Applying TRIZ for systematic manufacturing process innovation: the single point incremental forming case

Manufacturing processes are often based on physical principles characterised by a limited applicability window. Enlarging these windows is one of main targets of manufacturing process research activities. Technical and physical contradictions are typically encountered when conducting such research. This paper describes a case in which TRIZ principles were used to systematically identify opportunities for process innovation in the domain of emerging flexible forming methods. The TRIZ principles of physical conflict resolving have been applied to improve the performance of Single Point Incremental Forming.