TOPIC 6: DESIGN ON TRIZ
have previously been successful in solving
6.1. Introduction to TRIZ and its tools
TRIZ
TRIZ which is a technology-based,
systematic methodology that aims to
overcome "psychological inertia" and
generate a large range of solution concepts.
With the use of a contradiction matrix, it
provides a framework and toolbox for
systematic, inventive problem solving.
*TRIZ (Altshuller, 1984) is a Russian
acronym for Teoria Resheneya
Isobretatelskih Zadach, which can be
translated to the Theory of Inventive
Problem Solving.
6.2. The father of TRIZ
As we know him A short biography of
Genrich Altshuller
Summary: The life of Genrich Altshuller, the
father of TRIZ as we know him, is an
inspiration to all TRIZ lovers. His startup of
career as a patent clerk, extreme struggles
in the prisons of Vorkuta and Gulag, and
great inventions on TRIZ are interesting to
anybody who likes to know about the great
soul. This article is a collection of various
facts and events in his life from different
sources. I am thankful to all websites
hosting Altshuller’s biography, which have
made me know him better.
TRIZ was produced through years of
development and therefore represents a
short-cut to experience because it is a
method of transforming a specific problem
into a general problem. By abstracting the
problem, you can identify solutions that
If the concept of contradiction in problem
the general problem, and then apply these
principles to your specific problem.
The TRIZ process is clearly illustrated in the
figure below.
(See Chapter 3 in Childs, P.R.N. Mechanical
Design Engineering Handbook, 2nd edition,
Butterworth Heinemann, 2018)
6.3. TRIZ: 39 Parameters
From the initial research, Altshuller found
that there were only 39 generic parameters
(sometimes referred to as properties or
features) which either improve or degrade.
These are also referred to as the 39
improving or worsening parameters.
Take 10 minutes to read through The 39
Parameters of TRIZ and familiarize yourself
with their meanings.
For example:
● Objects which can easily change position
in space, either on their own or as a result
of external forces, are classed as moving
objects (number 5 in the table).
● Objects which do not change position in
space, either on their own or as a result of
external forces, are classed as stationary
objects (number 6 in the table).
6.4. TRIZ: 40 principles
Resolving Contradictions with 40 Inventive
Principles
solving is accepted - namely that proposed
solutions can improve certain features while
worsening others - then every problem can
be described as a conflict between a pair of
parameters.
Altshuller and his collaborators observed
that many patents had, in the past, resolved
these individual conflicts in several different
fields.
Altshuller found that the principles used to
resolve 'problem solving contradictions'
could be described in a list of just 40
principles.
TRIZ has been further developed over
several decades and the specific names
and numbering for the principles vary
according to author and translation. Read
through The 40 Principles of TRIZ. Along
with the names for the principles used in
this text, a list of other commonly used
names is given in the table.
6.5. Contradiction Matrix Grid
Spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself
with the TRIZ Contradiction Matrix Grid
used.
As you can see, on Page 1 the TRIZ
Contradiction Matrix.
● Look at each row. Each row represents
the improving parameter.
● Look at each column. Each column
represents the worsening parameter.
● Select the contradictory pair of improving
and worsening parameters.
● Use the respective row and column to find
the intersection where the resolution
principles are given, in order or priority, for
you to use to resolve the contradiction.
● Use Page 2 to reference the given
principles. You will also find more detailed
explanations of the 39 parameters on this
page.
When working on your own example ideas,
we strongly encourage you to print the grid
on an A3 page to allow you to grasp all of
the detail.
In the following video, we take a look at how
we might use the Contradiction Matrix to
design effective and sustainable food
packaging, ensuring functionality and
recyclability.
Transcript:
So we're going to tackle food packaging.
And in food packaging design, you want to
use as little material as possible,
ideally, recyclable materials.
And of course you want to protect the
contents of your packaging for
as long as possible.
We're going to tackle this using the TRIZ
Contradiction Matrix.
And when we're using the TRIZ
Contradiction Matrix, we're looking for
an improving parameter and the worsening
parameter.
In this case our improving parameter might
be
the duration of action of the stationary
object, the packaging,
and our worsening parameter might be the
quantity of substance.
And you can actually see these in one of the
left hand columns on your charts.
And the left hand column signifies the
improving parameters.
But the numbers corresponds to the
worsening parameters along the top round.
So if you can find the intersection between
our improving parameter,
which is row 16, and our worsening
parameter,
quantity of substance, column 26.
That will help us identify the principles of
invention,
the TRIZ Contradiction Matrix is just into us.
And I think in this case these are principles
335 and 31.
And the order is important, because the
order gives an indication
of the priority with which we ought to try and
tackle our challenge with.
And the order is suggested in the TRIZ
chart, it gives an indication
of the order of significance that previous
challenges have
been addressed using these principles in
the most effective manner.
So in this case principle three stands for
local quality.
Principle 35 is the transforming the physical
or chemical state of an object.
And principle 31 is the porous materials
principle.
So what we're going to do is we're going to
tackle this challenge
using these principles and see how we get
on.
So over to you, grab a sheet of paper.
Let's write draw using these principles.
You can use the sheets as prompts.
And you just have a go with the
recommended principles.
We know the principle names, local quality,
transforming the physical or
chemical states, and porous materials.
Local quality, with this principle it may not be
assumed the current use or
location of parts in the system cannot be
changed.
Local quality involves identifying specific
parts and changing or
moving them so that they can operate at
optimal conditions.
This may involve changing an objects
structure from uniform to non-uniform,
or making each part of a system fulfill a
different or complimentary function.
Transforming the physical or chemical state
of an object principle, principle
35, this involves altering an object in some
way such as changing its temperature.
The concentration of compounds or
its density can sometimes provide overall
benefits.
Principal 31, the porous materials principal
allows some substances,
a porous material allows some substances
to pass through it while filtering out or
blocking others.
This principle can be useful for separating
or
filtering out undesirable items or substances
and
it involves making an object porous or
adding porous elements.
Or if an object is already porous, and
this is undesirable, filling the pores in
advance with some kinds of substance.
So these are the recommended principles
from TRIZ.
We're going to use these to see if they're
useful in some way for
our challenge of food packaging and
ensuring the function and recyclability of our
food packaging.
Now we could spend ages on this, and a lot
more time,
but I'm just going to interrupt us now and
just see what ideas are emerging.
So maybe just take a look at your sheets
and
maybe pick one idea you might wish to
share.
Okay, so we very quickly grab hold of the
TRIZ Contradiction Matrix
which has prompted us with some principles
to consider,
probably principles that we wouldn't have
gone to immediately.
Yeah, we could have gone down the whole
list and looked at them and
tried them one by one.
But what the TRIZ Contradiction Matrix does
is it guides you using previous
experience from equivalent challenges to
really horn in on some suggested
principles to try.
And that's what you've done.
And it seems like you've come up with some
quite interesting ideas already.
So thank you very much.
-end of video transcript-

6.6. Contradiction Matrix: Examples of

Application

Here are some of the ideas for tackling food

packaging waste that emerged from the
group session in the previous video: