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Small/Medium Enterprizes (SMEs) of the industrial subsector of metallic constructions suffer of lack of means and knowledge to apply quality and process control. This paper deals with the design of a Technical Support Center (TSC), capable to provide the required knowledge to SMEs, by using as a knowledge vehicle the remedial advice offered by the TSC when defects are observed in the products without any evidence about the causing fault in the production line. For this purpose, a methodological framework has been developed under the form of an algorithmic procedure, including 26 activity stages and 8 decision nodes. Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) in its fuzzy version (to deal with uncertainty) was adopted as an inference engine for knowledge extraction and know-how transfer. An implementation referring to the anodization of aluminium is presented, with emphasis on cause-of-fault investigation/identification and communication protocols functioning. The relation of this procedure with (i) a complex/modified Nonaka model and (ii) 2nd order cybernetics is discussed while a university spin-off is suggested as mostly suitable to play the role of STC, inasmuch as this view is further supported through experience accumulated into the Laboratory of Simulation of Industrial processes at our Department.