
under the 2nd phase change.

75
 The typical example of the 1st phase change – matter transition
from one to another aggregate state. There exist four aggregate states in
physics: solid, liquid, gas and plasma. Often matter aggregate state
changes allow to solve technical tasks, which seemed at first extremely
difficult.

The 2nd phase changes examples:

liquid helium change to super fluid state,
ferromagnetic change to paramagnetic under Curie peak,
alloys crystals inversion, etc.
For example: how to fulfill container layer by layer with intermix-
able liquids. The first liquid in container had to be frozen, after that the
next liquid was poured on the first liquid frozen layer and then the first
liquid was unfrozen.

 Resonance

Resonance has the significant role in oscillating processes. Reso-

nance is the system tendency to oscillate at greater amplitude at some
frequencies than at others. Resonance effect is used for technological
processes intensification.

Examples

The metal details working out way: a detail was heated up to

drawback temperature with simultaneous mechanical vibration use. To
prevent fatigue cracks and to relieve internal welded connection stresses
the treatment is processed with local weld zone heating with simultane-
ous resonance vibration.

The measurement way of matter mass in container: mechanical

resonance oscillations are exited in system “container-matter”, the
measured frequency will be the mass indicator.

76
 Water magnetization

Until now there is no explanation for a water magnetization effect

but the use of this effect permits to inten-
sify different processes.

For example, a structural mixes

preparation way to produce concrete arti-
cle: the water is working up by rotating
magnetic field (FI = 100–2000 А, water
penetration velocity is 0.5–2.5 m/sec).
This technique permits to increase product
durability.

 Friction
Friction21 is the force resisting the solid surfaces relative motion,
fluid layers, and material elements sliding against each other. There are
several friction types:

Dry friction resists relative lateral motion of two solid surfaces in con-
tact. Dry friction is subdivided into static friction between non-moving
surfaces, and kinetic friction between moving surfaces, kinetic friction is
subdivided into rolling resistance and sliding friction.

Fluid friction describes the friction between layers within a viscous flu-
id that are moving relatively to each other.

Lubricated friction is a fluid friction case where a fluid separates two

solid surfaces.

Skin friction is a drag component, the force resisting a solid body mo-
tion through a fluid.

21
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction

77
Internal friction is the force resisting motion between the elements
making up a solid material while it undergoes deformation.

When surfaces in contact move relatively to each other, the fric-

tion between the two surfaces converts kinetic energy into heat. This
property can have dramatic consequences, as illustrated by the friction
use created by rubbing pieces of wood together to start a fire. Kinetic
energy is converted to heat whenever a motion with friction occurs, for
example when a viscous fluid is stirred. Another important consequence
of many friction types can be worn, which may lead to performance
degradation and/or components damage. Friction is a component of the
tribology. Friction is not itself a fundamental force but arises from fun-
damental electromagnetic forces between the charged particles consti-
tuting the two contacting surfaces. The complexity of these interactions
makes the friction calculation impossible and necessitates the empirical
methods use for analysis and the theory development.
Dry friction can induce several instabilities types in mechanical
systems, which display a stable behavior in the friction absence. For in-
stance, friction-related dynamical instabilities are thought to be respon-
sible of brake squeal and glass harp 'song', phenomena which involve
stick and slip, modeled as a friction coefficient drop with velocity. For
example, a connection between dry friction and flutter instability in a
simple mechanical system has been discovered.
Usually the rolling resistance force is less a sliding friction force.
But if the rolling velocity is equal the deformation velocity the rolling
resistance force will be huge, so under great velocity to use sliding fric-
tion is more effective.
The static friction force is more than the kinetic friction force and
it is the reason why precision device receptiveness is lowered. It is nec-
essary to decrease the friction – this task may be solved by the oscilla-
tion use.
For example, the bearing bush was produced from piezoelectric
matter and was covered by electro-conductive foil. Electric current-
induced piezo-electric oscillation eliminates static friction.

