Using TRIZ method for creativity in conceptual design.
Banciu, Felicia Veronica ; Draghici, George ; Grozav, Ion 等
1. INTRODUCTION
When we have to make an improvement or to find new ways to solve
new problems regarding a product, process or even an organization, no
matter in which domain we are developing our activities, we use a
conceptual design process. How we develop, a conceptual process depends
upon the received design tasks and the domain specific requirements.
The conceptual design phase is present in all design models and its
important role is emphasized because it is determinant in establishing
the basic product's structure and features. The result for
conceptual design phase is a principle solution. If this principle
solution is not a good one then in constructive and detailed design
phases, the minor improvements brought by small technical details
improvements are not satisfactory, they cannot remove the faults
generated by a solution principle that is not so good.
In the last 15 years, numerous approaches that use artificial
intelligence in conceptual design phase are presented in literature,
aiming to automate the conceptual design phase or a part of the product
design process. In (Soren, 2005), a generally applicable conceptual
design model is presented, which has been established by theoretical
reasoning applied to a number of products, using the incremental
constraint networks for quantitative analysis of incomplete, evolving
concepts in original design tasks allowing different principle
solutions, and for various products of mechanical design. In (Jin et al.
2006), are conducted studies that use artificial intelligence during
conceptual design phase aiming to obtain solutions to functions through
the development of a conceptual design method based on a hierarchical
co-evolutionary approach.
In (Kurtoglu et al., 2010), is presented a research that aims to
automate the Pahl and Beitz systematic design process. A critical point
in product's design process is the creation process. To respect the
imposed short terms and the quality requirements, the product's
development process requires innovative, creative thinking and design
approaches. Creativity is not a controllable process and it is difficult
to force creativity and breakthroughs. A way to managing this creativity
process is the use of TRIZ, the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (abbreviated as TRIZ, the original Russian acronym).
In this paper, the researchers want to find out new possible
directions for solutions that can help to solve the main functionality
of a jigsaw, namely to be able to cut materials. In this way, it was
used, as a way to stimulate the creativity, a part from a meta-algorithm
of inventing based on TRIZ technique in order find new possible
solution's directions, directions that can be explored further,
they being a starting point for next researches.
2. CONCEPTUAL DESIGN PHASE IN SYSTEMATIC AND AXIOMATIC APPROACHES
In (Pahl & Beitz, 2007), the product's development process
comprises four phases. These are: planning and clarifying the task
(specification of information in a requirements list), conceptual design
phase (specification of principle) that has as objective to determine
the principle solution, the embodiment design phase (specification of
layout) where a working principle is elaborated in the form of
preliminary layouts that are then evaluated and rejected and/or combined
to produce a definitive layout and the last phase is detail design
(specification of production) and it is the phase where all production
documents are produced.
The conceptual design phase has as result the principle solution
and comprises the following steps: abstracting to identify the essential
problems, broadening the problem formulation, identify the essential
problem from requirements list, and establish the function structure,
developing working structures and developing concepts. Regarding this
conceptual design phase, in systematic design one has to formulate the
product's overall function. Next, this function will be decomposed
into lower level sub-functions, sub-functions seen as transformations
between material energy and information (Pahl & Beitz, 2007) and all
the steps reminded above have to be followed.
In axiomatic design, the decomposition does not follow a
conventional way--it is done through zigzagging--and the design itself
is guided by the two design axioms, independence axiom and information
axiom (Suh, 2001). First, the functional requirements are established
and next the design parameters that accomplish these functional
requirements have to be found. This understanding of FRs (functional
requirements) in terms of physical domain, DPs (design parameters), is a
mapping process, passing from what we want to achieve to how and implies
a creative conceptual work. After the general design concept is
generated, the DPs has to be identified and next continued the
decomposing process for FRs. During these process designers has to think
to all the possible ways to accomplish each FR by identifying the most
plausible DP, avoiding the functional coupling between functional
requirements. In selecting the appropriate design parameters and in
generating the DPs are useful databases, morphological techniques,
analogy, reverse engineering. The eventual coupling has to be resolved
and this implies a creativity process.
The conceptual design phase, in both approaches, is related to
creativity techniques that prove to be useful, the conceptual design
phase implying a creativity conceptual work conducted by the question of
how we can respond to design requirements.
3. TRIZ USE TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVITY
The creativity domain is hard to control because it is depending on
how the designers think and the many different possible ways that
designers can follow to reach the desired finality. In this sense, it is
useful to use tools that support creativity, helps the idea emergence
and help to avoid the mental blocking.
One of these methods is TRIZ that is a "human-oriented
knowledge-based systematic methodology of inventive problem
solving" (Savransky, 2000) and can be used to help the emergence of
new ideas. It provides a systematic way of solution finding and the
results are in the form of more innovative product.
TRIZ is a methodology that formalizes the process of solving the
physical and technical contradictions in order to solve technical
problems and is a powerful methodology in finding new ideas. To support
the emergence of new ideas regarding the finding of new inventive
solutions, it can be used a meta-algorithm of inventing (Orloff, 2006)
that uses TRIZ technique.
