TRIZ has been used by Ford Motor Company to stop a bearing from traveling; Allied Signal to increase the strength and decrease the weight of a containment ring; Rockwell Automotive to reduce the components in a braking system from 12 to 4; Invention Machine to design a Pizza book with several patents granted; a pump manufacturer to generate four patentable concepts (during a course) for their next model; a graduate student to improve his marriage; and, an engineer to generate ideas for which patents have been applied.

TRIZ (the Russian acronym for the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) is a proven, knowledge-based method to create inventive solution concepts for technical problems. In 1946 Genrich Altshuller identified patterns in the principles used in innovative designs and patterns in the evolution of products. After 50 years of evolution, the TRIZ methodology is now being used in the USA.

The workshop environment will use the material to create crisp problem definitions and generate innovative design concepts. Participants may consider using the course as an opportunity to work on their current design bottlenecks. About half of the course material can be used for service and social applications.

AGENDA:

This two-day workshop will present:

• An Introduction to TRIZ – History and Foundation
• Formulating the Problem into Several
• Problem Statements –85% of the time the solution becomes obvious
• Methods to Eliminate Design Compromises
• The contradiction table and separation principles
• The Ideal Design – Using free resources and effects