3 - Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

Abstract

The very foundation of Lean Maintenance is Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). TPM is an initiative for optimizing the reliability and effectiveness of manufacturing equipment. TPM is team-based, proactive maintenance and involves every level and function in the organization, from top executives to the shop floor. TPM addresses the entire production system life cycle and builds a solid, shop-floor-based system to prevent all losses. TPM objectives include the elimination of all accidents, defects and breakdowns. TPM is not a short-lived, problem-solving, maintenance cost reduction program. It is a process that changes corporate culture and permanently improves and maintains the overall effectiveness of equipment through active involvement of operators and all other members of the organization. TPM requires sponsorship and commitment from top management in order to be effective. Safety is a cornerstone of TPM. The basic principle behind TPM safety activities is to address dangerous conditions and behavior before they cause accidents. Workplace organization and discipline, regular inspections and servicing and standardization of work procedures are the three basic principles of safety—all are essential elements in creating a safe workplace. In fine-tuned TPM, or Lean Maintenance operations, the Maintenance Engineering Group takes on the additional responsibility of performing Reliability Engineering. In combination with other proactive techniques, reliability engineering involves the redesign, modification or improvement of components or their replacement by superior components.