Chapter 5 - Improving process design: Knowledge sharing in aluminum foundries

Abstract

This chapter describes a knowledge management system that troubleshoots the manufacturing process in aluminum die-casting foundries in the U.K. Established in 1974, Wilson & Royston has subsidiaries in the U.K., U.S., Spain, and Mexico. They combine their manufacturing experience with state-of-the-art technology and integrated CAD/CAM to provide a specialist service for pressure die-casting tools, plastic and rubber injection, compression and transfer moulds, jigs, fixtures, and press tools, plus a precision machining service. Certain types of problems are common enough for foundry staff to know what to do without having to refer to any kind of records or documentation. Less common failures are more likely to be problematic because the experience gained from fixing such a problem on a previous occasion is more likely to be lost. Even if the information was recorded, finding the appropriate records when required can prove difficult, especially with paper-based systems. This makes case-based reasoning (CBR) an obvious knowledge management methodology to use. Knowledge management methodologies such as CBR can be usefully employed for troubleshooting and retrieval of knowledge for other purposes. The raw material for a case-based knowledge management system can often be found in existing paper-based systems.