Methodology for acquisition of collective tacit knowledge used in diagnosis of defect cause in industrial processes

VINE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cláudio Roberto Rosário ◽  
Liane Mahlmann Kipper ◽  
Rejane Frozza ◽  
Bruna Bueno Mariani

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to build the MACTAK methodology, which aims to transform collective tacit knowledge into the explicit one using knowledge elicitation techniques, associated to quality tools structured by systemography, represent it in a symbolic language and production rules and model it in two expert systems which can assist the investigation of defect causes during the metal packaging production process. Design/methodology/approach – The method applied in the research was classified as exploratory, because a preliminary study was conducted, to better suit the mapping methodology for eliciting collective tacit knowledge, to the reality which was intended to be known. Through studies and the application of the systemography technique, a methodology for the elicitation of collective tacit knowledge has been developed. It suggests a systematic sequence of activities, to map and transform collective tacit knowledge into the explicit one, on the production process which was studied. Findings – The types of tacit knowledge were mapped and became explicit through the application of the methodology proposed. A knowledge management system was created, as such knowledge was validated by other mechanics during their training on the shop-floor, which resulted in a structure of unique and shared knowledge. They became explicit for being stored in a knowledge base and presented to its users through the expert system. It is concluded that the methodology of acquiring collective tacit knowledge helped on the reduction of rework index by standardizing the way used to investigate the cause of the defect, in the studied company. Research limitations/implications – The MACTAK methodology was developed for exclusive use in industrial processes where the following elements are presented: process, method, environment, raw materials, labor work, measurement and machine. In this method, the detection of the problem occurs from statistical data. Practical implications – The methodology began in August 2010, and in October 2011, obtained as a result a reduction in rework cost equivalent to US$17,780.95. Originality/value – The methodology is unique, as it refers to the systematic use of knowledge acquisition techniques and tools of quality, and the methodology has a characteristic of direct application in manufacturing processes. The beneficiaries, in this case, are mechanicals of production and quality inspectors that work at the operation level in the company. For the organizational and tactical level, the beneficiaries are engineers of production.

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1868-1880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pallavi Sharma ◽  
Suresh Chander Malik ◽  
Anshu Gupta ◽  
P.C. Jha

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the anodising process of a portable amplifier production process to identify and eliminate the sources of variations, in order to improve the process productivity. Design/methodology/approach The study employs the define-measure-analyse-improve-control (DMAIC) Six Sigma methodology. Within the DMAIC framework various tools of quality management such as SIPOC analysis, cause and effect diagram, current reality tree, etc., are used in different stages. Findings High rejection rate was found to be the main problem leading to lower productivity of the process. Four types of defects were identified as main cause of rejections in the baseline process. Pareto analysis resulted in detection of the top defects, which were then analysed in details to find the root cause of the problem. Further study resulted in finding improvement measures that were discussed with the management before implementation. The process is sampled again to check the improvements, and control measures were established. Practical implications The study provides a framework for implementation of DMAIC Six Sigma methodology for a manufacturing firm. The results presented are based on the data collected from the shop floor. Results and findings of the study were implemented for quality improvement of the process. Originality/value The study is based on an original research conducted with the objective of quality improvement in the anodising process of the production process. Besides presenting an approach to DMAIC Six Sigma methodology, an application of the current reality tree tool for root cause analysis is presented, a tool used limitedly in the Six Sigma studies. The tool finds its uniqueness in its ability to address problems relating multiple factors than isolated factors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 815-830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilda Tri Putri ◽  
Lora Seprima Dona

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to redesign the layout of production floor by considering lean manufacturing in order to eliminate the waste and using Block Layout Overview with Layout Planning (BLOCPLAN) algorithm to attain new layout of facilities in Indonesian home-food industry. Design/methodology/approach The common problems that might be appearing in home-food industry, especially in the developing countries like Indonesia are unstandardized production process and unorganized work environment which could produce the waste. One of many solutions to handle this problem is improving the work area (work station) in production floor by rearranging and designing standard operating procedure (SOP) by using lean manufacturing concept. The initial data to minimize the waste is motion time study (data) to identify production standard time. The next step is identifying the common waste(s). Meanwhile, the production floor layout used in this research is designed by using BLOCPLAN algorithm. Findings The recommendation of shop floor facility layout is based on identified waste, which is excess transportation. Subsequently, standard operational procedure (SOP) is developed to support the recommended facility layout as the reference for cookie production process so it can minimize the waste. Research limitations/implications Lean concept is one of method that is widely implemented to reduce the occurrence of defective products and waste that do not provide added value. Based on previous researches, it was found that the concept of lean manufacturing can be applied in various types of service and manufacturing industries, both large companies and small and medium enterprises. Home-food industry competition nowadays is getting intense. This condition makes the stakeholders (of home-food industry, especially in Indonesia) need high performance and productivity to keep their business stable in winning the competition. The new layout can reduce the disadvantages of actual condition. Practical implications This research is useful for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia especially for home-food industry. The BLOCPLAN layout (as the recommendation) has displacement moment with reduction of 40 percent. Social implications This research believed that it can help SMEs improve their productivity in producing cake and cookies in terms of better layout which can reduce worker movement and standardized working procedure. The design of the production facility layout is a method used to rearrange the production process area so that the distance between processes can be minimized. SOPs was provided as the direction and supervision of workers to work according to standards. Originality/value SOP design can support recommended layout as the reference on making the cake (product) to eliminate wastes, which are motion/movement (alternating in production process flow) and long waiting time due to process delays.


