Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No.

1 (2016)
DOI: 10.6220/joq.2016.23(1).02

Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on

Systematic Innovation TRIZ
1 2* 3
D. Y. Sha , Sheng-Yuan Hsu , Hong-Yi Chen
1
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University
2
Department of Industrial Engineering and Service Management, Chienkuo Technology University
3
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Chiao Tung University

ABSTRACT
In this study, a “creative problem-solving quality control story (CPS-QC story)” has been
proposed to improve the traditional quality control process. By combining traditional
quality control processes and systematic innovation (TRIZ), the concepts of problem
solving, innovation tools and methodologies of TRIZ are integrated with the quality
control (QC) story tomitigate the lack of problem-solving techniques intraditional QC
stories. TRIZ, whichis the core of the CPS-QC story, provides systematic and logical
procedures for solving problems.
In an actual case study, a mask company in Taiwan uses the CPS-QC story to improve
the environmental control systems of mask exposure machines. The level of quality of the
improvement is equivalent to the level of quality in a traditional program,whereas the cost
and delivery of the improvement is only one-third of the cost and delivery in a traditional
program. The results of the study indicate that the CPS-QC story will be beneficial to the
photomask industry.

Keywords: TRIZ, QC story, QCC

1. INTRODUCTION

Production efficiency and quality is the foundation of continuous progress in the Japanese
economy. High production efficiency and quality are achieved with small improvements (kaizen)
via small teams, such as the quality control circle (QCC). The QCC motivates improvements based
on a bottom-up approach and brainstorming. Problem solving based on brainstorming can produce
many problems. Although it can generate numerous ideas, the majority of the ideas are useless due
to the following three reasons: (1) The problem solving did not focus on the key issues. (2) Related
ideas were not discussed; only the knowledge of the involved members was considered in the problem

Reveived: 03/2014; Revised: 10/2014; Accepted: 11/2014

*
Correspondence: Department of Industrial Engineering and Service Management, Chienkuo Technology
University; 1, Chiehshou N. Rd., Changhua City, Changhua County 50094, Taiwan, R.O.C.
E-mail: jackhsu@ctu.edu.tw

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 26 Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on Systematic Innovation TRIZ

solving. (3) The ideas were not proficient (Nakamura, 2003). Kano (1999) suggests that an enterprise
must be sustainable to survive, must attempt to change the status of the existing system (system
innovation), and must create new products, services, and utilities (value innovation). This notion
shows that “system innovation and value innovation” are important for enterprises. Previous practical
applications of the quality control (QC) story lack powerful tools or techniques to effectively solve
problems and develop innovative solutions to problems. Complex problems (such as conflicts in
quality and cost) cannot be solved rapidly. Systematic innovative methods (TRIZ) were developed by
Soviet scientist (Genrich Altshuller) and his colleagues. TRIZ is extensively used around the world
(Domb, 1998a, 1998b). Over the past 50 years, researchers have identified common principles of
problem solving by reading, classifying, and analyzing two million patents; they have determined
that traditional problem-solving methods cannot adequately address the selection of problem-solving
ideas. By converting real problems to standard problems and obtaining standard solutions to standard
problems, an accurate direction of problem solving can be established, as shown in Figure 1.
A powerful solution not only resolves contradictions but also employs idle resources and increases
system ideality. TRIZ can provide basic rules for successful problem solving (Rantanen and Domb,
2002). Deming and Juran (masters of quality philosophy) agreed that “frontline workers or managers
must learn excellent innovation capabilities to achieve quality improvement goals” (Domb, 1998a).
This study integrates the unique concepts and tools of TRIZ for problem solving with the analysis
process of problem solving in a QC story to improve the efficiency of problem solving. To develop a
“rapid and valuable innovation problem-solving process” is the main focus of this study.
This study integrates TRIZ and the traditional process of the QC story. A creative problem solving
QC (CPS-QC) story is developed based on the combination of the analytical process of the QC story
and TRIZ’s tools for creative problem solving. The efficiency of problem solving for businesses and
individuals will be enhanced (Figure 2).
The real case of a mask company in Taiwan is employed in this study. A CPS-QC story will be
used to solve the environment improvement problem of mask exposure equipment. The new problem
solving process can provide rapid and valuable innovative solutions. The six performance indicators of
the manufacturing operations, including cost, quality, and delivery (Miltenburg, 1995), will be used
for evaluation.