78
 Chemical effects use in invention activity allows providing higher
technical decisions level.
For example, surface metallization (appearance – matter disap-
pearance) allows improving the surface properties, to increase corrosion
resistance, to control frictional coefficient, to strengthen pressed details
contact, to regenerate wearing out surfaces. Dissoluble metal salts, metal
& organic compounds, metal oxides, volatile metal compounds are used
for such purposes. Reduction is made by reagents (glycerin for oxides,
sodium solution in liquid ammonia) or by electrical current on cathode.
Control is realized by heating or by electrical field.
Metal discharge in volume allows to produce metal-wood (or met-
al in other porous bodies), photosensitive glass (association – dissocia-
tion of silver chloride).
Sometimes it is necessary to make substance disappear by physi-
cal (evaporation, melding), physical & chemical or by chemical way
(chemical bounding with dissolution, volatilization, evaporation).
It is known that most of chemical transformations are connected
with energy release or energy absorption (exo- and endothermic reac-
tions). Mechanical energy release is attended by such reaction products
release as gas (steam) and by pressure increase in closed system. Chang-
ing pressure may be done by introduction into a system of gel, polymers
or under thermal metal-organic compounds dissociation (metal lubrica-
tion).
Heat energy store creation is heat absorption process. Under salt
dissolution in water low temperature grade may be distinguish.
It is possible to get electrical energy by a well known chemical
current source. The most popular polymers are non-conductor, but elec-
tro-conduct properties may be done by the hydrophilic paint use.
Polymers synthesis use in an electromagnetic field allows getting
new substances – electrets films, which have constant allocated electric
charge. Such films may be used as a low-power electric energy source,
as different parameters control sensors, etc.

79
Quiz 3.3: Physical & Chemical Effects in Inventive
Tasks

1. Carry out tasks on cards on table base (3 actions / properties to

choose). Point out a physical / chemical phenomena or an effect
that may be used to get demand action in inventive task. Describe
the phenomena. Describe its nature. Give the examples.

№ Demand action / property Physical phenomena /

effect

1. Temperature measure

2. Temperature stabilization
3. Object position & movement
indication

4. Object movement control

5. Gas / liquid motion control
6. Aerosol stream control
(powder, spray, etc.)

7. Mixing
Solutions formation

8. Mixture separating
9. Object position stabilization
10. Power action
Force control
Large pressure making

11. Friction’s change

12. Object destruction

80
 13. Mechanical and thermal en-
ergy accumulation

14. Interaction control between

movable and immovable ob-
jects
15. Object’s dimensions measure
16. Surface properties control
17. Surface properties change
18. Objects dimensions change
19. Electrical and magnetic
fields control
20. Electromagnetic fields con-
trol

2. Make decision for the next inventive tasks using physical &
chemical effects:

a. Il-2 reputation as one of the best attack aircrafts started in mid-1943,

is owed to a great number of inventions administered by S.V.
Ilyushin. Among these inventions the Design Bureau has to solve the
following task. Explosion is a result of the bullet hit into the fuel tank
if the tank is not full. If tank is full the explosion doesn’t occur.
What decision was found by engineers to prevent the explosion when
the tank is not full??

b. There is an old clock in museum that has been working for two cen-
turies.
How could it be?

81
Unit 3.4. Geometry in Inventive Tasks
There exist a number of geometrical effects; some of them are de-
scribed in “Geometrical Effects Catalogue” [26]. This “Catalogue” can
help to find the main principle, the main idea, but not a structure in de-
tail. It is important to understand the geometrical effects place in TRIZ
informational fund. Chemical effects allow to enable one property from
others with emission or energy absorption or to convert one energy type
to another. Geometrical effects usually distribute energy streams or sub-
stance. Patent fund analysis shows that geometry in systems is devel-
oped in synthesis direction with control geometry, with physical effects
geometry, etc.
The next direction is SuField recourse and geometrical effects.
The shape is inventive resource which is used effectively less fre-
quently.
Below there are given some examples.

 Dry substances

Dry substances are between liquids and solids. In comparison with

solid dry substances they have movable particles and have more surfac-
es which can cover relief.

A dry substance is not compressible if to increase the pressure on

a dry substance in confined space. Such substance allows using dry sub-
stance as a bulking agent under hollow components manufacturing for
subsequent deformation.

Long since carpenters used packets with sand to fix figure details.
Then inventions appeared where dry substance particles are manufac-
tured from flexible materials or particles are covered by fusible materi-
als which supply emptiness after being melted.

