SOLVING CONFLICTING ENGINEERING PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND PRACTICE - ENHANCED APPROACH

摘要

The nature of engineering is problem solving. The challenge of ongoing design research is to develop a tool that would support the most difficult phase of design - solving problems with contradictions and finding the best possible idea for conceptual design of products. The Brief Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (BTIPS) is a prospective tool for performing such a task. Derived from TRIZ, TSIP and TIPS, BTIPS slightly differs from those methods. Principles, Effects and Prediction modules in BTIPS are enhanced to meet the newest challenges of engineering pedagogy and technology development. To meet those challenges principles of Size Reduction, Miniaturization, Nanotechnology and Biotechnology were added. Design principles and technological effects were enriched with new developments based on nanotechnology and biotechnology. Furthermore the procedure of the Virtual Element approach was added to the Prediction module. The tests of functions' separation and minimum information contents to evaluate the derived end solution are also the new additions. BTIPS is living and developing; it is taught and used, and, thus, constantly improved. This paper points out the enhancements and shows some ways of BTIPS application in solving problems with conflicting constraints in conceptual design.