Figure 1. The concept of TRIZ problem solving

Source: Mann (2002).

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 Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No. 1 (2016) 27

Figure 2. The integration concept of TRIZ and QC story

Source: This study.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Systematic innovation method (TRIZ)

After World War II, Altshuller and his colleagues discovered similar invention trends among
different engineering systems and technologies after reading, classifying, and analyzing numerous
patents. These types of invention trends can be learned and employed by innovators to increase
systematic and mass-production innovation. Unnecessary trial-and-error approaches and
brainstorming should be avoided (Rantanen and Domb, 2002). TRIZ is a systematic innovation
process in which real problems are converted to standard problems. A standard solution can be
obtained for the standard problem. A standard solution can be converted to a specific solution of a real
problem. TRIZ is popular in the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Korea, Israel, and
Taiwan (Nakagawa, 2000). With the application of TRIZ, innovation is no longer limited to a few
special abilities. Innovative approaches and a systematic procedure enable everyone to be an innovator.
TRIZ primarily focuses on the solution of technical problems that are encountered in the early
stages of development. TRIZ has been recently applied to nontechnical areas. Mann (2001) and
Mann and Domb (1999) applied the evolutionary trends of TRIZ to business management. Liu
(2006) used TRIZ to forecast corporate business strategies. Lin (2004) focused on the development
of patent research based on TRIZ. Product development including software engineering research and
development (Nakawaga, 2005), evolutionary trends of semiconductor devices (Cameron, 2005), and
new product development and design (Ahmed, 2005; Mishra, 2003; Sawaguchi, 2002) are based on
TRIZ techniques. TRIZ provided a comprehensive and systematic approach to problem solving to
enable problems to be solved rapidly and effectively, such as in the product design and development
process (Wang, 2006). TRIZ can help enterprises solve the problems of commodities research and
development, market development and other related issues (Mann and Drier, 2005).
In terms of quality and production management, TRIZ is also extensively used for the integration
of the theory of constraints (TOC), Six Sigma, quality function deployment, the Taguchi method,
value engineering, total quality management and other technologies. TRIZ provides a useful
foundation platform for introducing available technical or manageability tools to complement and
enhance the total efficiency of problem solving (Domb, 1998b; Hashemi, 2006; Mann, 2002). Bauer-
Kurz (2000) integrated the Global-8D process and TRIZ to establish a new process of problem
solving to resolve the defective paint problem in commercial electric heater production. Regardingthe
integration of other problem-solving tools with TRIZ, Hua et al. (2006) explored the integration of
TRIZ with seventeen problem-solving tools between 1995 and 2006.

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 28 Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on Systematic Innovation TRIZ

