This article explores the various components of production costs and the factors that lead to their escalation, such as inflation, technological advancements, and market shifts. It emphasizes the need for a problem-solving culture as a strategy for effective cost reduction and highlights hidden opportunities for cost reduction through process optimization. The article further provides a simple strategy for reducing production costs by categorizing operations and improving or eliminating them accordingly. Production costs Production cost refers to the total expenses incurred in making a product or providing a service, including materials, labor, and related costs. For a more detailed explanation of…

The word “Innovation” meets us everywhere: at work, bank, pharmacy, bank, post office, gym, playground… “Innovation” became a brand indicating the effectiveness and success of the company. Do we clearly understand what innovation is? This article discusses the essence of innovation and the difference between innovation and process/product change, improvement, or fixing. We also discuss and describe the innovation process using the PRIZ Innovation Platform. The Ambiguity of Innovation Definitions The internet provides an abundance of different definitions and explanations of innovation. This suggests that the concept of innovation is not trivial and requires further analysis and clarification. According to…

Engineering work is built on three essential pillars: process improvement, cost reduction, and root cause analysis. Engineers should dedicate their thinking to a specific and measurable target, use thinking tools and resources, and recognize and value engineering thinking. The PRIZ Innovation Platform offers tools for engineering thinking, including Process Functional Modeling, 40 Inventive Principles, and Effective Brainstorming. Engineers should focus on improving only those operations that increase the value of the product, remove all operations that do not increase the value of the product, and understand the origin of defects and eliminate them. What does an engineer do? What does…

Six Sigma is a popular approach for improving manufacturing quality, but small and medium-sized businesses often struggle to implement it due to a lack of resources. PRIZ Guru offers analytical and problem-solving tools to assist engineers at any step of the Six Sigma DMAIC process, including defining problems, collecting and documenting data, analyzing processes and systems, generating innovative solutions, making decisions, and effectively managing these projects. The Six Sigma process involves continuous problem-solving, and the PRIZ Innovation Platform is a comprehensive system designed to enable engineers to operate as professional problem solvers. SMB’s are Struggling to Implement Six Sigma Continuous…

This case study explores the usage of Process Functional Modeling (PFM) as a problem-solving tool in microchip manufacturing. PFM is an innovative way of thinking that involves breaking down a process into its components on multiple levels and generating innovative solutions. The tool enables us to move from general to specific, from process to operations, operations to components, and components to functions. In this article, we provide a real-life example of how a team applied PFM to the microchip manufacturing process. We want to demonstrate its effectiveness in creating a model of failure in the context of the whole process….

As an engineer or innovator, you may often find yourself faced with complex problems that require a solution. In these situations, it can be tempting to rely solely on your own knowledge and experience to find a solution. However, have you ever considered the benefits of using problem-solving tools? Why do we need these tools, and what can we gain from incorporating creative thinking instruments into our problem-solving process? In this article, we’ll explore the importance of problem-solving tools and the advantages they offer for engineers and innovators. Let’s start with a definition, and try to answer what is engineering…

Improving processes is essential for any organization looking to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall performance. Whether streamlining operations, automating repetitive tasks, or eliminating bottlenecks, there are many ways to improve processes and boost productivity. In today’s fast-paced business environment, organizations that can quickly and effectively adapt to changing market conditions are more likely to succeed. By identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing solutions, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and achieve their goals. This article will explore the benefits of Process Functional Modeling and how it can be used to make strategic and tactical decisions that lead…

We always talk about solving problems and improving processes of an operation, a part of a bigger process. This is great! In fact, it is always encouraged to break the bigger, more complex process into smaller pieces so we can simplify the problem we are working on. However, this approach may create another issue. The engineers working on a problem, especially in large complex processes, might end up diving into the wrong operation of the process. In this article, we introduce the newly released tool in the PRIZ Innovation Platform that is built to help engineers look at the whole…

What PRIZ Platform could give: Why is it good? Available tools: Below are some examples of solutions generated using PRIZ Innovation Platform Case 1 Project title: Stop increasing turnover at the plant Project description: Good engineers and technicians are leaving the plant after 2-3 years of work Project goal: To find a way to  prevent increasing turnover Creative thinking tools used: Perception Mapping (PMap) Achievements: Created a list of relevant actions (perceptions) and defined a blocking rank: Proposed solution:  Establish a special recognitions for effective engineering solutions – this perception is revealed as a block for any other actions aiming…