Ten Cate underwent an ambitious growth program focused on three key objectives: improved delivery reliability, increased output, more consistent product quality. To achieve these goals, the company recognized the need to invest in both efficiency and people, with a particular focus on enhanced operator training and knowledge development.

Beyond the manuals

When examining existing knowledge resources, Ten Cate found comprehensive technical documentation for each production line. These detailed manuals covered the entire production process, but something was missing.

Different departments approached the process from their own unique perspectives:

• Quality control
• Technology processes
• Maintenance services

However, crucial experiential knowledge wasn’t documented. For instance, you won’t find in any manual that you need to look into the first burner to check if the fabric is running tight. That’s the kind of knowledge that comes only with experience.

“Do you hear that soft hum?”

Many Ten Cate operators have decades of experience with their production lines. They know their equipment intimately – from the proper smell of the production hall to the correct sound of the machinery. They can tell at a glance whether fabric tension is correct.

The Technical Department possesses similar intuitive knowledge. They know, for instance, that certain fault reports often indicate nothing more than a loose lid – a quick fix if you know what to look for.

Bringing knowledge together

“We decided to search for a partner who could develop a comprehensive tool for each production line, combining critical process information with empirical knowledge,” explains Mark Oude Aarninkhof, Operations Manager at Ten Cate Protective Fabrics. “We found ELICIT Online, who excel at ‘getting knowledge out of heads,’ as they say – something I can now confirm from experience.”

Four workshops to success

Bert Bouwhuis, an operator and course instructor with 27 years at Ten Cate, participated in mapping the first production line. Wouter Schotborgh from ELICIT Online brought together key team members:

• Two operators/course instructors
• One technologist
• One quality employee
• Two Technical Department staff

“The workshops led to fascinating discussions,” Bouwhuis recalls. “For instance, we debated handling burner failures. While technologists knew that slowing the line causes color variations in the final product, operators like myself focused more on preventing complete line stoppage. We weren’t always aware of how our actions affected the end product.”

After four workshop sessions, they created a comprehensive overview of crucial relationships between settings, production components, and final quality, including troubleshooting instructions. “We’ve successfully combined the intuition of experienced operators with technological, maintenance, and quality knowledge into an easily accessible resource,” Bouwhuis notes.

A versatile tool

Ivo Spaargaren, Operations Director, is impressed with the results: “The tool’s professionalism and its interactive capabilities have exceeded our expectations. All information is instantly available ‘along the line’ via iPad.”

The system serves multiple purposes:

• Immediate reference guide
• Training platform for new operators
• Annual refresher course with built-in testing

“This tool contributes to both operational efficiency and knowledge enhancement,” Spaargaren concludes. “Through the testing questions Elicit developed, we can ensure consistent knowledge levels across our workforce.”