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    • Principles of resolving technical contradictions
      • Principle 1. Segmentation Principle
      • Principle 2. Separation Principle
      • Principle 3. Local Quality Principle
      • Principle 4. Symmetry Change Principle
      • Principle 5. Merging Principle
      • Principle 6. Multifunctionality Principle
      • Principle 7. Nesting Principle
      • Principle 8. Weight Compensation Principle
      • Principle 9. Preliminary Counteraction Principle
      • Principle 10. Preliminary Action Principle
      • Principle 11. Beforehand Compensation Principle
      • Principle 12. Equipotentiality Principle
      • Principle 13. The Other Way Around Principle
      • Principle 14. Curvature Increase Principle
      • Principle 15. Dynamic Parts Principle
      • Principle 16. Partial or Excessive Actions Principle
      • Principle 17. Dimensionality Change Principle
      • Principle 18. Mechanical Vibration
      • Principle 19. Periodic Action Principle
      • Principle 20. Continuity of Useful Action Principle
      • Principle 21. Skipping Principle
      • Principle 22. Blessing in Disguise
      • Principle 23. Feedback Principle
      • Principle 24. Intermediary Principle
      • Principle 25. Self-Service Principle
      • Principle 26. Copying Principle
      • Principle 27. Cheap Disposables
      • Principle 28. Mechanical Interaction Substitution
      • Principle 29. Pneumatics and Hydraulics
      • Principle 30. Flexible Shells and Thin Films
      • Principle 31. Porous Materials
      • Principle 32. Optical Property Changes
      • Principle 33. Homogeneity Principle
      • Principle 34. Discarding and Recovering Principle
      • Principle 35. Parameter Changes
      • Principle 36. Phase Transitions
      • Principle 37. Thermal Expansion
      • Principle 38. Strong Oxidants
      • Principle 39. Inert Atmosphere
      • Principle 40. Composite Materials
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    Principles of resolving technical contradictions

    Identification of inventive principles

    To transform the model of a problem stated as a technical contradiction, principles developed by G. S. Altshuller are applied.

    Each inventive principle is a generalization of the experience of numerous generations of inventors and describes the transformation necessary to improve a specific parameter of the system without compromising any other of its parameters. To state the principles, thousands of inventions were analysed, and the framework of addressing issues were identified, notably for various areas of engineering.

    It was possible to find such principles because the author of the method applied a particular approach to the analysis of patent and technical data. S/he considered not so much the specific technical features of the solutions as s/he attempted to understand the inventor’s logic, the meaning of his/her actions when transiting to a new improved version of the system. At the same time, the in-depth contradiction resulting in the issue emergence was reconstructed, and the method for resolving the contradiction was discovered.

    Specifically, psychological inertia states: harmful phenomena should be addressed when solving a problem. However, it is often useful to think about how to turn a harmful action to the advantage of the system being improved. Any action is an energy burst but we can control the useful action and cannot control the harmful one. In this case, the principles provide for several transformation options. First of all, use the harmful factors generated by the machine or the environment to get the positive effect. If it is impossible to use the harmful action, it should be removed, e.g., by adding it to other harmful actions.  If it is impossible to remove the harmful action, it should be intensified to the degree that it is no longer harmful.
    All of these methods were reduced to specific recommendations on which basis inventive principles were stated.


    List of principles

    This list includes 40 principles of resolving technical contradictions developed by G. S. Altshuller.