Copying solutions is ineffective for three reasons. First, you might have a different problem. Consider, for example, copying answers from the kid next to you in class, only to find out that he took a different test with different questions. Second, the enabling culture and infrastructure that make a solution work in another plant are likely to be different from those in your plant, leading to unpredictable results. Third, and perhaps most important, you aren't earning the knowledge for yourself. If you copy the answer without learning how to work through the problem, your knowledge will be only superficial.
To benefit from visiting a successful company, you have to learn to look beneath the surface. If you return with nothing more than notes such as "they were really nice, it was incredibly clean or I can't believe how many metrics they had," then you have fallen into the habit of what we call industrial tourism-you had a great visit, but all you have are these lousy pictures.