Total Productive Maintenance

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a set of techniques that are aimed at ensuring that all machines in a production process are always available when they are needed and never break down on the job. This is a neat trick, especially in factories where shifts work around the clock.

A key principles of TPM is to elevate the humble maintenance task to be a serious part of the production process, rather than a bunch of fix-it mechanics or a 'when there's time' activity. It also aims to be more efficient than Preventive Maintenance (PM) which can be over-zealous in its regular servicing, even when it is not necessary.

The 16 major losses of TPM are:

Breakdown
Equipment failure
Set up time
Cutting blade and job change
Start-up
Other downtime
Minor stoppages and idling
Reduced speed
Defects and rework
Waiting for management
Logistics
Operating movements
Measurement and adjustment
Line organization
Die and tool
Energy
Yield

Key principles include:

Continuous improvement
Autonomous maintenance (Jishu Hazen)
Quality maintenance
Material Flow system
Education and training
Office TPM (administration)
Safety, hygiene and environment control
Planned maintenance

The second point, autonomous maintenance, is a big deal in some factories, as it means machine operators no longer just operate: they maintain as well.

In its broadest focus, TPM followed in the tracks of TQM in requiring a high level of management commitment and empowerment of individual employees.

TPM was originated in Nippondenso (a Toyota subsidiary) in Japan.

Total Productive Maintenance

See also: