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Table 1 Ten design cases from innovative engineers

From: Research on Opportunity-Driven Redesign Process to Cooperate With Training Innovative Engineers in China

No.

Location of company

Main products

Project name

Original situation

Domain problem

TRIZ problem

Domain 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 king 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 glasses valve for energy saving

In some iron and steel plants stiffen plates are added to increase the strength of a glasses valve for its application in 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 glasses valve which has 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

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 contra-diction

A patent

4

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 contra-dictions

A new product, which has been developed and sold

5

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 contra-dictions

New concept been developed for the heat radiation system

6

Baoding

Storage battery

Reduction of deformation in plastic slot of storage battery

The company has produced storage batteries for many years. The deformations of plastic slots in batteries result in leakage. The problem has not been solved for a long time

How to make a redesign of the slot?

One technical contra-diction

New design of the die for new slot

7

Shijiazhuang

Chemical machine

Improvement of heating efficiency

The heating efficiency of the current heating machine is low because the interactions of several factors

How to make a redesign of the embodiment for the heating machines?

Two technical contradictions and two physical contradictions

One patent

8

Langfang

Instruments

Improvement of a length measurement instrument

The degree of accuracy for existed length instrument is not satisfied by new users

How to change the principle of the instrument?

One standard problem

New design

9

Tangshan

Train

Reduction of the wear for bogie element

One element of bogie in a train produced in the company is easy to be worn. The situation should be improved

How to change the embodiment of the bogie?

One standard problem, one contradiction, one trimming problem, one evolution problem

New design (a patent)

10

Hengshui

Products made from engineering rubber

New product development for tunnel of railway

There is a new need for development of a new product for tunnels in order to reduce or stop the leakage of rail water

How to make the design?

Function solving

7 patents