A Conceptual Design Tool for Engineers: An Amalgamation of Theory of Constraints, Theory of Inventive Problem Solving and Logic

A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN TOOL FOR ENGINEERS: AN A.\L\LGA,\L\TION OF THEORY OF CONSTRAINTS, TFIEORY OF INVENTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND LOGIC Stephen R. Luke, PE O ld D o m in io n U n ive rs ity , 2002 D irec to r: D r. H an Bao T h is research creates a design m ethodo logy by synthesizing three d iffe re n t design too ls , the T heory o f In ve n tive P rob lem S o lv ing (T R IZ ), the T heory o f C onstra in ts (TO C ) ^nd Log ic. T he basic approach o f th is design m ethod is to : ■ Reduce a design p rob lem to a log ic diagram , ■ Code the in pu ts and ou tpu ts to determ ine de s ira b ility and degree o f c o n tro l, • Id e n tify the best in pu ts to m anipulate tn o rder to ob ta in the desired ou tpu ts and ■ E x p lo it in n o va tive a lgo rithm s developed tn T R IZ to fin d the best ways to m anipulate the chosen inpu ts. T h is research in tegrates and expands the m ethods o f T R IZ and T O C . I t expands T O C by: ■ E xpand ing the levels o f c o n tro l from three to five , ■ A dd in g a d d itio n a l log ica l operators to the too lse t and * A llo w in g fo r qu an tita tive and qua lita tive variables to be treated as analog c ircu itry . I t expands T R IZ by. ■ .VHowing fo r th ree levels o f de s ira b ility (desirable, neu tra l and undesirable) instead o f on ly tw o (use fu l and h a rm fu l), ■ Focusing the design area to keep the num ber o f design so lu tio ns fro m increasing exponentia lly and ■ .U lo w in g fo r lo g ica l opera to rs to be used w ith the T R IZ too lse t. T h is d isserta tion in tegra tes the streng th o f T R IZ (p o w e rfu l in no va tive idea generation) w ith the streng th o f T O C (focused design) a long w ith the strength o f log ica l opera to rs. In a d d itio n to p ro v id in g a m ethod, th is research also p rovides a questionna ire to guide the designer th rou gh the m ethodo logy. T h is d isserta tion bongs the po w e r o f focused in n o v a tio n to early design stages. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copvnghc. 2002, by Stephen R. Luke, .Vfl Rights Reserved. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.