A User’s Perspective:

Innovating Smarter with

Invention Machine Goldfire

William Hessler, Mechanical Engineer Leader

CSC, Computer Sciences Corporation

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

WHAT IS GOLDFIRE?!

What is Goldfire?

What is Innovation?

Page 4

Market Analysis

New Product Development

Risk Management

Product Improvement

Leverage IP

• Technology / market landscaping

• Understand trends and evolutions

• Design a new product or system

• Design a hybrid system

• Diagnose and fix product defects

• Improve product to achieve a specific goal

• Identify potential failure points

• Develop risk mitigation strategies

• Patent strategies

• Find new markets for existing IP

Innovation Activities

New Product Development

Risk Management

Product Improvement

Leverage IP

Market Analysis

THE MAIN EVENT

My Background with Invention Machine & TRIZ

• Ingersoll-Rand Power Tools, 1989 - 1998 • 1997 trained as a trainer for TRIZ problem solving

and on Invention Machine software • Trained engineers/designers how to do more

effective problem solving and cost savings for hand tools

• Dade Behring, 1998 - 2004 • Medical diagnostics blood analysis company • Formerly DuPont Medical Products, now Siemens

Diagnostics • GE Energy, 2004 - 2009

• 3 years as a combustion Design Engineer • Introduced TRIZ and Goldfire to engineers, scientists

and IP personnel • 1.5 years for Solar Technologies

• Spring Life Device Manufacturer, 2009 - 2010 • CSC, Computer Sciences Corporation, 2011 -

Present • Supporting ARMY Research & Development test labs

Applications of Goldfire

• Problem Statement:

How to apply Goldfire to company problems using Root Cause Analysis, Function Models and TRIZ basics for solution creation

• Contradiction:

Psychological inertia-“there is NO WAY software and a process is going to help you be more creative.”

• Ideal Final Result:

More engineers have access to Goldfire & understand basics of TRIZ principals to solve future problems

APPLICATIONS OF INNOVATION

SOFTWARE

1st Use-Project:

Create a Unique Patent-able Torque Tool Solution: Team developed a function model describing nuts

vibrating loose over time; air motor and mechanism manufacturing were major concern issues.

Benefits:

• Goldfire identified vibration as key feature and suggested removing air motor and swinging mechanism.

• Goldfire said eliminate air powered motor and swinging mechanism device for tightening lug nuts.

Results:

• Everyone said this was impossible, UNTIL software suggested using a high vibration source to eliminate the air motor and swinging mechanism TO TIGHTEN the nuts.

• The software recognized this as a potential solution contradiction since we documented nuts come loose

due to vibrations caused during driving.

WOW!!! 10

2nd Use-Project:

Why are these holes cracking?

Challenge: RCAs & FMEAs get directed by the loudest speakers in the room, usually the RCA champions, who usually think they are the expert.

• When you use Goldfire, it is the expert in the room and more issues are uncovered that would have been most likely ignored or missed due to the Human Expert not having the world's domain expertise at their fingertips.

• Team initially came up with a Fishbone diagram with only 11 ribs for why holes crack in hot parts.

• 11 ribs… and not one mention of any manufacturing cause!

Solution: Used Goldfire to create a Fishbone diagram with 97 ribs; everyone wanted to know where I “FOUND” it. The team investigated shot peening of the holes to improve residual stresses at the machine surfaces of the holes.

11

3nd Use-Project:

How to wash clothes & dishes more efficiently?

Challenge: How to wash (clothes or dishes) more

efficiently?

• I did a DEMO for the Appliance team in late 2007

and asked, “What problem if it were solved would

make you Engineer of the Year in your group?”

Results: Goldfire in 10 minutes said solution was

centered around STEAM, STEAM, STEAM and more

STEAM.

• Within 10 minutes I had the complete R&D team’s

attention and they saw the evolution of high

efficiency appliances and their competitors capturing

even more market share.

• All major competitors had the patents and white

papers on cleaning with steam for residential

appliances.

12

5th Use-Project:

Eliminate Solar Frame Assembly & Field Issues

Solution:

Trim “un-needed” parts using Goldfire & evaluate what could be eliminated in solar panel design and packaging.

Built a simple solar panel function model. Goldfire asked if the frame could be integral to another part.. like the $$ flat glass AND showed that packaging boxes had many potential improvement areas in the past 35 years.

