**TRIZ-Based Design of Rapid 3D Modelling Techniques with Formative Manufacturing Processes**

César Cárdenas1, Yuliana Rivera2, Ricardo Sosa2 and Oscar Olvera2 *1The Distributed and Adaptive Systems Lab for Learning Technologies Development/Mechatronic Department 2Innovation in Design and Manufacturing Research Chair Tecnológico de Monterrey – Campus Querétaro México* 

## **1. Introduction**

172 Industrial Design – New Frontiers

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> By accelerating the new product development process, manufacturers remain competitive (Zailani et al. 2007). Physical modelling helps in this decision making process by allowing real visualization of information about the thing the model represents (Kupka 2010). Two particular three-dimensional techniques are used in physical modelling, mock-up and prototyping. A mock-up is a scale or real-size model of a design or device, used to teach, demonstrate, evaluate, and promote among other purposes. A prototype is a physical model with the most important system functionalities implemented on it. Therefore, a prototype may be used as proof of concept for the new product. A mock-up is less expensive since it requires less material and less time to be built. Most of the mock-up techniques remain free handwork based. Some of the materials used for mock-up are clay, paper, wood, plastic, and metal. A mock-up is considered a prototype if it provides some functionality of a system and allows the test of a design. Several rapid prototyping techniques have been proposed to accelerate the new product development process (Chua et al. 2010). Rapid prototyping is defined as the automatic construction of physical objects using additive manufacturing technology. Rapid prototyping is also known as solid freeform fabrication, rapid manufacturing, layered manufacturing, additive fabrication, additive manufacturing or rapid manufacturing. Because the quality of the final product obtained by rapid prototyping, it has extended its original intend to discrete manufacturing a nd fine-art applications. The traditional process includes a computer-aided design stage that convert the three-dimensional object into two-dimensional layers, then the rapid prototyping machine builds the three-dimensional object by depositing each two-dimensional layer by means of depositing liquid, powder, or sheet material which are joined together to produce the final version of the three-dimensional object. The main advantage of additive manufacturing is the ability to create almost any shape or geometric feature (Chua et al. 2010). Most of the rapid prototyping techniques have been automated. Because most of the rapid prototyping techniques built a mock-up instead of a real prototype, we think the term has been misused. Strictly speaking, rapid mock-up should be used instead of rapid prototyping. If the new concept is in the first stages of design (i.e. the ideation stage), a

TRIZ-Based Design of Rapid 3D Modelling Techniques with Formative Manufacturing Processes 175

2010). In the PLM philosophy, the steps are: imagine, define, realize, service, and dispose. Motivated by sustainability efforts, the PLM cycle has been extended from the realize step to maintain and retire steps. This new PLM is also known as closed-loop PLM (Kiritsis 2010). A methodology that integrates both the engineering design process and the PLM philosophy has been recognized as a new engineering education paradigm (Crawley et al. 2010). Furthermore, the engineering design process can be matched to the project management cycle as well (Lessard 2007). In (Cárdenas 2011), we present a match between the engineering design process, the project management process, the service-learning process at Monterrey Tech and an integrated course we teach at our university focused on designing socially relevant system for social change. The process can also be found in (Cárdenas 2009). In Table 1, we present the

Framework Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Construct a prototype + Test and evaluate the solution(s)

Executing and controlling the project

Concept development + Concept documentation

Planning and executing proposal

Use the general principles to solve the general problem

definition Idea generation Idea selection Idea

Imagine Define Realize Service + Dispose /

Communicate the solution(s)

Maintain + Retire

Delivering the project

Concept presentation + Concept documentation

Assessment of social impact + Reflection from the experience + Ability to argue and use sources of information

communication

Concretize the general solution to the original problem

Develop possible solution(s) + Select the best possible solution(s)

Planning the project

Concept generation + Concept preevaluation + Concept documentation

> Solution proposal

Abstractize the original problem to find the general contradiction

match between the processes we mentioned above.

Identifying the need or the problem + Research about the need or the problem

Defining the project

> Social problem research

Social problem formulation

problem

Table 1. Match between general engineering design frameworks.

