TRIZ-Based Root Cause Failure Analysis for Hydraulic Systems

Analysis of root cause failure mechanisms in hydraulic systems suggests that poor overall system specification, leakage and contamination issues are the dominant failure contributors. The paper examines how the Russian Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, TRIZ, is beginning to be applied in the specification and design of hydraulic systems and components. Several of the key TRIZ tools, methods and strategies Contradiction Elimination, Ideal Final Result, Trends of Evolution, and Function Analysis have been deployed on a number of case study examples. These examples include leak-free coupling and self-cleaning filter component design studies, and an examination of whole system energy management issues.