Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a comprehensive, team-based maintenance strategy originating in Japan that aims to maximize Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by eliminating losses and achieving zero breakdowns, zero defects, and zero accidents. It fundamentally shifts the responsibility for routine maintenance from solely the maintenance department to include production operators.

Core Concept:

• TPM is a holistic, company-wide approach that integrates maintenance into the normal production process.
• It emphasizes proactive and preventative maintenance to maximize the operational lifespan and efficiency of equipment.
• Crucially, it involves empowering operators to take ownership of their equipment through Autonomous Maintenance.

Goals:

• Maximize equipment effectiveness (improve OEE by reducing losses).
• Achieve zero breakdowns, zero defects, and zero accidents.
• Involve all employees in maintenance activities.
• Improve skills, morale, and job satisfaction.

Relationship with TQM:

• TPM shares principles with TQM like top management commitment, employee empowerment, and continuous improvement.
• While TQM focuses broadly on overall quality and management systems, TPM focuses specifically on improving equipment reliability and effectiveness as a means to achieve better quality, cost, and delivery.

The 8 Pillars of TPM:

TPM implementation is typically structured around eight key pillars, often built upon a foundation of 5S:

1. 5S (Foundation): Creates a clean, organized, safe, and efficient workplace where abnormalities are easily visible. (Sort, Systematise, Shine, Standardise, Self-discipline).
2. Autonomous Maintenance (Jishu Hozen): Operators perform routine maintenance on their own equipment (cleaning, inspection, lubrication, tightening - CILT). Frees up skilled maintenance staff for complex tasks and increases operator ownership.
3. Planned Maintenance: Systematic implementation of preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance strategies, managed by the maintenance department, focusing on improving reliability and preventing failures based on data and analysis.
4. Focused Improvement (Kobetsu Kaizen): Cross-functional teams systematically identify and eliminate specific major losses (the "16 Big Losses") that impact OEE, using problem-solving tools (e.g., PM Analysis, Why-Why).
5. Quality Maintenance: Focuses on preventing quality defects by ensuring equipment condition does not negatively impact product quality. Links equipment settings and condition directly to quality outcomes.
6. Training and Education: Developing the necessary skills for operators (autonomous maintenance), maintenance staff (advanced diagnostics, repairs), and managers to effectively implement and sustain TPM.
7. Office TPM: Applying TPM principles to administrative and support functions to eliminate waste and improve efficiency in areas like planning, procurement, and information flow.
8. Safety, Health, and Environment: Integrating safety and environmental considerations into all TPM activities, aiming for a zero-accident and environmentally sustainable workplace.

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE):

• A key metric in TPM, OEE measures how effectively equipment is utilized.
• OEE = Availability x Performance Efficiency x Rate of Quality Products
• TPM aims to maximize OEE by systematically reducing the "Six Big Losses" that degrade these three factors (Breakdowns, Setup/Adjustment Losses, Minor Stoppages, Reduced Speed, Defects/Rework, Start-up Losses). Note: The "16 Big Losses" are a more detailed breakdown.

Indian Example:* Companies in India striving for world-class manufacturing, such as Sundram Fasteners or Bosch India, have implemented TPM principles. Operators on the shop floor are trained and responsible for daily autonomous maintenance checks on their machines. Kaizen teams involving operators and engineers work on reducing setup times or eliminating minor stoppages. Planned maintenance schedules are strictly followed for critical equipment. The focus is on preventing problems and maximizing the OEE of their production lines through total team involvement.

TPM represents a cultural shift towards shared responsibility for equipment care and continuous improvement, leading to significant gains in productivity, quality, cost, and safety.