2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jongsawas Chongwatpol

Purpose – Since works-in-process (WIPs) are highly vulnerable to defects because of the variety and complexity of manufacturing processes, the purpose of this paper is to describe how to utilize existing analytics techniques to reduce defects, improve production processes, and reduce the cost of operations. Design/methodology/approach – Three alternatives for diagnosing causes of defects and variations in the production process are presented in order to answer the following research question: “What are the most important factors to be included in prognostic analysis to prevent defects?” Findings – The key findings for the proposed alternatives help explain the characteristics of defects that have a great impact on manufacturing yield and the quality of products. Consequently, any corrective action and preventive maintenance addressing the common causes of defects and variations in the process can be regularly evaluated and monitored. Research limitations/implications – Although the focus of this study is on improving shop-floor operations by reducing defects, further experimentation with business analytics in other areas such as machine utilization and maintenance, process control, and safety evaluation remains to be done. Practical implications – This study has been validated with several scenarios in a manufacturing company, and the results demonstrate the practical validity of the approach, which is equally applicable to other manufacturing sub-sectors. Originality/value – This study is different from the others by providing alternatives for diagnosing the root causes of defects. Control charts, costs of defects, and clustering-based defect prediction scores are utilized to reduce defects. Additionally, the key contribution of this study is to demonstrate different methods for understanding WIP behaviors and identifying any irregularities in the production process.


Author(s):  
Nurida Finahari

The art of chisel mask is developed in Tumpang Malang area as part of dance costume fairs, puppet show andcultural ritual, although in its development, this mask sculpture is also sold and become a tourism commodity. The potentialsales of mask sculptures is increasing, especially because of the demanders are foreign tourists, cultural enthusiasts andcomponent of tourism activities. That is, Topeng Malangan has the potential to be developed as an export commodity. Thesales system is still limited to cultural events or when there is a visit of education and tourism to the arts-padepokan. Thisprompted some people around the padepokan to start a home industry to meet the availability of the mask. In general, theproblems encountered by the craftsmen are (1) availability of raw materials, especially for suitable wood species, (2)production equipment, especially for pre-carving process and preservation of product, (3) there is no standard marketingscheme, (4) does not have a business management system, and (5) highly skilled craftsmen are still very limited. The solutionsoffered are divided into three stages: (1) technological strengthening, including strengthening production process technologyand increasing the number of craftsmen; (2) establishing business management; and (3) establishing trademarks, copyrightsand product marketing expansions


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (15) ◽  
pp. 4466
Author(s):  
Pablo Domínguez de María

Nitriles comprise a broad group of chemicals that are currently being industrially produced and used in fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, as well as in bulk applications, polymer chemistry, solvents, etc. Aldoxime dehydratases catalyze the cyanide-free synthesis of nitriles starting from aldoximes under mild conditions, holding potential to become sustainable alternatives for industrial processes. Different aldoxime dehydratases accept a broad range of aldoximes with impressive high substrate loadings of up to >1 Kg L−1 and can efficiently catalyze the reaction in aqueous media as well as in non-aqueous systems, such as organic solvents and solvent-free (neat substrates). This paper provides an overview of the recent developments in this field with emphasis on strategies that may be of relevance for industry and sustainability. When possible, potential links to biorefineries and to the use of biogenic raw materials are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 1017-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ambra Galeazzo ◽  
Andrea Furlan

Purpose Organizational learning relies on problem-solving as a way to generate new knowledge. Good problem solvers should adopt a problem-solving orientation (PSO) that analyzes the causes of problems to arrive at an effective solution. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this relevant, though underexplored, topic by examining two important antecedents of PSO: knowledge sharing mechanisms and transformational leaders’ support. Design/methodology/approach Hierarchical linear modeling analyses were performed on a sample of 131 workers in 12 plants. A questionnaire was designed to collect data from shop-floor employees. Knowledge sharing was measured using the mechanisms of participative practices and standardized practices. Management support was assessed based on the extent to which supervisors engaged in transformational leadership. Findings Knowledge sharing mechanisms are an antecedent of PSO behavior, but management support measured in terms of transformational leadership is not. However, transformational leadership affects the use of knowledge sharing mechanisms that, in turn, is positively related to PSO behavior. Practical implications The research provides practical guidance for practitioners to understand how to manage knowledge in the workplace to promote employees’ PSO behaviors. Originality/value Though problem-solving activities are intrinsic in any working context, PSO is still very much underrepresented and scarcely understood in knowledge management studies. This study fills this gap by investigating the antecedents of PSO behavior.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Ihuoma Oluikpe

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the knowledge processes that interplay in the social construction and appropriation of knowledge and to test these constructs empirically in project teams. Design/methodology/approach – Literature research and quantitative survey were used. The research identified project success, faster completion times, operational efficiency, innovation and generation of new knowledge as dominating project management expectations in the past ten years. It studied how these projects construct and appropriate knowledge within project teams to achieve these five objectives. Using a quantitative approach, data were sought from 1,000 respondents out of a population of 10,000 from 11 project management areas in eight world regions to test the conceptual model in real-world scenarios. The data gathered were analyzed using quantitative analysis tools and techniques such as reliability, correlation and regression. Findings – There is a lingering difficulty within organizations on how to translate tacit knowledge into action. The transfer and utilization of tacit knowledge was shown to be embedded and nested within relationships. Innovation in projects was found to be mostly linked to replication and codification of knowledge (explicit dimension) as opposed to interpretation and assimilation (tacit dimension). Arriving at a mutual interpretation of project details and requirements does not depend on canonical (formal documentation) methods but mostly on non-canonical (informal) and relational processes embedded within the team. Originality/value – This work studies, in empirical and geographical detail, the social interplay of knowledge and provided evidence relative to the appropriation of knowledge in the project organizational form, which can be extrapolated to wider contexts. The work scoped the inter-relational nature of knowledge and provided further evidence on the nebulous nature of tacit/intangible knowledge. It also proved further that organizations mostly rely on explicit knowledge to drive organizational results, as it is easily actionable and measurable.


2013 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manoj Dora ◽  
Dirk Van Goubergen ◽  
Maneesh Kumar ◽  
Adrienn Molnar ◽  
Xavier Gellynck

Purpose – Recent literature emphasizes the application of lean manufacturing practices to food processing industries in order to improve operational efficiency and productivity. Only a very limited number of studies have focused on the implementation of lean manufacturing practices within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the food sector. The majority of these studies used the case study method and concentrated on individual lean manufacturing techniques geared towards resolving efficiency issues. This paper aims to analyze the status of the lean manufacturing practices and their benefits and barriers among European food processing SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data. A total of 35 SMEs' representatives, mostly CEOs and operations managers, participated in the survey. The study investigated the role of two control variables in lean implementation: size of the company and country of origin. Findings – The findings show that lean manufacturing practice deployment in food processing SMEs is generally low and still evolving. However, some lean manufacturing practices are more prevalent than others; e.g. flow, pull and statistical process control are not widely used by the food processing SMEs, whereas total productive maintenance, employee involvement, and customer association are more widespread. The key barriers encountered by food SMEs in the implementation of lean manufacturing practices result from the special characteristics of the food sector, such as highly perishable products, complicated processing, extremely variable raw materials, recipes and unpredictable demand. In addition, lack of knowledge and resources makes it difficult for food processing SMEs to embark on the lean journey. Originality/value – The gap in the literature regarding the application of lean manufacturing in the food sector is identified and addressed in this study. The originality of this paper lies in analyzing the current status of the use of lean manufacturing practices among food SMEs in Europe and identifying potential barriers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Kumar ◽  
Swarup Kumar Dutta

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how firms affiliated to business groups (BGs) are able to improve their innovation capability (IC) when engaged in coopetition (collaboration between competing firms). This study aims to explore the relationship between coopetitive relationship strength (CRS), the extent of tacit knowledge transfer (TKT) and IC as well as examine the moderating effect of both BG affiliation and coopetitive experience. Design/methodology/approach The paper examines inter-firm relationships within the empirical context of Indian manufacturing and service firms, by adopting (ordinary least square) regression analysis to test the various hypotheses. The central thesis is that the TKT in coopetition constitutes an important driver to the IC. Findings The paper provides some evidence that inter-firm CRS influences the extent of TKT, and the extent of TKT affects firm IC. The results support that firms in coopetition gain more if their coopetitive partner has a BG affiliation. In absence of a BG affiliation of any of the coopetitive partners, the buildup of TKT reduces as CRS is increased. Research limitations/implications Additional large-sample of data may attempt to validate relationships. The study, however, did not consider all enablers that are critical for TKT. Despite these limitations, analysis provides important and novel perspectives. Practical implications The paper contributes to develop executives’ practices in understanding potential benefits of coopetitive relationship. The implications of this research are important for managers seeking understanding of the management of coopetition. Originality/value The paper makes a modest attempt to investigate the various scenarios of the presence or absence of the moderation of BGs and its impact on CRS in the buildup of TKT. This is the first attempt to link coopetition to the TKT in the BG literature. This study also contributes to our understanding of coopetition in a non-western context.


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