Development of Product Green Innovation Design Method

Transcription

1 Development of Product Green Innovation Design Method Chih-Chen Liu* ** Jahau Lewis Chen** *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Far East College, Tainan, Taiwan **Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan j lchen(i$mail.ncku.edu. tw Abstract This paper develops a product green innovation design method based on the TRIZ innovative design method. The proposed method can help the designer to invent novelty, usefulness, and no environmental burden ) new products or processes by using TRIZ inventive principles without contradiction information. Several eco-design examples are demonstrated to illustrate the capabilities ofproposed method. 1. Introduction The development of technology plays a crucial role in modern economic growth, but it also is the key factor of environmental crisis. It is usually emphasizing the novelty and economic usefulness of an innovation product but neglects its environmental mpact. Currently, many green design methods [l] have been developed to support the designer for reducing the environmental impact of the product throughout its life cycle. However, those methods are focused on the redesign existing products. Hence, there is a need to develop a green innovation design method for this situation. The ideas of using TRIZ contradiction matrix tool for eco-innovation design task have been proposed [2]. This paper presented an effort in developing product green innovation design method by using the TRIZ inventive principles without contradiction information [3]. The inventive principles of TRIZ that can reduce environmental burden are identified. Some examples are demonstrated to illustrate the capability of proposed method. 2. TRIZ method When a designer tries to solve an innovative design problem, it is usually a system incompatibility or conflict design problem. As the designer changes certain parameters of the system in his design problem, it might make other parameters bad. Traditionally, the designer makes compromise with this kind of contradiction situations and restricts himself on performing innovative design tasks. The TRIZ method [4] is an available tool for the designer to handle this conflict conditions during the innovative design problem solving process. The TRIZ method was developed in the former Soviet Union by Altshuller, who had analysis over 400,000 patents to build the contradiction table and 40 inventive principles. For using TRIZ method in innovative design problem solving, the designer needs to first find corresponding contradictions for his problem at hand. Next, the designer matches the meaning of each contradiction with two appropriate parameters from 39 engineering parameters that defined in the TRIZ contradiction table. The designer can find the 34 most frequently used principles for solving innovative design problem from contradiction table when he confirms the parameters of contradiction for his problem However, sometimes the designer only knows how to improve one parameter of this system, but doesn t know or can t predict the corresponding contradiction parameter of this system. 3. Eco-efficiency and 39 engineering parameters in TRIZ WBCSD has pointed out seven major elements for company in considering eco-efficiency of developing environmental friendly products or processes for reducing environmental impacts [5]. A. Reduce the material intensity of its goods and services B. Reduce the energy intensity of its goods and services $ IEEE 168

2 C. Reduce the dispersion of any toxic materials D. Enhance the recyclability of its materials E. Maximize the sustainable use of renewable resources F. Extend the durability of its products G. Increase the service intensity of its goods and services As each element improving or more elements improving simultaneously, it will produce high eco-efficiency products or services. First of all, the relationship of each element of eco-efficiency with the 39 engineering parameters of TRIZ method is examined. For example, reducing a product s material intensity, it can be achieved by changing product s properties, such as weight, dimensions, shape or the amount of material used. Next, reflecting these properties to closely related engineering parameters of TRIZ. Therefore, the problem of improving eco-efficiency is transferred to TRIZ problem. Table 1 illustrates the relationship between all elements of eco-efficiency and 39 engineering parameters of TRIZ method. Ecoefficiency Elements A B C D E F G 1 Weight of moving object 2 Weight of nonmoving object 3 Length of moving object 4 ILengthofnon-movingobject I I I I I I I 5 Area of moving object 6 Area ofnon-moving object 7 Volume of moving object I I 9 Speed IO Force I2 Shape. 13 Stability of object 15 Durability ofmoving object 16 Durability ofnon-moving object, 17 Temperature 18 Bnghtness 19 Energy spent by moving object 20 Energy spent by non-moving 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 169

3 4. A TRIZ inventive design method without contradiction information As for design problems without contradiction information, a method for the designer by using one engineering parameter to improve system performance is developed [3]. Moreover, this method doesn t matter whether or not the presence of contradiction parameter is known. First of all, this method examines all corresponding inventive principles associated with each improving parameter in the TRIZ contradiction table. Particular principles were seen a number of times. This situation can be explained as that the inventive principles will make improvements to a certain improving parameter in the system, possibly corresponding with other avoiding degeneration parameter types. Hence, for certain inventive principles appeared more often, it is indicating their use would lead to higher success rate in innovative design problem solving. Next, the same procedures were applied to each avoiding degeneration parameter in another dimension of the TRIZ contradiction table. Finally, combination of both parts together and summing up the number of appearances of all of the principles constructs a table for single engineering parameter and inventive principles, as shown in Table 2. The vertical axis is the TRIZ 39 parameters that the designer wanted to improve. The horizontal axis shows the frequency of appearances of each parameter s corresponding principles. Table 2 classifies inventive principles into different ranks, such as A (more than 19, B (between 16 to 18, C (between 13 to 15, D (between 10 to 12, E (between 7 to 9, F (between 4 to 6 and G (between 1 to 3, according to the number of appearances in the contradiction table for each parameter. Those principles appearances most frequently (ranked at A, B, or C in Table 2) will have a better chance at success in solving inventive design problem. Therefore, the designer can solve engineering innovative design problem without contradiction information by choosing suitable TRIZ inventive principles based on information in Table 2. A B C D E F G :=9 (16-18 (I3-l5 (10-12 (7-9 (4-6 (1-3 ;::; i:::::;: Weight of moving object Weight of ,22, non-moving object 26 27, 3,02, 06, Lengthof moving object

