Knowledge Source, Knowledge Element and Knowledge Levels Relations

Conclusion of Knowledge Source, Knowledge Element and Knowledge Levels Relations

Die Design	Knowledge		Information and Knowledge Sources	Learning Process (%)
	Grouping	Levels		Formal	Informal
Die Drawing and Detail	Basic drawing.	Generic  3/16=19% General   6/16=38 % Specific  4/16=25% Case   3/16=19 %	Classroom/Workshop practice  Textbook/ Literature / Report    Instructor/Lecturer/Speakers     Expert /Technologist training    Solving/Direct Experience         Foreman/Engineer suggestion   Catalogue/ Handbook /Manual  Academic/Standard/ Rule	22 15 21 4 - - - 12	- - - - 4 28 12 -
	Basic parts detail.
	Basic tools.
Process Planning	Die Classification.	Generic 0/39=0 % General 16/39=41% Specific 19/39=49% Case 4/39=10 %	Instructor/Lecturer/Speakers   Textbook/ Research/Reports   Classroom/Workshop practice  Observe & Sharing Experience Magazine/Website/ Brochure    Solving/Direct Experience        Foreman/Engineer suggestion   Catalogue/Handbook/Manual    Drawing/Customer/ Supplier	9 7 2 - - - - - -	- - - 7 4 38 24 4 4
	Process Classifications.
	Process   layout.

Calculation and Analysis	Work piece dimensional.	Generic 0/16=0  % General 3/16=19% Specific 10/16=63% Case  3/16=19%	Classroom/Workshop practice   Instructor/Lecturer/Speakers     Textbook/ Literature / Reports  Foreman/Engineer suggestion    Catalogue/ Handbook /Manual     Solving/Direct Experience        Academic/Standard/ Rule         Onsite / Specific Training         Expert /Technologist training	9 17 4 - - - 4 4 22	- - - 9 26 4 - - -
	Work piece deformation.
	Die & parts    dimensional.
Manufacturing Consideration (Proof and Optimization)	Materials Optimization.	Generic  0/24=0% General 1/24=4 % Specific 16/24=67% Case 7/24=29%	Drawing/Customer/ Supplier    Classroom/Workshop practice  Textbook/ Literature / Reports  Instructor/Lecturer/Speakers     Expert /Technologist training    Observe & Sharing Experience Academic/Standard/ Rule         Catalogue/ Handbook /Manual     Foreman/Engineer suggestion	6 13 6 3 6 - - - -	- - - - - 42 10 3 10
	Manufacturing Optimization.
	Quality           Consideration.

Summary and Discussion

Summary

Form the result; we can summarize all of target show in table 7

Table 7: Summarization of Knowledge Source Relates to Learning Process and Dies Design Basic Education

	Information and Knowledge Sources	Learning (%)	Education (%)
Formal Learning	Academic/Standard/ Rule Textbook/ Literature / Reports Instructor/Lecturer/Speakers Classroom /Workshop practice Onsite / Specific Training Expert /Technologist training	6 8 12 11 1 8 (46)	Formal Education 0.31
Informal Learning	Magazine/Website/ Brochures Catalogue/ Handbook /Manual Drawing/Customer/ Supplier Observe & Sharing Experience Foreman/Engineer suggestion Solving/Direct Experience	1 11 1 12 17 12 (54)	Informal Education 0.69

From the conclusion table; we can see the best knowledge source form formal learning process is Instructor/ Lectures / Speakers 12 %. The best knowledge source from informal learning process is Forman/Engineer suggestion 17%.   The best knowledge source of die design come from foreman and engineer suggestion. Secondary is, Observe & Sharing Experience Foreman/Engineer suggestion and Instructor/Lecturer/Speakers. All learning process shows that Thai die designer got the die design knowledge form informal learning more than formal learning process. The die designer they told that 31% they got the die design knowledge form basic education, and 69 % form informal education.

For the questions did we ask for knowledge levels? We would like to check for die designer ideal about the difficulty of die design knowledge. The percentage of case knowledge 21%, specific knowledge 47%, general knowledge 27% and generic principle 5%. That means are all most of die design knowledge still difficult to understanding.

Discussion

For all summarized we found that informal learning process more efficiency than formal learning process. Carnevale, Gainer, & Villet (1990), two of three workers say that everything they need to know being learned on the job, rather than in the classrooms. The findings of this study show that informal learning process more efficiency for studies die design method than formal learning process.  We know from many where the suitable source for basic design should be documenting and publications, such as:  B.J. Hicks et al show the informal sources for product design are textbook and any publications. So they need to see and do by themselves are the best process. However in these, the die design knowledge so difference. The die design knowledge still in human source, and they have no best document source. Because the die designs knowledge is very complex and difficult to explain. We can see the designer said, 47%die design knowledge is in specific levels. That means the die designer said all most of die design knowledge still high level or difficult to study. Then we have to try to movement and develop source for the die design knowledge more efficiency.  If we can do that, it dose mean we take the case knowledge to general knowledge by anyway.  All most of die design knowledge are in the human resource or tacit knowledge. Then the experts and instructors have to co-operate project generation for knowledge transfer. That is the best way for movement case knowledge and specific knowledge to general and generic principle. It may be faster for make the one who interested in die design knowledge to die designer and die design expert.

Acknowledgements

We give many thanks to the participants involved in the studies, for their honesty, openness and ideas. We also give thanks to director and employees of KSC company limited who helped organize the main study. We thank the experts of Thai Tool and Die Industry Association (TDIA).