Mixing Formulation Graphs for Correlated Rate Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing formulation design assistance devices struggle with adjusting material formulation rates while maintaining an overall understanding of the formulation's image, as they lack effective methods to manage correlations and groupings of materials.

Innovation Solution

A formulation design assistance device that displays formulation rates as a combination of figures with adjustable areas, allowing adjustments within fixed sums or ratios, and uses machine learning to predict performance values, while incorporating correlation detection and group assignment to guide adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If formulation rates are adjusted using existing devices, then prediction accuracy can be maintained, but it becomes demanding to adjust formulation rates while understanding the overall image of a formulation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprediction accuracyVSAvoidease of adjusting formulation rates
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The formulation is segmented into multiple groups based on correlation detection, with each group representing materials that have correlated formulation rates. This segmentation allows workers to adjust formulation rates group-by-group while maintaining awareness of the overall formulation structure, resolving the contradiction between prediction accuracy and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A formulation graph serving as an intermediary visual interface is introduced between the worker and the formulation data. This graph displays grouped materials with their formulation rates and correlations, enabling workers to make informed adjustments while understanding the overall formulation image, thus improving ease of operation without sacrificing prediction accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If formulation rates are adjusted without considering correlations, then adjustment flexibility increases, but indeterminate performance predictions occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment flexibilityVSAvoidreliability of performance prediction
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Correlations among formulation rates are detected and groups are assigned in advance before the worker performs adjustments. This preliminary action establishes the structural constraints that must be maintained during adjustment, allowing workers to flexibly adjust within groups while ensuring that correlation-based reliability requirements are not violated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to the worker through the formulation graph, showing which materials belong to which groups and how adjustments affect the overall formulation. This feedback mechanism guides workers to make adjustments that maintain correlation relationships, ensuring reliable performance predictions while preserving adjustment flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4621542A1Mixing design assistance device, program, and mixing design assistance method
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 RESONAC CORP
  • EP4621542A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4621542A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4621542A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A formulation design assistance device is configured to cause a worker to adjust formulation rates of materials. The formulation design assistance device includes a formulation display controller configured to display, on a formulation adjustment screen, a formulation represented by a combination of figures having areas in accordance with the formulation rates; a formulation rate adjustment reception unit configured to receive adjustment of the formulation rates in accordance with a changing operation by the worker with respect to the areas of the figures; and a predicted performance value display controller configured to display a predicted performance value of the formulation.