Results: Eliminated aluminum frame, tape, screws, ergonomics

issues, module assembly issues (>$51.00) & new formed glass

$42.00. Shipping waste also eliminated and still gives customer

functions of eliminated parts Box $13.00 and landfill waste, BUT

Lego like corners $10.00 & CAN BE RE-USED!.

6th Use-Project:

Why are all these springs breaking? Challenge: Spring lifting

devices with main springs breaking in a weird tearing shape.

When I heard the cause was spring overload and only overload, I knew this was a job for Goldfire.

Results: Team was amazed to see this MANY common spring failure modes. RCA in Goldfire has ability to link causes and effects with related improvement Patents. Goldfire showed this type of failure was CAUSED by twisting and pulling, so we redesigned spring ends.

Using Goldfire for Patent Disclosures & Filings

Challenge: How to grow business, not lose market

share, come up with new product ideas faster and

find ways to make existing products more efficient.

How do you find information, no matter what form it

is in or where it is stored. How do you do MUCH

more with less resources, better, faster and

cheaper.

Corporate agenda: Innovation is key to staying on

top. Senior leadership searching for REPEATABLE

methods and consistent processes to generate new

products. Engineering managers trying to accelerate

the number of patents per year as one of their

“number one” high priority measurable metrics.

15

Results: 28 Patent Disclosures at Gas Turbine & 3 at Solar:

in less than 4 years

Reaction to the Software

People at first do not believe any software could actually

help you be more innovative and creative.

• How can a software package help you think by generating

ideas, looking for causes and effect relationships and breaking

fundamental concepts down into simplified functions?

• It asks you what you are trying to solve, and what the causes

and effects are that you know about..

I did a demo in 2007 for the research team in India.

• Were very surprised to see it suggest solutions to one of their

research problems to making LEDs brighter.

• I had JUST created a function model and within a few minutes

it was suggesting unique solution directions.

16

BEST PRACTICES

What is TRIZ, how is Goldfire related, & is

TRIZ experience required?

Recommended Book: “And suddenly

the inventor appeared: TRIZ, the

theory of inventive problem solving” by

Genrich Altshuller (2004)

Origin: USSR by Altshuller after WWII

Theory: Innovation can be taught; step

by step methodology that can lead to a

repeatable process.

Basis: Exhaustive patent search

conducted by Altshuller

Today: Considered an empirical

method of innovation

18

Knowledge Based Problem Solving

DefinitionProblem

Formulation

Concept

Ideation

Concept

DevelopmentDesign

QFD

Market

Research

Axiomatic

Design

FMEA

DOE

Robust

Design

Computer

Modeling

DFMA

Trial & Error

Brainstorming

6 Hats

Morphological Analysis

Osborn’s Checklists

Stages of Product Development

Tool Ef

fect

iven

ess

TRIZ

Six Sigma

Value Engineering

Innovation Labs

DefinitionProblem

Formulation

Concept

Ideation

Concept

DevelopmentDesign

QFD

Market

Research

Axiomatic

Design

FMEA

DOE

Robust

Design

Computer

Modeling

DFMA

Trial & Error

Brainstorming

6 Hats

Morphological Analysis

Osborn’s Checklists

Stages of Product Development

Tool Ef

fect

iven

ess

TRIZ

Six Sigma

Value Engineering

Innovation Labs

Goldfire is the most complete TRIZ tool available.

Definition Design Problem

Formulation

Concept

Ideation

Concept

Development

Impact of TRIZ on an organization

20

The Problem Statement

Analysis Approach to Current Solution Road Blocks:

Define your Roadblocks based on 5W’s and H.

Answer the 6 basic questions of journalism: 1. Who? Who has the problem?

2. What? What does the problem seem to be?

What are the resources?

3. When? When does the problem occur? All the time?

Under certain circumstances?

4. Where? Where does the problem occur?

5. Why? Why does the problem occur?

6. How? How does the problem occur?

21

ENGINEERING

The Problem Statement – Asking Why5

Ask "Why" Five Times

Ask "Why" a problem occurred and then ask "Why" four more times.

For example...

1. Why has the machine stopped?

A fuse blew because of an overload

2. Why was there an overload?

There wasn't enough lubrication for the bearings

3. Why wasn't there enough lubrication?

The pump wasn't pumping enough

4. Why wasn't lubricant being pumped?

The pump shaft was vibrating due to damaged impeller

5. Why was the impeller damaged?

Chips of foreign material entered into the pump

Problem Statement: Foreign material chips are damaging the pump impeller.