82
 Brush-type structure

The most famous brush-type structures func-

tion is the ability to fit close to figure surfaces. Usu-
ally brush-type structures are used for coating pro-
cessing, surfaces cleaning, forming acoustic, electri-
cal, magnetic contact, etc.
The brush-type structures surface allows the
surface area increase for heat exchange. This effect
may be used for heating or for cooling.
Brush can not only repeat detail forming but
operate surface too. A needle-cutter was invented,
which can operate different materials – metals, plastic, and rubber. Nee-
dle-cutter allows to polish surface and to cut 5 mm in one pass.
If to combine the brushes couple by nap directed towards each
other it is possible to get quick-disconnected joints. Brush-type struc-
tures may be used for gripper, fixing and figure details joint with differ-
ent shapes.

 Spirals

Now spirals are the most popular form from classic geometrical
figures. Archimedean spiral has remarkable properties. For example,
the distance between two consecutive spiral coils is the constant value.
This property is used in concentric jaw chuck. Cylindrical helix with
constant step is formed by plane covering with a di-
rect line on a circular cylinder. Such lines are used in
screw conveyors, worm presses for smooth step varia-
tion. Manufacturing and assembling automation of
different complex shapes can be accomplished by syn-
thetic tows spinning. Details manufacturing by spin-
ning has one more advantage: belt threads may be
placed in the main mechanical stresses direction in
accordance with the effort distribution picture.

83
Quiz 3.4: Geometry in Inventive Tasks

1. Glue Möbius Stick belt. Determine what changes will be there if to

cut belt half-and-half. Find the Möbius belt use in technical sys-
tems.

2. Build 2 meters tower high from 20 А4-size papers. Task has to be

carried out in 3 to 5 persons per group. Time – 30 minutes. Tower
has to stay during at least 1 minute.

3. Make a decision for the next inventive geometry tasks:

a. High-quality concave reflector must be of paraboloid shape. It is

difficult to get such a shape on the lathe.

How to provide mass paraboloids production?

b. When producing a steel pipe it is important to cut blank from in-

got with precisely given weight – in this case all pipes will have
one equal length. But ingots have different sizes and shapes..

What has to be done?

84
Unit 3.5. Inventive Problem Solving Algorithm
Algorithm of inventive problem
solving (ARIZ) is a complex program
based on the technical system devel-
opment laws. ARIZ allows the in-
ventive task analyzing for finding
contradiction in the system. ARIZ is
operations sequence for uncertain in-
ventive task analysis. Often this task
is described incorrectly.
Because the program is realized
by men ARIZ contains operations for
psychological factors control. Such
operations decrease psychological in- Fig. 3.11. TRIZ History
ertia and encourage imagination.
ARIZ is provided with information fund. Information fund includes:
procedures for contradiction removing,
standards for inventive problem solving,
bank of physical, chemical and geometrical effects.

3.5.1. Task Analysis

The ARIZ first part contains 7 steps for transition from uncertain
inventive situation to a clear and simple problem model.
 Step 1 – Mini-task. The task is formulated in accordance with
special form:
 to write down the technical system function and basic system
components;
 to formulate two technical contradictions (TC1 and TC2), each
of them is connected with a contrary tool in system conditions;
 to point the result which must be realized.
Mini-task does not mean that the task is “small”. On the contrary,
an additional demand is included to get the result without essential
changes in the system.

85
 Step 2 – Conflict couple. It is necessary to determine the ele-
ments (product and tool) couple, which conflict with each
other.
 Step 3 – Conflict schema. Drawings show contradictions TC1
and TC2 (step 1) schemas.
 Step 4 – Conflict schema choosing. One of the schemas (step 3)
is chosen. The decision direction is determined. The choice
must provide the best main production process.
 Step 5 – Conflict intensification. This step is very important be-
cause it eliminates the trading possibilities.
 Step 6 – Task Model. The analysis result is summarized and there
are indicated the following:
conflict couple;
strong conflict;
the demand for x-element in the system (x-element is an unknown
system change, which can solve all problems as the result).

3.5.2. Task’s Model Analysis

The goal of this part – system’s resources search which can be
used for task solving: space resource, time resource, substances and
fields resources. Three steps have to be done:
 Investigating of operational zone as space, where conflict ap-
pears.
 Investigating of operational time.
 Investigating of substance & field resources. Substance & field
resources (SFR) are written as a table in the following order: re-
sources in an operational zone (intra-system resources), resources
beyond the operational zone (off-system resources) and above-
system resources.

