TRIZ a Russian acronym, literally: "theory of the resolution of invention-related tasks") is "a problem-solving, analysis and forecasting tool derived from the study of patterns of invention in the global patent literature". TRIZ relies on 40 inventive principles.
To give this a try as an engineering student please do the following:
- Form groups of 2
- Each group will take 3 principles and attempt to apply it to forecasting obvious inventions for future and (possibly) existing 3-D printer technologies. For more information on your principle click here or more examples here.
- Add to Triz principles wiki pages by clicking on the links below.
- Each person sign it with ~~~~ on the page
- List at least twenty-five ways to make a novel 3-D printer for each of your 3 principles.
- TRIZ uses this technical contradiction matrix, you can use these technical problems to find problems for your solutions:
- improve resolution (atomic)
- improve print speed (instantaneous)
- enhance material availability (all)
- reduce parts of the printer (1?)
- reduce costs of printer (free)
- reduce costs of materials (free)
- make it easier to use (McDonald's screen)
- make it easier to assemble (self)
- make it easier to maintain (none, unbreakable, self healing)
- make fully assembled products (anything - computer, car, smartphone, dinner)
- use functional printing materials (e.g. electronics)
- reduce waste (zero)
- use less energy (zero or ambient)
- quieter printing (soundless)
- ubiquitous printing (everywhere)
- print smaller (nanoscale)
- print bigger (apartment complex, Great Wall of China, planet?)
- enable auto calibration
- enable auto leveling
- enable auto monitoring
- enable quality control
- enable real-time feedback
- make it safer (infant approved)
- make is smell good (designer imposters?)
- make it from current waste products (CO2, flyash, spent fuel rods?)