2.2 QC story
The QC story originated in the Seisakusho Li Tianjin plant, which is located in Komatsu,
Ishikawa in Japan. To improve the performance of the QCC, a structural process for the activity of
the QCC is presented. The output of the QCC can be arranged and presented based on the process,
namely, the QC story (Sugiura and Shanrian, 2003). The QC story is a structural process for the
presentation of QCC activities. It is frequently used in practical problem-solving procedures and
methods (Yang, 2004).
In the middle of the 1980s, business management in Japan experienced numerous challenges due
to the appreciation of the Japanese yen. A considerable number of existing products were reassessed
and improved to increase the competitiveness and advantages of business management. In September
1993, the Japan Research Association of the QCC completed the “subject-reaching-type QC story
for QCC” (Kano, 1999). In June 1994, the “quality improvement procedure (QIP)” was established
by the Japan Science and Technology Alliance based on the subject-reaching-type QC story. The
Japan Science and Technology Alliance decided to completely revise the QCC program in 1995. In
April 1996, this type of Japanese TQC (total quality control) became formally known as total quality
management (TQM).
The problem-solving steps of TQM were based on QC story and integrated with the seven quality
control tools. It has commonly promoted to QCC activities and quality improvement project and
achieved significant improvement (Ohmae, 2006). Generally, a QC story consists of two types: a
“problem-solving type of QC story” and a “subject-reaching type of QC story.” The first type is focused
on the quality as surance of existing problems. The second type emphasizes the creation of desirable
qualities of a new problem of a product or service. Many tools are currently available for problem
solving; the QCC activities and the steps and methods of the QC story comprise an effective approach
to problem solving. Problem-solving activities are the most important counterparts of a QCC. QCC
activities can change the status of and maintain a satisfactory state of management activities. The
continuous prompting of the QCC will ensure the effectiveness of the improvement activities. The
problem-solving type of QC story will ensure complete implementation of the goals of the QCC.
Kai and Jense (1993) investigated 25 Japanese companies, 105 South Korean companies, and 48
Taiwanese companies and determined that QCC activities comprise the most successful method for
systematically improving efficiency and motivating employees. In business management strategy, “quality
incentive activities” are important tasks. If no “quality incentive activities” are employed, TQM cannot
be achieved (Yashio, 1990). The QC story is an integral part of QCC activities. “QC ideas,” “problem-
solving steps,” and “QC tools for improvement” are three key aspects of a successful problem-solvingtype
of QC story (Yang, 2004). In this study, the integration of TRIZ with the traditional process of QC
story will be developed to enhance and ensure acceptable results for QCC activities.

3. MODELING THECPS-QC STORY

The QC story is a common aspect of QCC activities or quality improvement projects. The
output of these improvement activities can be significantly enhanced by a QC story (Kano, 1999).
However, in the process of improvement activities, team or individual brainstorming or engineering
analysis and experiments are critical tools, such as in “topic choice andstatus analysis,” “factor analysis
and countermeasures.” Currently, businesses focus on fast, valuable, and innovative solutions, which
create a significant gap. The TRIZ developed by the global patent analysis, which is a type of process
analysis of problem solving based on scientific knowledge, can be used to provide a scientific, logical,

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 Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No. 1 (2016) 29

and systematic approach to thinking that differs from brainstorming, which is psychological, illogical,
and divergent (Nakamura, 2003). The integration of the TRIZ with the QC story employs unique
problem-solving tools of TRIZ. The main weakness -- the lack of problem-solving tools -- will be
reinforced in the QC story using the TRIZ.
Sugiura and Shantian (2003) proposed the “problem-solving type of QC story,” which will be
considered as the foundation. Four steps ofthe TRIZ problem (Mann, 2002) and the general TRIZ
problem-solving flow (Domb, 1998b) will be considered for building the CPS-QC story. Suitable
tools of TRIZ will be selected to integrate TRIZ with the procedure of the problem-solving type of
QC story. The CPS-QC story involves three phases. The first phase involves the integration of TRIZ’s
problem-solving tools with the topic choice and status analysis in the QC story (Figures 2 and 3).The
second phase involves the integration of TRIZ’s problem-solving tools with the factor analysis in the
QC story. The third phase involves the integration of TRIZ’s problem-solving tools with the creative
counter measure in the QC story.
Based on this three-phase approach, the tools of TRIZ will be integrated with the problem solving
type of QC story (Figure 3). TRIZ tools will be used in suitable steps in the story flow of the problem-
solving-type of QC. All tools will enhance the problem-solving abilities and the creativity of the
solution. The flowchart of the integration of the CPS-QC story is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 3. The structure of creative-problem-solving QC story

Source: This study.

