A Systems View Across Time and Space
Table 1 10 projects for innovative engineers
From: Contradiction-oriented problem solving for innovations: five opportunities for China’s companies
Number | Location of company | Main products | Project name | Original situation | Domain Problem | TRIZ problem | Solutions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Qinhuangdao | Construction machineries | A new bridge girder erection machine for small curves | The development of high-speed railway in china needs a bridge girder erection machine for small-curve roads. But structures for the machines used now are weighty and costs more for constructing the bridges over this kind of roads | How to decrease the weight of the structures and costs of the machines and keep the functions and performances | A technical contradiction | Two patents |
2 | Shijiazhuang | Valves with big diameters | A new class valve for energy saving | In some iron and steel plants stiffened plates are added to increase the strength of a class valve for its application in a higher pressure situation. Sometimes a butterfly valve is needed. This results in some harmful effects, such as high cost, complex process, and increased weight | How to design a class valve which has the ability to bear high pressures in double directions? At the same time, the butterfly valve should not be needed for the new design | A technical contradiction | Two new products for the specific application |
3 | Tianjin | New materials for batteries | A new process for producing a new material | A material with high performance used in batteries is produced in one company in Japan and two in Korea in the world now. The company has high pressure to improve its production processes in order to produce the material of the kind with acceptable performances | How to reduce the amount of oxygen gas, or even better, in atmospheric conditions, to achieve a synthesis reaction | A physical contradiction | A new process to produce the new material with high performance |
4 | Xinhe | Drilling machines | Improvement of the structure for a spiral drilling rod | A structure attached to the spiral drilling rod for a kind of drilling machine could not fulfill the function of cleaning soil well. This results in low efficiency for drilling and safety problems | How to make redesign for the structure that cleans the soil well | A technical contradiction | A patent |
5 | Shenzhen | Batteries | Improvement of the corrosion resistance for a battery frame | The improvement of the corrosion resistance for a battery frame is the market need of the company. But the improvement results in increasing the cost. This is not allowed in this company | How to make an improvement of the corrosion resistance with low cost | Three technical contradictions | Two patents |
6 | Shunde | Water heaters | Improvement of welding process for a kind of heat exchanger | A kind of heat exchanger is made of aluminum. The quality of the component using the welding process now is good. But the process is too complex to be simplified in order to increase the manufacturing efficiency | How to simplify the welding process and keep the quality at the same time | A technical contradiction | The improved welding process |
7 | Guangzhou | Engineering plastics | A new process to eliminate the impurities in an engineering plastic | The process being used needs a lot of water to eliminate the impurities. The water needs to be heated and energy is consumed. The treatment of used water also needs energy consumption | How to decrease the amount of water used in this process and keep the quality | Two technical contradictions | Three patents |
8 | Shenzhen | Watch | A new process to remove burrs in elements | The method to remove burrs in elements of a watch is artificial process under microscopes with low efficiency, damaging the elements easily; unstable quality | How to design a new process to increase efficiency, lowering damage and keeping high quality | A technical contradiction | New process, which is applied and has good results |
9 | Shijiazhuang | New product development | Improvement of assorting machine for specific bottles | A sorting machine for bottles is being developed. One function of the machine is to measure the inside and outside diameters of the bottles during transmitting them. The current design shows low measuring efficiency | How to overcome the contradiction between measuring efficiency and complexity | Two technical contradictions | A new product, which has been developed and sold |
10 | Tianjin | Hydraulic machines | The heat radiation for electric element in a control system | The company is developing a big actuator and its control system. The electric element in the system will produce heat during the work. The working temperature for the element should not be higher than a certain numerical value | How to make a redesign for the specific electric element to reduce its working temperature | Eight technical contradictions | New concept has been develop ed for the heat radiation system |