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Introduction Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a management system which helps in optimization of production machinery. It involves employees from all the levels and strives for organized equipment maintenance. TPM reduces the production losses occurring due to repairs and aids to a great extent. No precautions were taken for the maintenance of machinery in the beginning during the 1950’s. However, the factory managers soon realized the importance of preservation of machinery to increase production. During the 1970’s the theory of ‘productive maintenance’ appeared. According to this concept, preventive measures were taken to maintain the machinery according to a specified schedule. The technical or the engineering staff is mainly responsible for the maintenance of the equipment. TPM originated from TQM. TQM had evolved as a result of Dr. W. Edwards Deming's effect on the Japanese industry. The concepts of quality introduced by Dr. Deming were very popular and became a way of life for the Japanese industries. He introduced statistical procedures and the quality management methods that emerged because of them. This new theory of quality is known as Total Quality Management or TQM. Origin The original source of the concept of TPM is debated. According to some, it was invented by American manufacturers about forty years ago. Some say that it was invented by Nippondenso, a Japanese manufacturer of automotive electrical parts in the late 1960’s. The concepts associated with TPM were derived and executed in the Japanese industries by Seiichi Nakajima, an officer with the Institute of Plant Maintenance in Japan. The first widely held TPM conference took place in the United States in 1990. The concept of TPM followed the theory of productive maintenance. The theory of productive maintenance was not appropriate for the maintenance environment. According to the theory of TPM, everybody from the workers to the top management is involved in the equipment maintenance. Everybody in the organization feels that it is his moral duty to maintain the machinery. The operators of the machines examine, clean, oil and alter the machines themselves. They, even perform simple calibrations on their machines. Simply put, everybody in the organization is familiar with terms like zero breakdowns, maximum productivity and zero defects. TPM gives a lot of freedom and at the same time provides a sense of responsibility in the employees. TPM is an effort that requires some time for effective implementation. It is initially carried out in small teams and gradually it spreads in the entire organization. Application The application of the TPM concepts in an organization requires total commitment from the entire staff. It is imperative to hire a TPM coordinator for the purpose. The job of the TPM coordinator is to disseminate the knowledge of TPM concepts among the employees. It is not an easy task to convince the employees to change their routine way of working to a new way. When the coordinator is convinced that the work force is able to comprehend the TPM concepts, the action teams who would carry out the TPM program are formed. The operators of the machine, maintenance personnel, supervisors and upper management are included in a team. These are people who have a direct bearing on the issue at hand. Each team member is held equally responsible for their actions. The TPM coordinator heads the team until the concepts are practically put to use and the team members become proficient with them. The teams often begin by addressing small problems and move on to solve the problems involving complexity. The tasks of the action teams include indicating the problem areas, specifying a course of action and implementing the corrective measures. In good TPM programs, the team members pay a visit to the cooperating plants to study and evaluate the work in progress using the TPM methodology. The comparative process is a measurement technique and a significant aspect of the TPM methodology. Ford, Eastman Kodak, Allen Bradley and Harley Davidson are some of the big names using the TPM methodology. There is tremendous hike in productivity by making use of the methodology. Also, there is a great reduction in down time, decrease in the stock of spare parts and increase in the number of on-time deliveries. TPM is the done thing these days. The importance of TPM in some companies is such that their success depends on it. It is suited for all kind of industries like construction, transportation and many other industries. The most important consideration for a TPM program remains full commitment from the entire work force because it would result in high ROI. |
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