TRIZ 40 Inventive Principles

TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) offers 40 principles for innovative problem-solving. Here's a list of all 40 principles with brief descriptions:

1. Segmentation
   • Divide an object into independent parts
   • Make an object easy to disassemble
   • Increase the degree of fragmentation or segmentation
2. Taking out
   • Separate an interfering part or property from an object
   • Single out the only necessary part or property of an object
3. Local quality
   • Change an object's structure from uniform to non-uniform
   • Change an external environment from uniform to non-uniform
   • Make each part of an object function in conditions most suitable for its operation
4. Asymmetry
   • Change the shape of an object from symmetrical to asymmetrical
   • If an object is asymmetrical, increase its degree of asymmetry
5. Merging
   • Bring closer together (or merge) identical or similar objects
   • Assemble identical or similar parts to perform parallel operations
6. Universality
   • Make a part or object perform multiple functions
   • Eliminate the need for other parts
7. Nested doll
   • Place one object inside another
   • Place each object, in turn, inside the other
8. Anti-weight
   • To compensate for the weight of an object, merge it with other objects that provide lift
   • To compensate for the weight of an object, make it interact with the environment
9. Preliminary anti-action
   • If it will be necessary to do an action with both harmful and useful effects, this action should be replaced with anti-actions to control harmful effects
10. Preliminary action
    • Perform, before it is needed, the required change of an object
    • Pre-arrange objects such that they can come into action from the most convenient place and without losing time for their delivery
11. Beforehand cushioning
    • Prepare emergency means beforehand to compensate for the relatively low reliability of an object
12. Equipotentiality
    • In a potential field, limit position changes
13. The other way round
    • Invert the action used to solve the problem
    • Make movable parts fixed, and fixed parts movable
    • Turn the object upside down
14. Spheroidality - Curvature
    • Instead of using rectilinear parts, surfaces, or forms, use curvilinear ones
    • Move from flat surfaces to spherical ones
    • Use rollers, balls, spirals, domes
15. Dynamics
    • Allow (or design) the characteristics of an object, external environment, or process to change to be optimal or to find an optimal operating condition
    • Divide an object into parts capable of movement relative to each other
    • If an object is rigid or inflexible, make it movable or adaptive
16. Partial or excessive actions
    • If 100 percent of an object is hard to achieve using a given solution method, then use slightly less or slightly more of the same method
17. Another dimension
    • Move an object in two- or three-dimensional space
    • Use a multi-story arrangement of objects instead of a single-story arrangement
    • Tilt or re-orient the object, lay it on its side
    • Use 'another side' of a given area
18. Mechanical vibration
    • Cause an object to oscillate or vibrate
    • Increase its frequency (even up to the ultrasonic)
    • Use an object's resonant frequency
    • Use piezoelectric vibrators instead of mechanical ones
    • Use combined ultrasonic and electromagnetic field oscillations
19. Periodic action
    • Instead of continuous action, use periodic or pulsating actions
    • If an action is already periodic, change the periodic magnitude or frequency
    • Use pauses between impulses to perform a different action
20. Continuity of useful action
    • Carry on work continuously; make all parts of an object work at full load, all the time
    • Eliminate all idle or intermittent actions or work
21. Skipping
    • Conduct a process, or certain stages (e.g. destructible, harmful or hazardous operations) at high speed
22. "Blessing in disguise" or "Turn Lemons into Lemonade"
    • Use harmful factors (particularly, harmful effects of the environment or surroundings) to achieve a positive effect
    • Eliminate the primary harmful action by adding it to another harmful action to resolve the problem
    • Amplify a harmful factor to such a degree that it is no longer harmful
23. Feedback
    • Introduce feedback (referring back, cross-checking) to improve a process or action
    • If feedback is already used, change its magnitude or influence
24. 'Intermediary'
    • Use an intermediary carrier article or intermediary process
    • Merge one object temporarily with another (which can be easily removed)
25. Self-service
    • Make an object serve itself by performing auxiliary helpful functions
    • Use waste resources, energy, or substances
26. Copying
    • Instead of an unavailable, expensive, fragile object, use simpler and inexpensive copies
    • Replace an object, or process with optical copies
    • If visible optical copies are already used, move to infrared or ultraviolet copies
27. Cheap short-living objects
    • Replace an inexpensive object with a multiple of inexpensive objects, comprising certain qualities (such as service life, for instance)
28. Mechanics substitution
    • Replace a mechanical means with a sensory (optical, acoustic, taste or smell) means
    • Use electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields to interact with the object
    • Change from static to movable fields, from unstructured fields to those having structure
    • Use fields in conjunction with field-activated (e.g. ferromagnetic) particles
29. Pneumatics and hydraulics
    • Use gas and liquid parts of an object instead of solid parts (e.g. inflatable, filled with liquids, air cushions, hydrostatic, hydro-reactive)
30. Flexible shells and thin films
    • Use flexible shells and thin films instead of three-dimensional structures
    • Isolate the object from the external environment using flexible shells and thin films
31. Porous materials
    • Make an object porous or add porous elements (inserts, coatings, etc.)
    • If an object is already porous, use the pores to introduce a useful substance or function
32. Color changes
    • Change the color of an object or its external environment
    • Change the transparency of an object or its external environment
33. Homogeneity
    • Make objects interacting with a given object of the same material (or material with identical properties)
34. Discarding and recovering
    • Make portions of an object that have fulfilled their functions go away (discard by dissolving, evaporating, etc.) or modify these directly during operation
    • Conversely, restore consumable parts of an object directly in operation
35. Parameter changes
    • Change an object's physical state (e.g. to a gas, liquid, or solid)
    • Change the concentration or consistency
    • Change the degree of flexibility
    • Change the temperature
36. Phase transitions
    • Use phenomena occurring during phase transitions (e.g. volume changes, loss or absorption of heat, etc.)
37. Thermal expansion
    • Use thermal expansion (or contraction) of materials
    • If thermal expansion is being used, use multiple materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion
38. Strong oxidants
    • Replace common air with oxygen-enriched air
    • Replace enriched air with pure oxygen
    • Expose air or oxygen to ionizing radiation
    • Use ionized oxygen
    • Replace ozonized (or ionized) oxygen with ozone
39. Inert atmosphere
    • Replace a normal environment with an inert one
    • Add neutral parts, or inert additives to an object
40. Composite materials
    • Change from uniform to composite (multiple) materials

These 40 inventive principles form the core of TRIZ methodology, providing a systematic approach to problem-solving and innovation. They can be applied across various fields and industries to generate creative solutions to complex problems.