Altshuller found that utilizing principles previously used to solve similar problems in other inventive solutions could solve technical problems. For example: a “wearing problem” in the manufacturing of an abrasive product, and a “wearing problem” with the cutting edge of a back-hoe bucket, were both solved utilizing the principle of “Segmentation.” After discovering this correlation, Altshuller was able to identify 40 such principles from his analysis of successful inventions.