Two Pluses 9

Effects

by Kalevi Rantanen
TRIS OY
Brahenk. 9 E 18
FIN-20100 TURKU, FINLAND
phone/fax +358 2 251 1623
E-mail: kalevi.rantanen@pp.kolumbus.fi

Last updated August 25, 1997

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Outline

The concept of effect
Computer support
Further reading

The concept of effect

An effect is the application of a physical phenomen. The effect is the combination of
a phenomen and a function. For example, ultrasound is a phenomen, "to clean
surface" is a function, and ultrasound cleaning is an effect.

Effects:

System Feature 1 Feature 2
Function ... ...
... ... ...
Ideal
system + +

Effects help to move directly from a function to the ideal final result.

Examples

We consider the chain transmission in the bicycle. The function of the chain is "to rotate
wheel", generally, to rotate object. We try to recall, which effects can realize the funtion
"rotate object".
For example:
- Mechanical force, used now
- Hydraulics
- Pneumatics: gas flow
- Electromagnetic field

We can consider effects also as keys to technical and physical contradictions. The rigidity of
the bicycle frame can be easily increased by thickening the walls of tubes, but the problem
is that weight will be increased, too. The tube shoul be THICK, and at the same time THIN.
Rigidity can be increased by widening the tube, but the great diameter makes it vulnerable
to impact. We get another physical contradiction: SMALL diameter - GREAT diameter.
Can you remember physical effects solving contradictions "thick-thin" and "small diameter -
great diameter"? Maybe some honeycomb structure? Maybe some kind of pre-stressed
or pressurized honeycomb?

We spoke of the vulnerability of a frame to impacts. We can see here the contradiction in time.
The frame shoud maintain its form during normal ride, be deformed at the moment of impact,
and return the original form after impact. The tire, by the way, makes just this. Maybe it is
possible to find some kind of "memory effect" for the frame, too?

One problem is stability and weight. We can use gravitation, selecting the centre of gravitation
properly.

We can focuse the information search better if we know whic functions and features we need.
What is the ideal puncture repair kit for a tube? Obviously the repair kit which doesn´t exist but
the tube will be repaired. We need a self-repairing tire. Now we can seek some substance
which can be added to rubber and which fills a hole immediately when the tube is punctured.

Alliance of science and technology

Physics, geometry and chemistry get much more interesting, if we think of phenomena and
forms in terms of functions and contradictions.

Water is not simply water but an easily tranformable substance which allows to get
contradictory properties (solid, liquid, gas). Thermal expansion is not only a physical
phenomena, but a way to change form, to get big forces, to joint parts, etc.

A sheet of paper is rather weak in the form of sheet, but much stronger in the form
of a tube or a corrugated surface. A Japanise inventor Yoshifumi Kato have made
a bicycle frame of paper. The paper frame is more flexible than a ricing bike´s
carbon frame, and about two-thirds as strong (Discover May 1992, p. 14).

A triangle is a familiar figure from school geometry. Of four triangles we can, further,
build a tetrahedron. Tetrahedrons, four-sided shapes, produce maximum strengh while
occupying a minimum amount ot space. Buckminster Fuller created from tetrahedrons
his famous geodesic dome. The frame of geodesic dome uses a small amount of material
and is economical to build.

Benefits from effects

Better understanding of effects give many advantages:

If we know effects better than competitors, we can use new knowledge
more rapidly, and get advantage in time
Behind better quality lie better materials and processies, and behind materials
and processes - effects. So we get advantage in quality
Analogolously effects give better cost-efficiency
Since effects connect phenomena to functions and contradictions, they
give multi-disciplinary approach and help to get useful knowledge from
remote fields

Exercise 1. List some functions and corresponding effects.

Exercise 2. Transform the Ideal Final Result using effects. Consider costs
and market opportunities:

How much the Ideal Final Result (IFR) can cost? Should I decrease or increase
the cost limit?
Which quality benefits and market opportunities we will get using effects? Will we get
extra benefits?

Computer support

If you have IMLab or TechOptimizer Pro, I recommend first to study examples and to list new ones.
For example, we find the function:
"to accumulate heat energy"

Software gives one effect and one example: Hopkinson effect and an example of heat accumulator
for thermostat. Let´s try to add new effects:
- water
- melted compounds, as LiF, AlO and LiOH
- salts

Maybe you can add yet some effects and examples?

Exercise 3. Study Effects module. Add new examples.

Exercise 4. Study your own system. Seek from Effects module
effects which you can use to improve the system

An endlessly discussed question is: How much computer software, for example
Invention Machine, can help in problem solving? I think that this like disputes are
rather fruitless. The answer is simple: Man and a computer software have both
their strengths. A computer can remember much more principles and effects than a human.
It has no psychological and emotional barriers. The human problem solver has experience and
a capability to evaluate ideas.

Invention Machine Effects contains 286 fundamental effects or physical phenomena, and
1350 effects or technical applications. See IMLab.
A new software package TechOptimizer 2.5 Professional Edition contains more than 2000
effects. See Invention Machine Corporation
A human simply cannot remember so much information.

System	Feature 1	Feature 2
Function	...	...
...	...	...
Ideal system	+	+