Engineering Design Process

Product Lifecycle Management

Project Management

> Integrated Course (Cárdenas 2009)

Service-Learning at Monterrey Tech (QEP)

INNOWIZ Problem

TRIZ Finding a

designer may use a mock-up to refine the solution proposal; once the solution has been chosen, a prototype can be built to present the definite solution before manufacturing. Besides the two three-dimensional physical modelling techniques presented above, sketching is also used during the first's stages of the design process to accelerate the new product development process. Sketching is the means that architects, designers, artists and sculptors use to represent, visualize and study their concepts of three-dimensional objects. Traditionally, sketching has been done with pencils and paper, resulting in a set of two-dimensional drawings representing three-dimensional objects. The current process of design is, usually, a sequence of twodimensional hand sketching, two-dimensional computer drafting, three-dimensional computer modelling, and finally, rendering (Hopkinson et al. 2006). In recent years, threedimensional sketching has gained popularity as an efficient alternative to conventional threedimensional geometric modelling for rapid prototyping; as it allows the user to intuitively generate a large range of different shapes. In this chapter, we propose a new rapid threedimensional physical modelling technique based on the wire bending structure approach that goes beyond three-dimensional modelling and before the rendering process. Designers might need a physical model before rendering in order to refine their concept. This new rapid physical modelling manufacturing process builds a three-dimensional sketch of the concept. Since this manufacturing process is added in the early stages of design we have called it rapid three-dimensional wireframing manufacturing process or rapid three-dimensional wireframing for short (rapid 3D wireframing). As we said before, this new rapid mock-up technique is based on wire bending structures. Furthermore, to design a machine that automates this new rapid 3D wireframing manufacturing process we propose a methodology supported by TRIZ principles. TRIZ is also known as the theory of inventive problem solving and is very well known in the industry worldwide (Orloff 2010). To validate this methodology we carried out several design process experiments. First we carried out experiments on wire bending freeform fabrication, and then we performed experiments using the proposed methodology and compared results with the first experiments. Both experiments were executed by mechanical designers of sophomore and senior levels at one university. A third experiment was executed and consisted on designing machines that automate the rapid mockup technique. We present relevant statistics and results found in these experiments. Furthermore, we dedicate a section to explain our advancements in the construction of the first prototype of our rapid three-dimensional sketching machine. Finally, we provide conclusions and future work.

#### **2. Engineering design thinking and rapid prototyping**

Engineering design is the process that engineers follow to device a new product or system. In its traditional form, it is a sequential set of activities (Pahl et al. 2007). The activities are the following: identify the need or the problem, research about the need or the problem, develop possible solution(s), select the best possible solution(s), construct a prototype, test and evaluate the solution(s), communicate the solution(s). A first generation of the product or system is finished when all the steps are completed or when a first cycle is finished. Next generations of the product or system will follow after the first iteration in the engineering design cycle. Depending on the specialization, professionals practice every step differently. There are a plenty of techniques for each step and the more adequate is related to the product or system domain (Kamrani and Nasr 2010). In a widest form, the engineering design process is embedded in the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) philosophy (Saaksvuori & Immonen

