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August 2005
Welcome to our August issue of the newsletter.
Please share this newsletter with your friends and co-workers. Signing up is simple, just click here.
Please feel free to send us your suggestions, remarks
or ask us for additional information.
We're looking forward to hearing from you!
the CREAX-team
www.creax.com
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 Collapsible tables, camping chairs and even bicycles have long proved their versatility in situations where space is at a premium. But now Swiss company Rinspeed design have taken the concept to a whole new level with the Rinspeed Presto collapsible car, a compact two-seater roadster that can 'grow' itself into a four-seater with the push of a button.
The key to this miraculous transformation is a centrally located electric motor that is geared to stretch the vehicle from a length of 3 meters to 3.7 meters using low-friction precision rollers to expand the main longitudinal struts of the steel chassis.
http://www.rinspeed.com
Trend: Dynamization
The dynamization trend is certainly one the most popular ones. Many products evolve from immobile, over jointed to complete flexibility. You can measure with a ruler, a folding ruler or a tape ruler. You can cut with a knife, use scissors or apply wire cutting. Even busses added a joint to have larger, still manoeuvrable city busses. Now even a car manufacturer has made a jointed car! This car is compact within the city and offers more comfort at full length on highways.
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The Assam double wall glasses ($40, set of two) were made for those hot summer days when your nice glass of iced tea becomes hot tea in no time. Not only do they help insulate your drinks to keep them cold, but they also won't sweat all over the place like normal glasses do. Plus, anything made out of something called "Borosilicate glass" — a strong, lightweight, heat-resistant glass that's used to make scientific lab glass — is cool with us.
http://www.bodumusa.com
Trend: Space Segmentation
Moving from Solid to Hollow can have different benefits: less material requires, decreasing weight, space to put something in, hole to hang your product from, more surface area, and far more. By making the glass hollow, it will keep your drink cool for a longer time.
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 Growth is difficult in the oversaturated Latex wall paint market. The design innovation that would bring growth potential was in the realization that the packaging can be more than just a means for transporting and storing paint. The rectangular 1-2 can eliminates the need for a separate paint tray. When opened, its lid transforms into a paint tray that fits the width of a standard paint roller. No paint is wasted and no cleaning is required. Since AKZO implemented this new solution, their sales volume has increased eight-fold and their shelf presence has grown from an average of 8 to 18 percent.
http://www.flexa.nl
Trend: Mono-bi-poly increasing differences
Various products and technologies combine opposite functionalities. The jump to the ‘negative' component (i.e. that component that delivers the opposite function to the existing function) is very important one.
Possible advantages are increased system functionality, increased operability; increased ability to adapt to different use circumstances, increased user convenience.
Practical examples illustrating this trend are the hammer with nail remover and pencil with eraser gum.
We invite you to discuss this article on CIWI.
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 Structural polymers are susceptible to damage in the form of
cracks, which form deep within the structure where detection is difficult and repair is almost impossible. Regardless of the application, once cracks have formed within polymeric materials, the integrity of the structure is significantly compromised. 
Experiments exploring the concept
of self-repair have been previously reported, but the only
successful crack-healing methods that have been reported so far require some form of manual intervention. Here we report a
structural polymeric material with the ability to autonomically
heal cracks.
The material incorporates a microencapsulated healing agent that is released upon crack intrusion.
http://www.autonomic.uiuc.edu
Ideal solutions do things themselves
Ideally we achieve desired functions without cost or harm, then we often derive statements like 'the system achieves the function itself', or 'the problem resolves itself'.
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 This month we selected the submission of Jochen Marwede from Shell.
 Soldering just got safer, and more convenient! Safer, because the patented tip heats-up only when it’s in contact with metal! Reaches 800 degrees Fahrenheit (426 degrees Celsius) within 2 seconds, to solder as you usually do. Within 3 seconds of removing it from the metal, it cools back down to room temperature! And since it’s cordless, you can use it anywhere, without being held hostage by a cord! Solder up to 700 joints on one set of four AA batteries. LED “on” indicator. Includes light, replaceable bevel solder tip and carry case, plus handy wirestripper/cutter tool.
http://www.coldheat.com
Trend: Marco to Nano in time
We live in a world where we have more and more things to do and increasingly less time to do those things in. Products and services that are faster can deliver significant competitive advantages. Potential benefits include more effective use of resources, improving system efficiency and reducing overall time losses.
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Please do not hesitate to send us a great innovation you have spotted.
We might include it in our next month issue.
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 CREAX seminar
If you enjoy CREAX newsletters, you will enjoy our hands-on Systematic Innovation seminar. Our next 2days seminar is scheduled for the 29th & 30th of September.
CREAX also offers exclusive company specific corporate seminars. Participants learn how to apply the Systematic Innovation Methodology in their day-to-day job in an interactive way. (more info)
" The benefit of this course is beyond my expectations.
Very interesting! "
Jean-Marie S., N.V. Lefevere, Belgium |
Over the last years, over 400 people subscribed and participated with enthusiasm to the Systematic Innovation Methodology seminars. CREAX trains people both during company-specific in-house seminars, and open training seminars:
CREAX partner with CIWI
 CREAX has recently partnered with CIWI to provide the network with information about the Systematic Innovation and TRIZ methods. CIWI is a network for artists, innovators, entrepreneurs, creative professionals and those interested and engaged in creativity and innovation worldwide. Click here to go to the CIWI website.
Free Innovation & Creativity and Trends portals
CREAX continuously develops and updates its free Innovation & Creativity and Trends portal sites.
The CREAX Innovation & Creativity portal website is an inspirational list of creativity and innovation resources and collects over 700 links to innovation and creativity websites, categorised in 67 categories.
The CREAX Trends portal website is similar to the Innovation & Creativity portal and collects over 700 links to websites dealing with all kind of different trends.
CREAX newsletter reviewed
Ralph Czerepinski and Marco Aurelio de Carvahlo have reviewed the Systematic Innovation Newsletter in the July 2005 issue of the TRIZ Journal.
Read their opinion by clicking here.
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CREAX n.v. Mlk.Plumerlaan
113 8900 Ieper Belgium
T +32 57 229480 F +32 57 229481
www.creax.com
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