3.5.3. Ideal Result and Physical Contradiction Definition

The ARIZ third part goal is the decision image creation. This im-
age points out the strongest answer and allows finding physical contra-
diction which prevents to reach the best result.

86
 This part contains six steps:
 Step 1 – Ideal Finish Result Definition (IFR-1).

The main demand IFR-1: x-element introduced into the system

does not complicate system, does not cause additional harmful ef-
fects, does not interfere with the system tool but has to eliminate
harmful effects.

 Step 2 – Reinforcement of formulation IFR-1. Formulation

IFR-1 is intensified by an additional demand: it is impossible to
introduce extraneous substances and fields; x-element has to be
from existing resources.

 Step 3 – Physical contradiction on a macro-level. It is one of

the most important steps for solution, it is a formulated physical
contradiction, when contrary demands are put forth for operative
zone physical condition.

 Step 4 – Physical contradiction on a micro-level. Physical con-

tradiction is formulated on a micro-level for operative zone parti-
cles: particles contrary actions or states.

 Step 5 – Ideal Finish Result IFR-2. This step finishes analysis

and ARIZ analytical part. A new physical task is realized. The
task is to supply with contrary macro- (step 3) and micro- (step 4)
operative zone conditions in operative time. The task may unrec-
ognizably change.

 Step 6 – Standards system use. Physical contradiction on a mi-

cro-level (step 4) allows to use standards system.

3.5.4. Substances’ and Fields’ Resources Use

The goal is to apply systematic operations for system resources

use. This part is the solution searching beginning. The actions order is
the following:

87
 To use the little men MLM (modeling by little men) method.
The method use order: the first figure shows the conflict, on the
next figure it is necessary to rearrange little men so that they acted
without conflict.

 To step back from IFR. When sought-for system is clear and

task is to find a way for getting of this system it aids to step back
from IFR. It is necessary to draw a finish system and to insert
minimal dismantle change (one man) and to determine how to
eliminate this “man”. Often this task solving is very simple and
can show the way for all task solving.

 To understand, maybe the task could be solved by the mixed re-

sources use.

 To replace existing resources by vacuum or resources mix with

vacuum.

 To use substances, derivative from resources (phase transitions or

chemical reactions result).

 To introduce electrical field or two electrical fields interaction.

Every substance has resources which are opportune for using –
own electrons and ions.

 To introduce typical couple field and substance, “remarked” on

field. For example it may be a magnetic field and ferromagnetic
substance, ultraviolet and phosphor, heat field and metal with
memory effects.

3.5.5. Information Fund Use

The main 5th part goal is to find solution by inventive experience

use from TRIZ information fund. A table with techniques for a physical
contradictions solution is a strong tool in an inventive practice. There
are the next techniques groups in the above-mentioned table:
 Dividing of contrary properties in space.

88
  Dividing of contrary properties in time.
 System transitions use:
similar and dissimilar systems joining into the above-system,
transition from system to anti-system or system with anti-
system combination,
giving to system of one contradiction property, but sys-
tem parts – of another property,
transition to system on a micro-level.
 Phase transitions use:
system part or external medium phase condition change,
be-phase system part (transition from one condition to an-
other according to the condition of operation) condition,
effects with phase transition use,
one-phase substance with two-phase substance change.
 Physical and chemical transitions use: substance appearance –
disappearance at the decomposition-combination expense, ioni-
zation-recombination.
It is the algorithm search part end.

3.5.6. Task Changing

This part goal is an initial conditions task change, if the analysis in

part 5 did not produce the needed result. Probably the task was not cor-
rectly formulated. Work with a difficult problem is connected with the
meaning change. The solving process is a task correction process.
If the task is solved successfully the transition from idea to “iron-
mongery” must be done. The way is formulating and principal schema is
working out. If the result is not obtained it is necessary to return to the
beginning and check the task formulation. Maybe the task formulation
contains a number of tasks.
There exist scheming tasks which may appear as usual tasks with
a well formulated technical contradiction. But really each such task con-
sists of several tasks. If it is possible, eliminate special terms from mini-
task, the decision may be easily found.

