Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a management process for maintaining company machinery and infrastructure, improving productivity, reducing downtime, and eliminating waste. Japanese companies pioneered TPM in the 1960s, and it has since been adopted by Western companies. The process includes regular equipment inspections and preventative maintenance tasks to achieve a high Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and lengthen the functional life of equipment. Employee participation is crucial for TPM success, and training is necessary. The program also emphasizes waste management and resource utilization.
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a part of the management process used for the proper maintenance and repair of company machinery, equipment and infrastructure. One of its primary goals is to improve employee morale and job performance. Proper implementation of Total Productive Maintenance improves productivity and reduces equipment downtime. This reduces production costs and eliminates unnecessary waste.
Japanese companies pioneered the practice of Total Productive Maintenance in the 1960s. Auto manufacturing companies in Japan have found that routine checks minimize equipment failure rates. They spread the concept of preventive maintenance throughout the factory and observed a marked change in productivity. Other industries followed, thus increasing the overall output of the Japanese economy. Western companies discovered this and adopted the process.
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is the measure of equipment efficiency. It is one of the principles on which the Total Productive Maintenance process is based. To achieve a high OEE, workers regularly inspect equipment and perform preventative maintenance tasks. The equipment must also operate at its maximum capacity and its downtime must be as short as possible.
Equipment maintenance typically costs less than equipment repairs. The goal of every manufacturing company is to have no equipment failure. A zero team consisting of technical experts and regular employees is assembled to achieve this. They identify and fix minor equipment problems before those problems become full-blown equipment failures, thus helping to reduce the need for costly repairs.
The functional life of the equipment is generally lengthened when it is properly maintained. This usually optimizes the production of goods. Companies avoid replacing equipment by keeping it in good working condition.
Without employees, Total Productive Maintenance will not be effective. For this reason it is necessary that employees are properly trained in the program. They are taught how to perform basic equipment repair and how to meet the maintenance schedule. Top management usually creates maintenance adjustment procedures that employees are expected to adhere to.
Ancillary employees should also contribute to the program. The importance of employee participation in total productive maintenance is evident from the emphasis placed on maintaining employee morale and job satisfaction. Many companies believe that a happy worker is a productive worker.
Economy is one of the vital concepts of Total Productive Maintenance. It includes two key objectives: waste management and the correct use of resources. The factory tries to produce as many finished products as possible from available materials. It also aims to minimize waste because production waste equals underutilized resources and additional disposal costs.
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