22

23

Problem Definition to Solving the Problem

2) Create Ideal Final Result (IFR) Eliminate the deficiencies

Preserve the advantages

Not more complicated

No new disadvantages

1) Define the problem

List all requirements and constraints We want this but we can’t because

of this. We get this because of this.

3) Determine the differences Compare original system with IFR

4) Create Ideality Equation List differences as Benefit, Cost,

Harmful

5) Determine Contradictions Technical or Physical contradictions

6) Determine Input Parameters Use 2 of 39 or other parameters

7) Physical or Technical Contradiction Convert between the two contradictions

If Technical then use Contradiction

Matrix

9) Examine Solutions Convert generic solutions to specific

Does solution increase Ideality?

No – go to step 5

Does solution solve the problem?

Yes – IMPLEMENT

8) Determine General Solution Use 40 Inventive Principles

Typical Goldfire Project Focus:

Reduce part cost

Reduce size

Reduce temperature

Reduce weight

Increase speed

More efficient

Improve alignment

Reduce assembly

time

Increase strength

Reduce vibration

Reduce

stress/pressure

Improve

manufacturability

24

Benefits of a Confident Decision Point ?

Innovative solutions with more proposals- better, cheaper,

faster

Enhances credibility and exposes past knowledge.

Reduces # of trial and error solutions. Saves time, money and

reduces risks

Easy software to use and follows repeatable process

Works on any type of problem in any industry

Used Goldfire on Power Tools, Medical Devices, Gas Turbines,

Solar Modules, Ergonomic Lifting Products. Can be applied to

existing designs, new products, failure prediction, RCA’s,

cost savings, liability redesigns, process improvements and

product enhancements.

25

26

1. Weight of moving object

2. Weight of nonmoving object

3. Length of moving object

4. Length of nonmoving object

5. Area of moving object

6. Area of nonmoving object

7. Volume of moving object

8. Volume of nonmoving object

9. Speed

10. Force

11. Tension, pressure, stress

12. Shape

13. Stability of object

14. Strength

15. Durability of moving object

16. Durability of nonmoving object

17. Temperature

18. Brightness

19. Energy spent by moving object

20. Energy spent by nonmoving object

21. Power

22. Waste of energy

23. Waste of substance

24. Loss of information

25. Waste of time

26. Amount of substance

27. Reliability

28. Accuracy of measurement

29. Accuracy of manufacturing

30. Harmful factors acting on object

31. Harmful side effects

32. Manufacturability

33. Convenience of use

34. Reparability

35. Adaptability

36. Complexity of device

37. Complexity of control

38. Level of automation

39. Productivity

Select which parameter

number is improving, and

which is getting worse.

TRIZ 39 Parameters

When facing a contradiction, begin with identifying the 39 engineering parameters.

Which parameter improves and which parameter worsens as a result?

TRIZ 40 Principles

27

1. Segmentation

2. Taking out

3. Local quality

4. Asymmetry

5. Merging

6. Universality

7. "Nested doll"

8. Anti-weight

9. Preliminary anti-action

10. Preliminary action

11. Beforehand cushioning

12. Equipotentiality

13. 'The other way round'

14. Spheroidality - Curvature

15. Dynamics

16. Partial or excessive actions

17. Another dimension

18. Mechanical vibration

19. Periodic action

20. Continuity of useful action

21. Skipping

22. "Turn Lemons into Lemonade"

23. Feedback

24. 'Intermediary'

25. Self-service

26. Copying

27. Cheap short-living objects

28 Mechanics substitution

29. Pneumatics and hydraulics

30. Flexible shells and thin films

31. Porous materials

32. Color changes

33. Homogeneity .

34. Discarding and recovering

35. Parameter changes

36. Phase transitions

37. Thermal expansion

38. Strong oxidants

39. Inert atmosphere

40. Composite materials

Note: All 40 principles may apply to solving the contradiction, though statically the top level

solutions for resolving this conflict are identified in a matrix grid. More than one set of

parameters may apply to the contradiction.

Use the Contradiction Matrix to generate ideas using the 40 Principles

Please click here to access the

full presentation deck and

watch the on-demand replay of

this session:

http://InventionMachine.com/webcast-replay-a-users-perspective-

innovating-smarter-with-invention-machine-goldfire/