89
 There may be another situation. The task analysis has been carried
out, the interesting decision has been made, but it is impossible to use
this solution because the new task appears. It is a usual situation in
TRIZ for high level tasks. It is necessary to solve a new task inside of
solution renunciation.
If you cannot find a task decision it is necessary to return to the
beginning and try to choose another technical contradiction. Maybe the
main process in the system was determined incorrectly. Maybe it is neces-
sary to refuse an old system and move up to a new system design in total.
Often the task cannot be solved in old problem statement but if
one breaks down all barriers the decision could be easily found.

3.5.7. How to Eliminate Physical Contradiction

The main 7th part goal is to get answer verification. It is necessary

to eliminate a physical contradiction because only in this case the in-
ventive decision could be carried out. This part has got four steps:
 Step 1. Decision improving possibility at the recourses expense
and self adjust substances (which can change their condition at the
expense of physical and chemical effects) use.
 Step 2. Previous decision assessment with the control questions
help. If the decision does not satisfy the demands it is necessary to
make a fresh start.
 Step 3. Novelty decision inspection. It is necessary to analyze pa-
tent libraries funds.
 Step 4. All tasks formulating, which appear under technical idea
analysis: inventive, design, calculate, organizational, etc.

3.5.8. Answer Use

This part goal is to provide idea with maximum of the recourses.

It is necessary to define what changes may be done in the above-system
when our system became this above-system part. Maybe having
changed system / above-system acquired new useful or, on the contrary,

90
harmful properties. The job has to be done for possibilities finding in
order to use idea for other tasks. The main principle is formulated and
then there should be considered the possibility to use this principle for
other tasks solving.

Morphological tables are created as “parts relative position – sub-

stance aggregate state” or “field use – environment aggregate state”.
At the same time there are investigated common principle changes un-
der system sizes or system parts (in accordance with operator Size –
Time – Cost) change. In reality it is forecast for a new system and appli-
cation possible range finding.
Quiz 3.5: Algorithm of Inventive Problem Solving

Use algorithm of IPS and find out decision for the next tasks:

1. After tooling there exist burrs, which have to be cleared off manual-
ly. Operation cannot be automated because the gears are too small.
How to decrease laboriousness?
2. It is necessary to join two thin-shelled containers. Flange connec-
tion demands place and its assembly is very laborious. Telescope’s
joint is complex and laborious too.
What could be done?
3. Sometimes plate details make layers in a vibrating bunker. Details’
orientation is disturbed and may lead to failure.
What could be done?
4. Turbine vanes are produced from alloyed steel by die forging and
precise shape is got on duplicate-milling machine. Vane is pressed
in rotating supports. Shaper cutter moves and repeats tracer tem-
plate form. To provide vane with precise shape the steady support is
used. It is necessary to adjust steady support every time when
steady support moves.

How to increase operating laborious without the precision decrease?

91
CONCLUSION
The course is completed. Appropriately question is – how to use
the studied (mastered!) techniques in practice, under what conditions are
they effective?

The task type defines the technique that has to be used. For exam-
ple, brainstorming and synectics may be successfully used for advertis-
ing. It should be understood that brainstorming is costly for a company
because of the staff’s large contingent and a long time job diversion.

Morphological tables are the best when the data should be stream-
lined and systematized under attribute signs.

TRIZ is used for the new ideas search in different ways. There are
definite signs for task solving with TRIZ:
 Task solving possibility from any engineering field.
 A lot of task solving including cheap (ideal).
 High speed for task solving.
So it is possible to make a decision for inventive tasks as an engi-
neering procedure. TRIZ is actively used worldwide. TRIZ is the tool
which helps to manage with theoretical and practice tasks from different
fields of knowledge. There may be not only technical systems but scien-
tific, artistic, social, etc. Different systems development obeys similar
laws, so a lot of ideas and TRIZ techniques were used for theory crea-
tion for nontechnical tasks solving (for example TRIZ–Шанс). Now the
informational findings are created in business, art, literature and so on.

Anyway you have the right to make choices and only you decide
what way is the most preferable.

Be audacious – and you’ll reach the result!

92
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 Educational Edition

Национальный исследовательский
Томский политехнический университет

ШАМИНА Ольга Борисовна

ТЕОРИЯ РЕШЕНИЯ ИЗОБРЕТАТЕЛЬСКИХ ЗАДАЧ

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Издательство Томского политехнического университета, 2014

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