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 30 Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on Systematic Innovation TRIZ

Figure 4. The flowchart of creative problem solving QC story

Source: This study.

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 Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No. 1 (2016) 31

4. CASE STUDY

4.1 Background
In mask companies, the exposure machine (writer) demonstrates the highest percentage
(approximately 40% to 50%) of investment in production equipment. Similar to the high-level
electronic beam (e-beam) writer, it costs more than ten million US dollars. Despite the purchasing
and operating costs of machines, such as the “environment chamber” that exhibits a unique design
and installation, it enables strict control of the environmental temperature, humidity, wind speed,
cleanliness, chamber pressure, magnetic fields, noise, and other parameters. Mask companies must
provide the perfect environment for e-beam lithography machines to produce high-end photomask
manufacturing products. In addition to the construction cost of the central control room, the
maintenance cost is also high. The improvement in management and maintenance of the “environment
chamber” is an important issue. “Exposure” is critical in the front-end process of the photomask
manufacturing process.
The exposure machine is the main process equipment. In the semiconductor industry, yield
control directly determines the productivity. The primary reasons for yield loss are as follows: (1)
parameter exceeds the specification limits or incorrectly defined parameters; (2) process abnormalities
or equipment failure; (3) chemical contamination; and (4) particle pollution. Because the
semiconductor photomask industry is similar to the lithography process, the yield control problem
is the key to capacity (Levinson, 1999). As shown in Figure 5, the particles in the mask will cause
particle defects during exposure. The repair costs in the backend process are exorbitant. If a fatal flaw
(killed defect) is detected, the products should be discarded (reject), which will increase manufacturing
costs, erode profits, and affect product delivery. Therefore, “reduce defects, improve yield” is an
important goal of mask companies. The mission will serve as the primary goal of the production line,
in which “fatal flaw exposure machine improvement” is an important project. This study will use the
CPS-QC story to assist the case company. Using the structural process of a CPS-QC story, innovative,
systematic, and comprehensive problem definition and analysis can be accomplished.

4.2 CPS-QC story

According to the CPS-QC story, the real problems of the case company are sequentially
implemented and described as follows:

Figure 5. The killed defect of mask products

Source: This study.

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 32 Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on Systematic Innovation TRIZ

4.2.1 Step 1: The reason for problem selection

Five or six of the shop staff comprises a group for the establishment of the QCC. The activity
matrix will be used to identify the master problem (Table 1). The problem items B, F, G, and, H score
more than 15 points with the highest priority. After discussions with the QCC members, problem H,
which entails the improvement of the killed defect, will determine the activity topic. Using the TRIZ
9-window analysis (Figure 6), the killed defect affects the yield of the exposure machines and the
future development of the advanced process. An internal subsystem will affect the maintenance, repair
and maintenance costs of development, monitoring plans, and other internal machines. An external
super system will affect the rate of delivery, customer satisfaction, and cost. Thus, the problem of “killed
defectaffect the exposure machine yield” must be effectively addressed. The consolidated results of the
analysis reference 9-windows system indicate that the QCC’s members selected the problem of the
killed defect as the improvement theme.

4.2.2 Step 2: Status analysis of the problem

A Pareto analysis was applied to the scrap pieces of the exposure machines. Scrap materials, such
as a killed defect, accounted for approximately 63.63% of the total quantity of scrap materials. First,
the function/attribute analysis of TRIZ will be adopted to analyze the exposure machine systems and
improve the mutual environmental relations within the component parts (subsystems). The functions
and the problem to be improved have been clearly defined (Figure 7). The main function of the
system is the exposure, the harmful function is the contaminant, and the inadequate function is the
specific environment for the exposure process. The environmental control system includes hardware
facilities, air-conditioning systems, magnetic systems and materials, as well as the tools used in the
environmental control chamber, such as the product transmission box, clean clothing, and gloves.
Figure 7 showed a picture of the entire system. The environmental control system is unable to fulfill
the requirement of special environmental conditions for exposure machines, which will result in the
pollution of the exposure machines or killed defects. The ideal final results (IFR), which employ a
series of questions, are used to establish the idealistic system, the idealistic level of the system and
subsystems, and the requirements for solving the underlying problem. The IFR can be used to define
the problem or solve the problem and facilitate the use of the knowledge effect and the contradictions
problem.

