“If the worker hasn’t learned, the instructor hasn’t taught.”
To make you see the same consequence of poor training that failed to pass on knowledge and skills to do the job correctly, this scenario is just to help you to visualize it.
This case study involving a common but high-stakes error in the Powder Coating department. This example demonstrates how “poor training” (telling someone what to do without verifying they understand the “Why”) leads to a massive loss.
Case Study: The “Invisible Mistake”
Location: Automated Powder Coating Line (AAMA 2605) The Worker: Somchai, a new operator (2 weeks on the job). The Task: Monitoring the electrostatic spray tension for a batch of black fence rails destined for a U.S. distributor.
1. What Happened (The Incident)
Somchai noticed the powder wasn’t “sticking” well to a few rails. Remembering his supervisor once said, “If it looks thin, just turn up the voltage,” Somchai cranked the electrostatic setting to maximum. He didn’t realize the grounding hook was dirty, creating a “back-ionization” effect.
By the end of the shift, 400 fence panels had been coated. After coming out of the curing oven, the finish looked okay to the naked eye, but it failed the Adhesion Cross-Hatch Test the next morning. The coating would peel off within six months of being installed in the salty Florida air.
2. The Cost of the Error
Material Loss: 400 panels worth of premium AAMA 2605 powder.
Labor Loss: 8 hours of line time + 16 hours of “re-work” (sandblasting the bad coating off).
Shipping Delay: The U.S. container was delayed by 3 days, risking a contract penalty.
3. Why Poor Training Was the Root Cause
When Somchai was hired, his supervisor used “Casual Training” instead of the TWI Job Instruction (JI) method:
No JBS: There was no written Job Breakdown Sheet at the station for Somchai to reference.
“Told” but not “Shown”: The supervisor told him about the voltage dial but never showed him how to identify a “dirty ground hook” (a Key Point).
No “Try-Out”: The supervisor didn’t have Somchai explain why the voltage shouldn’t exceed a certain limit. Somchai thought “more is better.”
Lack of “Follow-Up”: The supervisor didn’t check Somchai’s work after the first hour, assuming he “got it.”
Curriculum
6 Sections
16 Lessons
4 Hours
Expand all sectionsCollapse all sections
Module 1: Job Instruction (JI) – Standardizing Skill Transfer
PPE คืออะไร อุปกรณ์ป้องกันอันตรายส่วนบุคคล หรือมักจะถูกเรียกสั้นๆว่า PPE ซึ่งย่อมาจากคำว่า Personal Protective Equipment เป็นอุปกรณ์ที่บุคคลสวมใส่เพื่อลดความรุนแรง...
PPE คืออะไร อุปกรณ์ป้องกันอันตรายส่วนบุคคล หรือมักจะถูกเรียกสั้นๆว่า PPE ซึ่งย่อมาจากคำว่า Personal Protective Equipment เป็นอุปกรณ์ที่บุคคลสวมใส่เพื่อลดความรุนแรง...