Application of TRIZ to Develop an In-Service Diagnostic System for a Synchronous Belt Transmission for Automotive Application

Development of robust diagnostic solutions to monitor the health of systems and components to ensure through life cost effectiveness is often technically difficult, requiring an effective integration of design development with research and innovation. This paper presents a structured application of TRIZ and USIT (Unified Structured Inventive Thinking) to generate concept solutions for an in-service diagnostic system for a synchronous belt drive system for an automotive application. The systematic exploration through TRIZ and USIT methods has led to the development of six concept solution ideas directed at the functional requirement to determine the state or condition of the belt. The paper demonstrates that the combined deployment of TRIZ and USIT frameworks is a valuable approach addressing difficult design problems. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the International Scientific Committee of the "2 International Through-life Engineering Services Conference" and the Programme Chair – Ashutosh Tiwari.