4.2.3 Step 3: Activity plan

To improve the pollution problems of the environmental control system, develop an activity plan.

4.2.4 Step 4: Cause-and-effect analysis

Checklists are used for the cause-and-effect analysis. The items are confirmed by discussion with
the QCC members about the project based on their practical experiences, including contamination of
clothing worn by personnel, contamination of the operator’s gloves, contamination of machine parts,
contamination of the machine feeder box, quality variation in the main material (blank), dynamic
operations pollution, static pollution of clean degree, dynamic pollution of clean degree, and deviation
in the chamber operating pressure deviation. The verification items are classified according to 4M-1E
and the evaluation or detection methods are listed in Table 2. Next, the possible causes of contamination
in the environmental control system will be extended to the fishbone diagram (Figure 8). Based on the
verification method for each item in Table 2, all problems will be checked sequentially. The main cause
of the pollution in the environment control system will be identified. Based on the test results, Item 9

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品質學報23(1)-02 Hsu.indd 33
Table 1. Active matrix for the improvement of killed defect
Quality Team Full Short-term Comprehensive High priority
Team issues Importance Urgency Effectiveness
improvement strength participation solution evaluation (> 14 points)
A: Training ○* △ ○ ○ △ △ ○ 11
Last B: Machine **
◎ △ ◎ △ ○ ○ ◎ 15
remaining maintenance
issues C: Machine
△ ○ △ ◎ ◎ ◎ △ 14
purchasing
D: Excessive testing △ △ △ ○ △ △ ○ 9
Follow-
E: Excessive repair △ ○ ○ △ ◎ ◎ ◎ 12
up process
complaining F: Specifications **
◎ △ ◎ ○ ○ ○ ◎ 16
complex
G: Yield **
△ ◎ ○ ◎ △ ◎ ○ 15
enhancement
Company
H: Fatal flaw **
policy and ◎ ○ ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ 19
improvement
issues
I: Output
○ △ △ ○ ○ ○ ◎ 13
enhancement
J: Delivery time △ △ △ ○ △ △ ○ 9
Voice of
K: Quality ○ △ ○ ○ △ △ ○ 11
customer
L: Price △ ○ ○ △ ○ ○ ○ 12
Source: This study.
Note: * ◎: Good (3 points); ○: Ordinary (2 points); △: Bad (1 point).
**
High priority for the improvement of killed defect.
Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No. 1 (2016)
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 34 Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on Systematic Innovation TRIZ

Figure 6. TRIZ nine windows for killed defect of exposure machine

Source: This study.

Figure 7. The function analysis of exposure function system

Source: This study.

(the deviation of operating pressure in air-conditioning (chamber) is recognized as the primary problem.
The normal value of the pressure deviation is “+2” to “-2” (Figure 8).
Although the test results of Items 1 to 8 were normal, the negative pressure of the air-conditioning
chamber will result in pollution in the chamber by the external space, which exhibits a lower level of
cleanliness. The particles on the indoor table and the killed defects of the product were used to verify

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 Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No. 1 (2016) 35

Table 2. The checklist for the cause effect analysis for the pollution of the environment control system
Project Cause effects Classify (4M1E) Detection method
1 Operators clean room suits pollution man Measurement with clean suits
2 Operator gloves pollution man Measurement with operator gloves
3 Internal machine parts pollution machine Internal transfer test
4 Machine feeder pollution machine Internal and external transfer tests
5 Main material: quality variation of Blank material Inspection of defective products
6 Dynamic operation pollution method Clean measurement
7 Dynamic pollution of cleanliness environment Clean measurement
8 Static pollution of cleanliness environment Clean measurement
9 Pressure deviation of chamber operation environment Operating pressure detection
Source: This study.

