TRIZ Contradiction Analysis for Creative Design for Additive Manufacturing Practice

Abstract Design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) is a concept that was developed to fully utilize additive manufacturing (AM) by offering a design framework, principles, or standards for AM product design. However, current knowledge about DFAM remains largely fragmented, difficult to access accurately, and inconsistent in language and presentation, whereas the theory of inventive problem-solving (TRIZ) is a systematic strategy used for design methods. TRIZ contradiction analysis is a problem-solving tool used to help designers find innovative and creative solutions to problems. However, the emergence of TRIZ contradiction analysis predates the emergence of AM by 40 years, and the manufacturing methods of AM are different from the traditional manufacturing methods to which TRIZ applies, making it difficult to apply TRIZ contradiction analysis directly to AM product design. Therefore, this study aims to combine TRIZ contradiction analysis and DFAM to construct a TRIZ-AM contradiction matrix (CM) to organize this fragmented knowledge. Through user validation, designing with the TRIZ-AM CM approach resulted in a 37.5% increase in the number of concepts generated and a 64% reduction in the number of design iterations compared to designing with design principles for additive manufacturing (DPAM). In conclusion, the developed contradiction matrix can help designers creatively solve the problems encountered in design.