40 Inventive Principles of TRIZ
Core tools for resolving technical contradictions.
1
Segmentation
- • Divide an object into independent parts.
- • Make an object easy to disassemble (sectional).
- • Increase the degree of fragmentation or segmentation.
2
Taking out (Extraction)
- • Separate an interfering part or property from an object, or single out the only necessary part (or property) of an object.
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.
- • Make each part of an object function in conditions most suitable for its operation.
- • Make each part of an object fulfill a different and useful function.
4
Asymmetry
- • Change the shape of an object from symmetrical to asymmetrical.
- • If an object is asymmetrical, increase its degree of asymmetry.
5
Merging (Consolidation)
- • Bring closer together (or merge) identical or similar objects, assemble identical or similar parts to perform parallel operations.
- • Make operations contiguous or parallel; bring them together in time.
6
Universality (Multi-functionality)
- • Make a part or object perform multiple functions; eliminate the need for other parts.
7
Nesting (Matryoshka)
- • Place one object inside another; place each object, in turn, inside the other.
- • Make one part pass through a cavity in the other.
8
Anti-Weight (Counterweight)
- • To compensate for the weight of an object, merge it with other objects that provide lift.
- • To compensate for the weight of an object, make it interact with the environment (e.g. use aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, buoyancy and other forces).
9
Preliminary Anti-Action (Prior Counteraction)
- • If it will be necessary to do an action with both useful and harmful effects, this action should be replaced with anti-actions to control harmful effects (or create pre-stresses in an object to oppose known undesirable working stresses).
10
Preliminary Action (Prior Action)
- • Perform, before it is needed, the required change of an object (either fully or partially).
- • Pre-arrange objects such that they can come into action from the most convenient place and without losing time for their delivery.
11
Beforehand Cushioning (Cushion in Advance)
- • Prepare emergency means beforehand to compensate for the relatively low reliability of an object.
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 gravity field).
13
The Other Way Round (Inversion)
- • Invert the action(s) used to solve the problem (e.g. cool an object instead of heating it).
- • Make movable parts (or the external environment) fixed, and fixed parts movable.
- • Turn the object (or process) 'upside down'.
14
Spheroidality (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 rollers, balls, spirals, domes.
- • Go from linear motion to rotary motion, use centrifugal forces.
15
Dynamics
- • Allow (or design) the characteristics of an object, external environment, or process to change to be optimal or to find an optimal operating condition.
- • Divide an object into parts capable of movement relative to each other.
- • If an object (or process) is rigid or inflexible, make it movable or adaptive.
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.
17
Another Dimension
- • To move an object in two- or three-dimensional space.
- • Use a multi-story arrangement of objects instead of a single-story arrangement.
- • Tilt or re-orient the object, lay it on its side.
- • Use 'another side' of a given area.
18
Mechanical Vibration
- • Cause an object to oscillate or vibrate.
- • Increase its frequency (even up to the ultrasonic).
- • Use an object's resonant frequency.
- • Use piezoelectric vibrators instead of mechanical ones.
- • Use ultrasonic vibrations in conjunction with an electromagnetic field.
19
Periodic Action
- • Instead of continuous action, use periodic or pulsed action.
- • If an action is already periodic, change the periodic magnitude or frequency.
- • Use pauses between impulses to perform a different action.
20
Continuity of Useful Action
- • Carry on work continuously; make all parts of an object work at full load, all the time.
- • Eliminate all idle or intermittent actions or work.
21
Rushing Through (Skipping)
- • Conduct a process, or certain stages (e.g. destructible, harmful or hazardous operations) at high speed.
22
"Blessing in Disguise" (Convert Harmful into Useful)
- • Use harmful factors (particularly, harmful effects of the environment or setting) to achieve a positive effect.
- • Eliminate the primary harmful action by adding it to another harmful action to resolve the problem.
- • Amplify a harmful factor to such a degree that it is no longer harmful.
23
Feedback
- • Introduce feedback (referencing, cross-checking) to improve a process or action.
- • If feedback is already used, change its magnitude or influence.
24
Intermediary
- • Use an intermediary carrier article or intermediary process.
25
Self-service
- • Make an object serve itself by performing auxiliary helpful functions (repairing, self-cleaning, etc.).
- • Use waste resources, energy, or substances.
26
Copying
- • Instead of an unavailable, expensive, fragile object, use simpler and inexpensive copies.
- • Replace an object, or process with optical copies.
- • If visible optical copies are used, move to infrared or ultraviolet copies.
27
Cheap Short-Living Objects
- • Replace an expensive object with a multiple of inexpensive objects, comprising certain qualities (such as service life).
28
Mechanics Substitution (Replace Mechanical System)
- • Replace a mechanical means with a sensory (optical, acoustic, taste or smell) means.
- • Use electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields to interact with the object.
- • Change from static fields to movable fields, from unstructured fields to those having structure.
- • Use fields in conjunction with ferromagnetic particles.
29
Pneumatics and Hydraulics
- • Use gas and liquid parts of an object instead of solid parts (e.g. inflatable, filled with liquids, air cushion, hydrostatic, hydro-reactive).
30
Flexible Shells and Thin Films
- • Use flexible shells and thin films instead of three-dimensional structures.
- • Isolate the object from the external environment using flexible shells and thin films.
31
Porous Materials
- • Make an object porous or add porous elements (inserts, coatings, etc.).
- • If an object is already porous, use the pores to introduce a useful substance or function.
32
Color Changes
- • Change the color of an object or its external environment.
- • Change the transparency of an object or its external environment.
- • In order to observe things that are difficult to see, use colored additives or luminescent traces.
- • Use thermal sensors (change the emissivity properties).
33
Homogeneity
- • Make objects interacting with a given object of the same material (or material with identical properties).
34
Discarding and Recovering
- • Make portions of an object that have fulfilled their functions go away (discard by dissolving, evaporating, etc.) or modify these directly during operation.
- • Conversely, restore consumable parts of an object directly in operation.
35
Parameter Changes
- • Change an object's physical state (e.g. to a gas, liquid, or solid).
- • Change the concentration or consistency.
- • Change the degree of flexibility.
- • Change the temperature.
36
Phase Transitions
- • Use phenomena occurring during phase transitions (e.g. volume changes, loss or absorption of heat, etc.).
37
Thermal Expansion
- • Use thermal expansion (or contraction) of materials.
- • Use multiple materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion.
38
Strong Oxidants
- • Replace common air with oxygen-enriched air.
- • Replace enriched air with pure oxygen.
- • Expose air or oxygen to ionizing radiation.
- • Use ozonized oxygen.
39
Inert Atmosphere
- • Replace a normal environment with an inert one (e.g., vacuum, inert gas).
- • Add neutral parts or inert additives to an object.
40
Composite Materials
- • Change from uniform to composite (multiple) materials.