Is stated in (Orloff, 2006) that TRIZ is a qualitative model that
can provide recommendations, rules, instructions, suggestions, and
examples. These types of qualitative models are all instruments for
thinking--the achievement of practical results based on systematic and
generalized experiences--and they correspond closely to the concepts of
constructive mathematics. An algorithm is the entire set of rules that
determine the development of the objects to be constructed. A
generalized scheme of a meta-algorithm for invention is presented in
(Orloff, 2006) and it comprises four stages:
* Diagnosis (statement of the problem)
* Reduction (reference to known models)
* Transformation (identification of ideas based on controllable
rules of transformation)
* Verification (check of the potential attainability of goals)
The diagnosis and reduction stages are in essence procedures for
the analysis of the problem, while the transformations and verification
stages synthesize the solution. This meta-algorithm for invention is the
primary navigation system for solutions to any problem in inventing. The
procedures from this scheme are supported by database shown clearly in
the form of drawings whose basis is the A-navigators (Orloff, 2006).
Taking into account these, we searched a set of solutions for
redesigning a jigsaw's main functionality--to be able to cut
materials.
We followed the diagnostics stage from the meta-algorithm of
inventing, the next steps:
* Defining goals and problems
* Defining the operative zone and its elements,
* Constructing the initial model of contradiction,
* Identifying a strategic selection for solution's directions
We tried to solve technical contradictions and find solutions using
Su-Field analysis. It was employed the TRIZ inventive principles to
establish the possible technical solutions for the jigsaw. Using the
A-Matrix for the Selection of specialized A-navigators (Orloff, 2006)
and considering that the positive factors are the cutting productivity
and the curvilinear contours cutting us found: 01 productivity, 30
force, 36 power, 02 universality and adaptability.
In addition, using the same A-Matrix and considering that the
negative factors are stressed tool's wear, increased vibration and
efficiency we found: 04 reliability, 27 loss of material, 14 internal
damaging factors, 39 loss of energy.
The strategic directions for solutions that we found using the
contradiction matrix (***) are:
1) Employing the mechanical oscillation--a possible solution with
buried permanent magnet; the transformation chain being
decreased--permanent oscillatory machine with surface permanent magnets.
The principle solution can be found in (Tutelea, 2008)
2) Replacement of mechanical matter--the use of air under pressure,
cutting with liquid jet
3) Inverse action--solutions that uses laser beam cutting,
electrical cutting
4) Dynamization, segmentation--according to this solution direction
applied to jigsaw, the tool constructive design should be changed so
that continuous rotating movement can be used at high speed.
4. CONCLUSION
The use of the algorithm and TRIZ technique leads us to find
possible new ways to conduct further researches regarding the
accomplishment of the main functionality. An interesting direction is
that of using the mechanical oscillation the other three directions
found being already used as solutions that has as aim the cutting of
materials.
The linear permanent magnet oscillatory machines have gained
momentum in the last decade and could play an important role in the
direct driving of piston pumps, compressors, etc. A flat surface mover
allows for permanent magnet flux concentration, and the machine core is
easy to manufacture from laminations. Further, it is interesting to
study more this direction -the use of mechanical oscillation and try to
solve the problems that appear here: the frequency of the mover has to
be equal with the resonance frequency of the mechanical spring, the
cutting speed has to be constant, and the length of the maximum stroke
that is 30-40 mm.
5. REFERENCES
Jin, Y., Li, W. and Lu, S. (2005). A Hierarchical Co-Evolutionary
Approach to Conceptual Design, Annals of the CIRP, 54/1, pp. 155-158
Kurtoglu, T., Swantner, A. and al. (2010). Automating the
conceptual design process: From black box to component selection.
Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and
Manufacturing, 24, pp. 49-62.
Orloff, M.A. (2006). Inventive Thinking through TRIZ,
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
Pahl, G., Beitz, W., Feldhusen, J. and Grote, K.-H. (2007).
Engineering Design. A Systematic Approach, Third Edition,
Springer-Verlag London Limited
Savransky, Semyon D. (2000). Engineering of creativity:
introduction to TRIZ methodology of inventive problem solving, ISBN 0-8493-2255-3, pp. 22, CRC Press LLC
Soren W. (2005). Function and constraint-based conceptual design
support using easily exchangeable, reusable principle solution elements
in Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and
Manufacturing Volume 19, Issue 3, June 2005, pp. 201-219, ISSN:0890-0604
Suh, N.P. (2001). Axiomatic design advances and applications,
Oxford University Press.
Tutelea, L.N., Kim, M.C., Topor, M., Lee, J. and Boldea, I., (2008)
Linear permanent magnet oscillatory machine, comprehensive modeling for
transients with validation by experiments, IEEE Transactions on
Industrial Electronics, vol. 55, no. 2 February, 2008, pp. 492-500.
*** TRIZ 40, Interactive TRIZ Matrix & 40 Principles available
at http://www.triz40.com/, Accessed on: 2010-0610