designer may use a mock-up to refine the solution proposal; once the solution has been chosen, a prototype can be built to present the definite solution before manufacturing. Besides the two three-dimensional physical modelling techniques presented above, sketching is also used during the first's stages of the design process to accelerate the new product development process. Sketching is the means that architects, designers, artists and sculptors use to represent, visualize and study their concepts of three-dimensional objects. Traditionally, sketching has been done with pencils and paper, resulting in a set of two-dimensional drawings representing three-dimensional objects. The current process of design is, usually, a sequence of twodimensional hand sketching, two-dimensional computer drafting, three-dimensional computer modelling, and finally, rendering (Hopkinson et al. 2006). In recent years, threedimensional sketching has gained popularity as an efficient alternative to conventional threedimensional geometric modelling for rapid prototyping; as it allows the user to intuitively generate a large range of different shapes. In this chapter, we propose a new rapid threedimensional physical modelling technique based on the wire bending structure approach that goes beyond three-dimensional modelling and before the rendering process. Designers might need a physical model before rendering in order to refine their concept. This new rapid physical modelling manufacturing process builds a three-dimensional sketch of the concept. Since this manufacturing process is added in the early stages of design we have called it rapid three-dimensional wireframing manufacturing process or rapid three-dimensional wireframing for short (rapid 3D wireframing). As we said before, this new rapid mock-up technique is based on wire bending structures. Furthermore, to design a machine that automates this new rapid 3D wireframing manufacturing process we propose a methodology supported by TRIZ principles. TRIZ is also known as the theory of inventive problem solving and is very well known in the industry worldwide (Orloff 2010). To validate this methodology we carried out several design process experiments. First we carried out experiments on wire bending freeform fabrication, and then we performed experiments using the proposed methodology and compared results with the first experiments. Both experiments were executed by mechanical designers of sophomore and senior levels at one university. A third experiment was executed and consisted on designing machines that automate the rapid mockup technique. We present relevant statistics and results found in these experiments. Furthermore, we dedicate a section to explain our advancements in the construction of the first prototype of our rapid three-dimensional sketching machine. Finally, we provide conclusions

and future work.

**2. Engineering design thinking and rapid prototyping** 

Engineering design is the process that engineers follow to device a new product or system. In its traditional form, it is a sequential set of activities (Pahl et al. 2007). The activities are the following: identify the need or the problem, research about the need or the problem, develop possible solution(s), select the best possible solution(s), construct a prototype, test and evaluate the solution(s), communicate the solution(s). A first generation of the product or system is finished when all the steps are completed or when a first cycle is finished. Next generations of the product or system will follow after the first iteration in the engineering design cycle. Depending on the specialization, professionals practice every step differently. There are a plenty of techniques for each step and the more adequate is related to the product or system domain (Kamrani and Nasr 2010). In a widest form, the engineering design process is embedded in the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) philosophy (Saaksvuori & Immonen 2010). In the PLM philosophy, the steps are: imagine, define, realize, service, and dispose. Motivated by sustainability efforts, the PLM cycle has been extended from the realize step to maintain and retire steps. This new PLM is also known as closed-loop PLM (Kiritsis 2010). A methodology that integrates both the engineering design process and the PLM philosophy has been recognized as a new engineering education paradigm (Crawley et al. 2010). Furthermore, the engineering design process can be matched to the project management cycle as well (Lessard 2007). In (Cárdenas 2011), we present a match between the engineering design process, the project management process, the service-learning process at Monterrey Tech and an integrated course we teach at our university focused on designing socially relevant system for social change. The process can also be found in (Cárdenas 2009). In Table 1, we present the match between the processes we mentioned above.



TRIZ-Based Design of Rapid 3D Modelling Techniques with Formative Manufacturing Processes 177

There are several ways to accelerate the new product development process. Concurrent engineering (Cha et al. 2003), Time to Market (TTM) (Smith and Reinertsen 1998), and Rapid Prototyping (Kamrani and Nasr 2010). In our previous work (Cárdenas 2009), we used the concurrent engineering approach up to the concept is defined then for rapid prototyping we use an open source hardware platform named ArduinoTM, 2. For the mock-up part which comprises the conceptual design phase we are exploring new paradigms. In the following

**3. Formative processes and TRIZ principles for new rapid physical 3D** 

adaptability, creativity generation, and cost (Jenkins and Martin 1993).

that blend wires but their use is not for the conceptual design phase.