Figure 8. Cause effect analysis for environmental control system

Source: This study.

these findings. According to the TRIZ knowledge effect, “inertia change” is a main condition of the
pressure deviation from the classification of attributes in the knowledge effect database. The inertia
change can be checked by the inertia, chamber, and centrifugal force of the air-conditioning system.
After a comprehensive examination of the cause-and-effect/function analysis and knowledge effect, the
fan of the environmental control system was determined to run with a full load; however, the load is
insufficient for maintaining positive pressure in the chamber (Table 3).
Using the functional analysis of the TRIZ, the mutual relations for all components (subsystems) in
the pollution and environmental control system were analyzed. The operational problems of the system
that require improvement have been clearly defined (Figure 9). As shown in Figure 9, the environmental
control system cannot establish a sufficient positive pressure in the environment chamber due to
insufficient air-conditioning equipment output, which will contaminate the mask products. The critical
improvement issue is the environmental control system, which is air conditioned.

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 36 Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on Systematic Innovation TRIZ

Table 3. Cause effect analysis of attributes function

Items Classification Checking point Results
1 Inertia check of the Chamber The output of the air-condition 100% full output with 60 Hz
2 Chamber Leak checking No leak
3 Centrifugal forces Vibration checking Vibration is ok for VC-B standards
Source: This study.

Figure 9. Functional analysis for environment chamber

Source: This study.

A traditional solution is the installation of larger capacity air-conditioning equipment, which

requires a delivery time of approximately 30 days (needs to be imported). The construction period
consists of approximately two days. The mask exposure machine must be shutdown. The one-day
value for the exposure machine output is approximately thirty thousand dollars. Updating the device
costs approximately one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. The traditional solution requires a
total of 32 days. The investment cost of the equipment and the loss in output is approximately one
hundred and eighty thousand dollars. Traditional solutions will result in numerous contradictions and
conflicts, such as cost (including the investment cost of update equipment and productivity losses) and
the complexity of design and construction (including the removal or modification of old equipment,
the shutdown of exposure machines, and construction planning and shop floor management). Using
TRIZ contradiction analysis, conflicting relationships with the problem can be identified. To improve
the room pressure problem of the environment chamber, the traditional solutions for updating air
conditioning equipment capacity produce major contradictions of cost and complexity. These issues
are defined as technical contradictions. The improvement is the pressure of the environment chamber;
the problem is the cost and system complexity.
In resource analysis, Domb (1998b) defined resource as “All the things can be used, including
parts, component, energy, information, functions, within the system or peripheral. Resources can
be combined with the system or subsystem and used to improve or enhance system functionality.”
According to the classification of Mann (2002), six types of resources exist: resources in the
environment, low-cost resources, material resources, special resources, manufacturing process-type
resources, and resources associated with humans. QCC members will check and observe the related
resource of the problem based on the six types of resources. All available resources are listed in Table 4.
Each resource will be analyzed for use or conversion to a useful type.

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 Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No. 1 (2016) 37

Table 4. Available resources of environmental control system

Classification Available resources
Compressed dry air (CDA)
Within the system
Nitrogen (N2)
Cleanroom air-conditional System(C/R system)
Outside air condition(OA)
Energy of the environment control system of nearby exposure machine
Outside the system
Energy of the nearby machines
CDA of the nearby machine
N2 of the nearby machines
The outside temperature and humidity, etc.
Other
Outside wind speed and pressure, etc.
Source: This study.

For the IFR of TRIZ, a contradiction has been identified as a “product is not a Killed Defect”
and “the environmental control system cannot provide non-pollution shop floor” in Step 2, which is
the contradiction of the system and the target problem for improvement. For the analysis of TRIZ,
this case comprises a “contradictory type” and “improvement type” of issue. This research will use
systematic innovation tools, such as TRIZ, to develop fast, valuable, and innovative solutions.

