Action Principle of Engineering System

TRIZ Developers Summit 2011

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential1

St.-Petersburg, RussiaJuly 2011

Presented by Simon S. Litvin, PhD, TRIZ Master

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Action Principle category is used in the following TRIZ tools and stages of TRIZ-based innovation process:

• Trends of Engineering System Evolution ‒ different S-Curves for different Action Principles

• Feature Transfer ‒ integration of two alternative engineering systems with the same function and different Action Principles

Role of Action Principle in TRIZ

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential2

Principles• ARIZ step 5.4. ‒ application of “physical effects”• MPV Discovery ‒ product category definition as a group of products with the same main function but different Action Principles

• Function-Oriented Search ‒ first level of search for the best Action Principle that addresses the function

• Idea’s feasibility evaluation

TRIZ Development Directions

How to find a right problem to be solved

How to find a right system to be improved

How to find a right goal to be achieved

• Function Analysis• Value Analysis• Flow Analysis• Cause-Effect Chain Analysis• Trimming• Feature Transfer

• Pragmatic TESE/S-Curve Analysis

• G3:ID Benchmarking• Innovation Portfolio

• MPV Analysis• Innovation Agenda• Reverse FOS for

Adjacent Markets• IP Strategies• MT/TESE Analysis

• Function-Oriented Search

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential3

How to find a right idea to solve an initial problem

How to find a feasible solution

How to find an implementable solution

How to find a business impactful solution (product or technology)

• ResolvingContradictions

• ARIZ• TESE• Standard Solutions• Clone Problems• Scientific Databases

• Substantiation tools• Action Principle Selection

• Function-Oriented Search• Parallel Evolutionary Lines• Conceptual Directions• Secondary Problems

Identification and Solving• Global Knowledge Network• Super-effect Analysis

• Business Impact Justification (Business Case)

• Synergy Index• Patent Circumvention

TRIZ ITD TRIZplus G3:ID

Nine Cornerstones of Systematic Innovation

1. Use a scientific problem solving approach; not just inspiration

2. Innovate against the right product, not every product – “Right Product”

3. Improve only features the customer will pay for, not all features – “Right MPV”

4. Address key problems, not initial problems –“Right Problem”

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential4

“Right Problem”

5. Focus on functions, not design components

6. Utilize global knowledge to complement your in-house expertise

7. Adapt existing solutions, don’t always invent

8. Select evolutionary winners, not losers

9. Resolve contradictions, don’t compromise

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• Function (F) is an action of one material object that changes (or retains) parameters of the other material object

• Action Principle (AP) is a specific way of changing the functional parameter that actualized the function

Action Principle Definition and Approach

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential5

• If an Engineering System has two or more main functions each of them may have different AP

• Complementary functions of the same product may have different AP comparing with main function

• One function may be actualized by a combination of different AP

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Action Principle Example 1: Toothbrush

DestroysHolds

Simplified Function Model

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential6 6

Delivers

Detaches

Removes

Destroys

Holds

• It is proposed to consider a Production Process as a combination of different pieces of equipment and transportation means that perform different Functions with corresponding different Action Principles

• Example 2: Production of Low Fat Peanut Butter

Action Principle for Production Processes

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential7

- Function – to mix ingredients (to move powder particles relative to highly viscose liquid).- Changing parameter – particles concentration in the volume.- Equipment – auger mixer; disc mill; jet mixer; vibro-mixer

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Example 2: Low Fat Peanut Butter Production

Auger Mixer 2 Disk Mixers Jet Mixer

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential8

Resonance Vibrating Auger Mixer

• In many consumer products an Active Agent and Delivery System have different Action Principles

• Example 3: Teeth Whitening System- Active Agent – bleaching gel. Function – change teeth color. Action Principle – chemical oxidization of enamel.

Action Principle for Consumer Goods: Active Agent and Delivery System

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential9

of enamel.- Delivery System 1 – tray. Function – to deliver Active Agent to the teeth. Action Principle –mechanical containing and transportation.- Delivery System 2 – WhiteStrips. Action Principle – osmotic penetration through the membrane.

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Example 3: Teeth Whitening System

Tray + Bleaching Gel WhiteStrips

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential10

• A Function can be formulated on a different hierarchical levels

• The higher the level of function the more variety of Action Principles can actualize it and the broader is a field of potential solutions

• Mega-Function – is a generalized Function that

Action Principles for Different Levels of Function

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential11

• Mega-Function – is a generalized Function that combines several similar specific functions

• For different specific Functions that are a part of the same Mega-Function Action Principles are also different

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Example 4: Glass Filter Production

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential12

• For the same Action Principle it is possible to identify sub-AP

How Quantitative Parameters Effect Action Principles

Open area 13% Open area 30%

Multi-pin punching system

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential13 13

Space Ship Micrometeorite Testing Gun

Conclusions:• A clear definition of Action Principle is proposed for

both products and processes basing on functional approach

• Recommendations for Action Principle identification for typical situations were developed

• TRIZ definition of Toll (Working Agent) was clarified

Action Principle: Coclusions

© 2010 GEN3 Partners, Inc. Confidential14

• TRIZ definition of Toll (Working Agent) was clarified basing on a definition of AP

• A well defined Action Principle is making several TRIZ techniques (S-Curve Analysis, TESE, Feature Transfer, MPV Discovery, etc.) more instrumental

• The proposed definition of AP was successfully tested in several practical innovation projects

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