Frequently, the designer uses two-dimensional sketching and computer-aided for conceptual design (Buchal 2002) or physical modelling using the materials mentioned in section 1 (Schrage 1993). Hand-based techniques are used because their flexibility,

Traditional rapid prototyping techniques belong to additive manufacturing processes. Manufacturing processes are mainly based on subtractive manufacturing processes (Suh et al. 2010). In this chapter we exploit the less known and used family of formative manufacturing processes (Buswell 2007) to build a new rapid 3D physical modelling technique. Formative processes have been used mostly in art. There are many examples of this type of processes in sculpture3. They have been also used in jewels since thousands of years back. Formative manufacturing processes have the following advantages: they are environmental friendly and economic since the material can also be composed by wasted material. On the contrary, subtractive and additive manufacturing processes generate wasted material and in particular additive manufacturing processes are very expensive. Formative manufacturing processes use only the necessary material without almost any waste. The Origami technique (Demaine and O'Rourke 2007) is an example of formative manufacturing processes. Many wire bending based products are fabricated in mass. Some examples are jail birds, wire baskets, cookware

The new rapid physical modelling technique we propose in this chapter is called Rapid Physical 3D Wireframing. The name comes from the final 3D object we want to achieve. A wire-frame model is a visual presentation of a three dimensional or physical object used in 3D computer graphics. In our case we intend to reproduce a physical 3D wireframe object. We do not want to call rapid physical 3D sketching, rapid 3D prototyping, and neither rapid physical mock-up. The reason is that the final product of this process is not a sketch, not a mock-up, and neither a prototype. There are a plenty of patents and commercial machines

TRIZ is a problem-solving approach developed from the patent mining experience of the Russian Genrich Altshuller and his colleagues. TRIZ in English means Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TIPS) (Orloff 2010). Altshuller discovered that at least 80% of the patents were based on some general principles. Training people on such general principles gives them the possibility to invent solutions to problems in a structured form. The main TRIZ concept is contradiction. Technical contradictions emerge when two associated necessities from a product or problem are in conflict. The key issue in TRIZ methodology is to find the

section we will explain this new paradigm

tools, mice tramps, and hooks among many others.

**modelling techniques** 

2 http://www.arduino.cc 3 http://www.wirelady.com/

Table 1 is presented to provide a systemic view of the engineering design thinking. Additionally, we add the INNOWIZ1 design framework. The INNOWIZ framework synthesizes the design thinking (Plattner et al. 2010). INNOWIZ creators state that any stage of the general design process can be divided in the four stages (like a fractal). At the table, we also added the general TRIZ methodology (Orloff 2010). The fact that people has embedded the engineering design process in their thinking has been recognized as engineering design thinking (Dym et al. 2006).

Now based on stages 1 and 2 from Table 1, we present in Figure 1 the innovation funnel (Buxton 2007) for our integrated course (Cárdenas 2009). The innovation funnel shows that several techniques are used to decide the final concept (or solution). The innovation funnel is composed by several divergent and convergent phases. The reader can notice that Rapid Prototyping might also be used not only after the concept is finally selected to demonstrate or prove aspects of the design but also at different moments during the innovation funnel. In such sense Rapid Prototyping can be used to help defining the concept of the system (e.g. in terms of size and form).

Fig. 1. Innovation funnel for our integrated course (Cárdenas 2011).

Rapid Prototyping has been traditionally used after the concept is defined and as a way to validate the concept. Several techniques for rapid prototyping have been developed (Chua et al. 2010), and most of them are based on the layered principle. Because of that, the term additive manufacturing has been recently adopted to describe rapid prototyping techniques (Gibson et al. 2009). The application of Rapid Prototyping in early stages of the design process has been previously proposed (Simondetti 1998). The time extent for applying Rapid Prototyping in the innovation funnel as indicated in Figure 1 is known as the conceptual design phase (Bruno et al. 2003).

<sup>1</sup> http://www.innowiz.be/

There are several ways to accelerate the new product development process. Concurrent engineering (Cha et al. 2003), Time to Market (TTM) (Smith and Reinertsen 1998), and Rapid Prototyping (Kamrani and Nasr 2010). In our previous work (Cárdenas 2009), we used the concurrent engineering approach up to the concept is defined then for rapid prototyping we use an open source hardware platform named ArduinoTM, 2. For the mock-up part which comprises the conceptual design phase we are exploring new paradigms. In the following section we will explain this new paradigm
