TPM/ Reliability

“Lean Manufacturing cannot happen in a factory that lacks dependable, effective equipment.” from TPM for the Lean Factory; Ken’ichi Sekine, Bridgestone Tire Corporation

TPM, Total Productive Maintenance, is an often misunderstood concept in industry.  Most people think that TPM refers to machine operators becoming involved in the maintenance process.  And that in fact is a component of TPM, but there is so much more.  TPM is a company-wide, team-based effort to build quality into equipment and to improve overall equipment effectiveness.  One definition reads as follows:

• Total
  • all employees and management are involved
  • it aims to eliminate all accidents, defects and breakdowns
• Productive
  • actions are performed while production goes on
  • troubles for production are minimized
• Maintenance
  • keep in good condition
  • repair, clean, lubricate

Benefits of TPM include:

• Higher Reliability
• Lower Total Maintenance Costs
• Increased Capacity
• Maintenance Becomes a Contributor to the Firm’s Bottom Line
• And VERY Important… Life won’t be one maintenance crisis after another…there will still be occasional problems and breakdowns but life will get better.

The Dual Goal of TPM is to achieve Zero Breakdowns and Zero Defects by:

• Maximizing Production System Efficiency (OEE)
• Addressing Entire Equipment Life Cycle and Building a Shop Floor Based System to Prevent All Losses
• Involving All Departments, from Design to Manufacture
• Everyone Participating from Top Management to Shop Floor Employees
• Achieving Zero Losses Through Overlapping Team Activities
  

TAG’s Maintenance and Reliability professionals will work with you and your team to implement the eight pillars of TPM:

• Focused Improvement
• Autonomous Maintenance
• Planned Maintenance
• Maintenance Training
• Early Equipment Management
• Quality Maintenance
• Administration
• Safety and Environment

Contact TAG today to see if implementing TPM can produce bottom-line results for your organization