4.2.5 Step 5: Problem solution

After using contradiction analysis for the essential problem between the conflicting relationships,
the target problem of improvement is the “room pressure” of the environmental control chamber
(environment chamber). A traditional solution consists of updating the capacity of the air conditioning
equipment, which will result in a substantial contradiction of air-conditioning equipment for the new
purchase of the increase in total cost and the “complexity” from the construction process required
to update the old equipment. The problem is a contradictory problem and comprises a technical
contradiction. The five steps of technology contradiction can be applied to solve this problem (Mann,
2002).
After discussing the 31 types of evolutionary trends in TRIZ’s technology forecast (Domb,
1998b; Mann, 2002), the evolutionary trend “mono-bi-poly (similar)” can be applied to improve the
environmental control system in the problem. The key concepts and reasons for jump is the quantity
for improving the amount of useful and deliverable functions. It is a feasibility design concept that
QCC members can use to improve the chamber pressure of the environmental control system. “Increase
single group (or multiple groups) of small air-conditioning systems to deliver useful functions.” After
completing a site survey, QCC members considered the lack of shop floor space, which cannot be
used for improvement. However, “mono-bi-poly (similar)” provided an excellent design concept for
the QCC members: the initial system design for a single system should consider the planning and
capacity for future expansion, including system space, function, installation, and the line of motions
for installation. Using the substances field/76 standard solution (Su-field/76 standards) analysis to
improve the environmental control problem (Mann, 2002; Zhao, 2006), the problem is classified as
“Insufficient/Excessive Relationships.” In accordance with the proposed standard solution, to choose a
new field for supporting the system: “Make use of a field that already exists in the environment around
the system” (standard solution #5.2.2) (Mann, 2002) provided field energy to S1 (the environmental
control equipment) (Figure 10). Searching the surrounding environment of the system revealed two

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 38 Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on Systematic Innovation TRIZ

Figure 10. Su-field models

Source: This study.

types of fields that can be applied, including the static field (non-pollution outdoor air system), and
the dynamic pressure source (other clean room space surrounding hydrostatic).
The IFR concepts for increasing benefit and reducing costs and damage are critical in the current
and highly competitive environment. The IFR can be used to guide all feasible solutions of the
QCC members to improvement the ideality of the solutions. The photo mask plant is one of the key
components of the semiconductor industry, in which the main indicators of competition focus on
quality, cost, and time-to-delivery. Therefore, based on the analysis of the IFR, “the use of the dynamic
pressure source (other clean room space surrounding hydrostatic)” will be selected because it can be
achieved without consuming resources outside the clean room and is a low-cost and highly efficient
solution.
Based on various tools and methods of the TRIZ, all solutions obtained by the QCC members
and the list of evaluation results are shown in Table 5. Items 2 and 5 comprise the selection of
solutions that are adapted by the QCC members. Item 2 consists of changing the volume of air
condition in the environment control room: add an adjustable air volume damper under the
raised floor in the central control room for adjusting the air flow plate to control the volume of air
conditioning. Item 5 consists of installing a field to the environment control room and utilizing the
static pressure of other spaces surrounding the clean room space.

4.2.6 Step 6: Confirmation of results

Through measurement and certification of the cleanroom environment system, the static pressure
of the environmental control chamber has been successfully improved from -2.0 pa to +2.1 pa to
achieve the goal of +2.0 pa (killed defect ratio also improved from 63.63% to 25%). These two quality
indicators are the main goals (Table 6).

4.2.7 Step 7: Standardization

After finishing the project of improving the environmental control system, standard operating
procedures (SOP) should be established in accordance with the requirements of the case company.
Standards for implementation and training for related members have been developed. The results of
the operation will be listed for the key items in the shop floor auditing.

5. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

This paper proposed the CPS-QC story, which consists of the combination of the traditional QC
story and TRIZ. TRIZ’s innovative tools and its unique systematic problem solution concept were

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 Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No. 1 (2016) 39

Table 5. The evaluation of the proposal solutions

Solution evaluation
Combination Adapted
no Tools of TRIZ Proposal solutions Trigger Unused
with other or not
contradiction resource
solution
1 Technical Provide extra outside air (OA) Increasing Have Can N
contradiction to chamber in advance: OA energy
can increasing the air-pressure consumption
inside
2 Technical Change the air condition One day for None Can Y
contradiction volume of the chamber: construction,
adding an extra volume the machine
damper under the raised floor should be
of chamber for adjusting air shutdown
flow
3 Trend of Adding extra one or more No additional Have Can N
evolution small-scale air-conditioning space for
system to deliver useful building
functions
4 Su-field Adding extra field: make Increasing None Can N
use of the dynamic pressure energy
from the outside air of the consumption
cleanroom
5 Su-field Adding extra field: make One day for None Can Y
use of the static pressure construction,
surrounding the cleanroom the machine
should be
shutdown
Source: This study.

Table 6. The efficiency of the proposal solution for chamber improvement

The solution of
Traditional
KPI Description Target creative problem
solutions
solving QC story
Static pressure +2.0 pa +2.0 pa* +2.1 pa
Quality
Killed defect ratio 31.82% NA 25.00%
NT$ NT$ NT$
Cost Improvement cost for over all equipment
3,500,000 3,500,000* 1,200,000
35 days
Delivery Improvement time for over all equipment 32 days 11 days
(Five weeks)
Source: This study.
Note: *: Design value.

employed in the quality control process (QC story). The traditional QC story is based on the QCC
and brainstorming for problem solving, which is always insufficient and nonsystematic. The CPS-
QC story integrates the advantages of TRIZ in problem solving. The efficiency will be improved.
Actual case studies, such as the case company, used the CPS-QC story of the environmental control
system of a mask machine to improve its quality. The performance of a CPS-QC story is superior to
the performance of a traditional program. The cost and delivery time of a CPS-QC story is only one
third the cost of traditional programs. The CPS-QC story can improve the competitiveness of the case
company in the mask industry.

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 40 Creative Problem-Solving QC Story Based on Systematic Innovation TRIZ

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 品質學報　23卷1期﹐25-42頁 (2016年2月)
Journal of Quality Vol. 23, No. 1 (2016) DOI: 10.6220/joq.2016.23(1).02

以系統化創新方法 (TRIZ) 為基礎之創新性

問題解決品管歷程
沙永傑1　許勝源2*　陳宏益3
1
中原大學工業與系統工程學系
2
建國科技大學工業與服務管理系
3
國立交通大學工業工程與管理學系

摘要
本研究將建構「創新性問題解決品管歷程」(CPS-QC story) 以改進傳統品管歷程
(QC-story)。透過結合傳統品管歷程及系統化創新方法 (TRIZ) 中獨特之問題解決概念、
發明工具與手法，以補強現有品管歷程流程對問題解決方法之不足。創新性問題解決
品管歷程提供系統化、邏輯化、程序化之方法來解決問題。
實際案例研討中，某光罩公司運用了創新性問題解決品管歷程於光罩曝光機臺環
控系統改善案，品質水準相當於傳統方案，成本與交期只有傳統方案的三分之一，對
於講求競爭的光罩產業，將有明顯貢獻。可見「創新性問題解決品管歷程」(CPS-QC
story) 對光罩產業有明顯助益。
關鍵詞：系統化創新方法 (TRIZ)、品管歷程 (QC story)、團結圈 (QCC)

收件日：103/03；修改日：103/10；接受日：103/11
*
聯絡作者：建國科技大學工業與服務管理系，50094彰化縣彰化市介壽北路1號。
E-mail: jackhsu@ctu.edu.tw

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