Tribalknowledge

What this skill does

# TribalKnowledge - Expertise Preservation System

**Purpose:** Extract, structure, and preserve the hard-won knowledge in your machinists' heads before they retire or leave.

## The Problem

- Average machinist age: 55+
- Years to develop expertise: 10-20
- Time to capture it: Now
- Cost of lost knowledge: Scrap, rework, downtime, lost customers

## When to Activate

- "Capture what Dave knows about the Swiss machines"
- "Document troubleshooting for [problem]"
- "Interview template for machinist knowledge"
- "What tips do we have for [operation/material/machine]?"
- "Add tribal knowledge entry"
- Before someone retires or leaves

---

## Knowledge Categories

### 1. Machine-Specific Knowledge

#### DMG MORI Mills (NMV3000, DMU50, NHX500)
```yaml
Category: Machine Tips
Machine: [specific model]
Topics:
  - Warm-up procedures
  - Spindle characteristics
  - Known quirks/issues
  - Best practices for accuracy
  - Pallet system tips
  - CELOS shortcuts
  - Probe calibration secrets
  - Coolant management
```

#### DMG MORI Lathes (NLX2500, ALX2000)
```yaml
Category: Machine Tips
Machine: [specific model]
Topics:
  - Chuck pressure settings by material
  - Sub-spindle synchronization
  - Live tooling alignment
  - Bar feeder setup tricks
  - Tailstock usage
  - Steady rest positioning
  - Tool turret indexing issues
```

#### HARDINGE
```yaml
Category: Machine Tips
Machine: Hardinge Twin Spindle
Topics:
  - Achieving ±0.003mm consistently
  - Temperature compensation
  - Collet selection
  - Transfer accuracy
  - Spindle warm-up ritual
```

#### CITIZEN Swiss
```yaml
Category: Machine Tips
Machine: [Laser Head / LFV]
Topics:
  - Guide bushing selection and setup
  - Oil viscosity effects
  - LFV parameter tuning
  - Gang tool alignment
  - Bar stock quality issues
  - Chip evacuation
  - Sub-spindle pickup
```

#### MITSUBISHI EDM
```yaml
Category: Machine Tips
Machine: [Wire / Spark]
Topics:
  - Wire threading tricks
  - Cutting hardened materials
  - Surface finish optimization
  - Electrode wear compensation
  - Flushing strategies
  - Dielectric maintenance
```

#### Haas
```yaml
Category: Machine Tips
Machine: [Mini Mill / Tool Room Lathe]
Topics:
  - Quick setup tricks
  - Vice alignment
  - Tool length shortcuts
  - When to use vs. production machines
```

---

### 2. Material-Specific Knowledge

```yaml
Category: Material Tips
Material: [e.g., 316 Stainless Steel]
Properties:
  - Machinability notes
  - Work hardening behavior
  - Chip formation
  - Heat sensitivity
Recommended:
  - Cutting speeds
  - Feed rates
  - Depth of cut limits
  - Tool grades
  - Coolant type
Warnings:
  - Common failures
  - Things to avoid
Machine_Specific:
  - Best machine for this material
  - Special settings
```

#### Common Materials at MNMUK
- Aluminium (6061, 7075, 2024)
- Stainless (303, 304, 316, 17-4PH)
- Steel (4140, 4340, 1018, 1045)
- Tool Steel (D2, H13, S7, A2)
- Titanium (Ti-6Al-4V, CP Ti)
- Inconel (718, 625)
- Brass/Bronze
- Plastics (Delrin, PEEK, Nylon)

---

### 3. Operation-Specific Knowledge

```yaml
Category: Operation Tips
Operation: [e.g., Thread Milling]
Applicable_Machines:
  - List of machines
Setup:
  - Key setup considerations
Parameters:
  - Recommended starting points
  - Adjustment guidelines
Quality:
  - How to verify
  - Common issues
Troubleshooting:
  - Problem → Solution pairs
```

#### Key Operations
- OD Turning (rough/finish)
- ID Boring
- Threading (single-point, thread mill, tapping)
- Drilling (standard, peck, gun)
- Face milling
- Pocket milling
- Contouring
- 5-axis simultaneous
- Wire EDM profiling
- Spark EDM cavities
- Swiss sliding head turning
- Part-off operations
- Knurling
- Grooving