4 non -1novlng object 27 Reliability Accuracy 28 of y43 6'34'01' ,27,1 measurement

5 38 Level of automation Productivity I Green innovation design method A green innovation design method based on guidelines of eco-efficiency, 39 engineering parameters of TRIZ and 40 inventive principles of TRIZ is proposed in this section. The design processes + of green innovation design method are shown in Figure 2. 1 Find Elements of Eco-efficiency I Find Parameters by Table 1 1 Find Principles by Table 2 Inventive Principles 1 Design Candidates Figure 2. Flowcharts of green innovation design method. First, the designer can utilize LCA tool to assess the environmental impact loads from each life cycle stage of a product. Next, one can identify which elements of eco-efficiency required 1 improvement based on previous LCA study. Moreover, the designer can use Table 1 and Table 2 to find the corresponding TRIZ engineering parameters and some inventive principles with high priority, respectively. As the designer in innovating new green products, inventive principles become very important reference information for him during performing green innovation design tasks. 6. Examples 6.1 Ultrasonic washing machine Traditionally, the largest environmental impact by each life cycle stage of washing machines include waste of water, waste of energy, and pollution of laundry detergent. Japanese San-Yo Corporation develops an ultrasonic washing machine [6]. It can produce 50 million micro air bubbles within one minute. The inpact wave from breakdown of air bubble gives ultrasonic wave with more than 20 thousand times vibration in one second. The ultrasonic micro air bubbles can deep into inner part of fiber to increase cleaning capability. Therefore, it will reduce half laundry detergent and increase 50% cleaning capability. Meanwhile, it also doubles the life of clothes. Following the steps shown in Figure 2, the designer could confirm the required improving eco-efficiency elements of traditional washing machines as 1. Reduce the material intensity of its goods and 172

6 services, 2. Reduce the energy intensity of its goods and services, 3. Reduce the dispersion of any toxic materials. After using Table 1 to get TRIZ engineering parameters, the designer can find corresponding inventive principles from Table 2. The inventive principles obtained by proposed method are shown in Table 3. Table 3. Inventive principles for improving ultrasonic washing machine. Engineering Inventive Parameters Principles Material Intensity Reduce Energy Intensity Reduce Toxic Materials 26 35,03,29,18, ,19,18,28, ,02,19,07, ,22,02,01,18 The high frequency appearance inventive principles in Table 3 are inventive principle #35, #02, #18, #IO, #03... etc. Applying inventive principle #35 transform the physical/chemical state to washing machines design problem is to change the physical state of water. Therefore, the washing machines may fill with micro air bubble during washing clothes processes. As for inventive principle #18 mechanical vibration can be interpreted as to utilize the method of ultrasonic vibration to clean clothes. Both inventive principles can be used as innovative ideas for developing ultrasonic washing machines. 6.2 Human powered lifesaving radio The multi-functions lifesaving radio of San-Yo Corporation [7] has human powered electric generation function. Rolling the electric generation handlebar one minute, it can listen radio for me hour, give the alarm signal for twelve minutes, or provide five minutes light. Hence, it is a very convenient product for use in case of emergency. Usually, main consideration of this kind of small home appliances is energy saving. The required improving element of eco-efficiency of this example is Reduce the energy intensity of its goods and services. Following the same steps for green innovation product design, one can find the inventive principles as shown in Table 4. The high frequency appearance inventive J principles in Table 4 are inventive principle #35, #19, #02, #18, #06... etc. Inventive principles #I9 periodic action (rolling the electric generation handlebar by hand) and #06 universality (multkfunctions) can be choose as green innovation design principles of multi-functions lifesaving radio. Table 4. Inventive principles for energy reducing radio. I Element OflEngineeringlInventive Eco-efficiency Parameters- Principles 19 35,19,18,28,02,06 I Reduce ,3519,18,27,04 I Intensity 7. Conclusions 21 35,19,10,02,32,06 22 I 135,02,19,07,15,10 This paper developed a product green innovation design method based on the TRIZ inventive design method. This new method provides the designer a supporting tool to develop new products or processes with less environmental impact. This green innovation design method. will be one of several approaches towards sustainable development. 8. Acknowledgements Thanks the support from the National Science Council, Taiwan, by grant NSC EO References 1. Behrendt, S., Jasch, C., Peneda, M. C., and Van Weenen, H. (Eds.), Life Cvcle Desien, Springer-Verlag, Jones, E. and Harrison, D., Investigating the Use of TRIZ in Eco-innovation, The TRIZ Journal, September httu:// -iounial.com 3. Liu, C.-C. and Chen, J. L., A TRIZ Inventive Product Design Method without Contradiction Information, The TRIZ Journal, September httd://wvw. triz-iournal.com 4. Ahshuller, G., And Suddenlv the Inventor Ameared-TRIZ. The Theorv of Inventive Problem SolvinP Technical Innovation Center, Worcester, MA., Desimone, L. D. and Popofc F., Eco-efficiency: The Business Link to Sustainable Develoument, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, htto:// 7. htt~:// t~~~/s8e109/oa~e4/uarej-3-.litni 173