---

### 4. Troubleshooting Knowledge

```yaml
Category: Troubleshooting
Problem: [Clear description of symptom]
Symptoms:
  - What operator sees/hears/measures
Possible_Causes:
  - Cause 1
  - Cause 2
  - Cause 3
Diagnosis:
  - How to identify root cause
Solutions:
  - Solution for each cause
Prevention:
  - How to avoid in future
Machine_Specific: [if applicable]
Added_By: [Name]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
```

#### Common Problem Categories
- Dimensional issues (oversize, undersize, taper)
- Surface finish problems
- Tool wear/breakage
- Chatter/vibration
- Chip control issues
- Machine alarms
- Coolant problems
- Workholding failures

---

### 5. Setup Secrets

```yaml
Category: Setup Secret
Title: [Descriptive title]
Applies_To:
  - Machine(s)
  - Operation(s)
  - Part type(s)
The_Secret:
  - What to do (step by step)
Why_It_Works:
  - Explanation
Time_Saved: [estimate]
Discovered_By: [Name]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
```

---

### 6. Customer/Part-Specific Knowledge

```yaml
Category: Customer Knowledge
Customer: [Name]
Part_Numbers:
  - List of parts
Special_Requirements:
  - Quality expectations
  - Packaging
  - Documentation
  - Certifications
History:
  - Past issues
  - What worked
  - What to avoid
Key_Contacts:
  - Name, role, preferences
```

---

## Knowledge Capture Templates

### Quick Capture (5 minutes)

Use this for capturing knowledge on-the-fly:

```markdown
## Quick Tip

**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**From:** [Name]
**Category:** [ ] Machine [ ] Material [ ] Operation [ ] Troubleshooting [ ] Setup
**Machine:** [if applicable]
**Material:** [if applicable]

### The Situation
[When does this apply?]

### The Tip
[What's the knowledge?]

### Why It Matters
[What happens if you don't know this?]
```

### Structured Interview (30-60 minutes)

Use this for deep knowledge extraction sessions:

```markdown
# Knowledge Capture Session

**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Expert:** [Name]
**Interviewer:** [Name]
**Years Experience:**
**Specialty Areas:**

---

## Opening Questions

1. What machine(s) do you know best?
2. What's the trickiest material you work with regularly?
3. What job are you most proud of getting right?

---

## Machine Deep-Dive: [Machine Name]

### Setup
- What's the first thing you do when setting up a new job?
- What do most people forget or skip?
- What's your warm-up routine?

### Running
- How do you know when something's about to go wrong?
- What sounds/vibrations do you listen for?
- What do you check during a long run?

### Troubleshooting
- What's the most common problem on this machine?
- Walk me through your diagnosis process
- What's a problem that looks like X but is actually Y?

### Tips
- If you could tell a new operator one thing about this machine?
- What took you years to figure out?
- What does the manual not tell you?

---

## Material Deep-Dive: [Material]

- What's different about machining this vs. mild steel?
- What tool grades work best?
- What feeds/speeds do you actually use (vs. book values)?
- How do you handle chip control?
- What coolant settings?
- What failures have you seen?

---

## Operation Deep-Dive: [Operation]

- Walk me through your approach
- What's the critical step most people rush?
- How do you verify quality?
- What's your backup plan when it's not working?

---

## Problem Scenarios

"What do you do when..."

1. [Specific problem 1]
2. [Specific problem 2]
3. [Specific problem 3]

---

## The Question

"If you were retiring tomorrow and could only pass on three things, what would they be?"

1.
2.
3.

---

## Follow-Up Items
- [ ] Item to clarify
- [ ] Documentation to create
- [ ] Demonstration to observe
```

### Exit Interview Checklist

When someone is leaving, capture:

```markdown
# Exit Knowledge Capture: [Name]

**Last Day:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Years at MNMUK:**
**Primary Machines:**

## Critical Knowledge Areas

### Must Capture Before They Leave
- [ ] [Specific knowledge item 1]
- [ ] [Specific knowledge item 2]
- [ ] [Specific knowledge item 3]

### Jobs Only They Know How to Run
| Part Number | Customer | What's Special |
|-------------|----------|----------------|
| | | |

### Relationships
- Key customer contacts they manage
- Supplier relationships
- Internal people they mentor

### Undocumented Processes
- Things they do that aren't in any setup sheet
- Workarounds they've dev