Total Productive Management: A Comprehensive Guide In 2021

Introduction

Total productive management or TPM is a process that uses equipment, machines, and employees, along with the supporting processes to improve the integrity and maintain the production and quality of the systems.

1. What is TPM?
2. Benefits of TPM
3. Advantages of TPM
4. 8 pillars of TPM

1) What is TPM?

Total productive management can be a strategy that operates based on the idea that everyone in the facility should participate in maintaining the system. Maintenance should not be responsible solely for the maintenance team. This approach utilizes the skills of every employee and incorporates maintenance into the facility’s everyday performance.

2) Benefits of TPM

While it may seem unachievable to achieve zero defects, zero breakdowns, and zero accidents, today thanks to TPM management, the approach is getting manufacturers closer to making this dream reality. You may have tried out TPM concepts in the past, or you may be new to this concept; it is important to take time and understand what you can gain from it.

TPM is a lean management philosophy that centres on letting a system achieve a nearly perfect level of production. The TPM aims to offer no breakdown, no slow running or small stops, no accidents, and no defects.

TPM emphasizes preventive and proactive maintenance to maximize the productivity and lifespan of any equipment. And this is achieved by empowering its employees to take the responsibility to handle such equipment.

3) Advantages of TPM

TPM goes right from reactive maintenance to a productive maintenance system which is its biggest advantage. When you opt for reactive maintenance, then this is costly. It does not just foot the bill on your for machinery repairs but also deals with the cost you have to bear because of the unplanned downtime. TPM offers not just direct but also many indirect benefits, let us read more about it.

Direct advantages of TPM

• It leads to lower unplanned downtime, and this increases the OEE.
• It reduces client complaints.
• There are lowers accidents in the workplace.
• The manufacturing cost is low.
• The production quality also sees a huge improvement.

Indirect benefits of TPM

• There is an increase in the confidence level of the employee.
• The workplace stays orderly and clean.
• Employees get a sense of ownership that develops a positive attitude in them.
• The company starts to follow proper measures of pollution control.
• There are cross-departmental experience and knowledge shared.

4) 8 pillars of TPM

Total product management is a system that is recognized and used to keep the organization well equipped and in the best shape, which adds value to the business. If this is achieved, then this leads to no or very few defects, fewer accidents, and less downtime.

When applying TPM, just a little amount of maintenance is enough to create a positive effect and bring down the cost. It also increases the productivity of the equipment and increases its lifespan. The entire facility thus starts to operate more efficiently.

The main objective of the TPM is the overall equipment’ effectiveness of OEE, which addresses three main factors, namely availability, performance, and quantity.

Here are the eight pillars of TPM : 

1. Autonomous Maintenance :

This is the pillar that places the basic maintenance obligation into the hands of the operator of the equipment. The maintenance staff is free to take over the expert tasks that require more attention. The operator will be responsible for ensuring that basic maintenance is taken care of like lubrication and cleaning. Downtime is reduced as there is no need to wait for any maintenance staff.

2. Planned Maintenance :

This is where appropriate scheduling of the maintenance tasks is done when equipment is predicted to break down or fail. This lets the company plan on the upkeep and reduces any production needs from getting halted. This reduces the reactive time so that problems can be stopped before there is any large scale malfunction.

3. Quality of Maintenance :

This is where any errors are detected and prevented early so that the defect does not continue down to the production chain. It lets the operators find out what the root cause of the problem is.

4. Focus on Improvement :

Focussed improvement is when the problem occurs, and this creates the need for a cross-functional team. With a range of skill sets and experience, it lets the team solve the problem faster.

5. Early Maintenance of Equipment :

The next pillar involves gathering the previous knowledge of maintenance from the past machinery and then using it on the new equipment. This allows reaching the optimal level in a short time.

6. Training and Education :

All maintenance personals, operators, and managers must be trained in TPM. These can be the learning techniques to ensure proper maintenance and be more aware of how to practice TPM directly, which affects the company’s productivity.

7. Healthy and a Safe Environment:

It ensures that all the employees get a safe condition to work in. Productivity is important, but that comes after safety. It is important that employees feel safe in the workplace, which has a major effect on their attitude towards their organizational roles.

8. Total Productive Maintenance in all the Functions of Office :

TPM should be applied where it can be in the administration section of the company. It ensures that the entire TPM culture is understood by one and all.

Conclusion

TPM is a successful model, and this can be introduced either as a whole or in parts of the organization. Each of the TPM pillars is positive in the workplace and brings in productivity in its ways. However, to maximize the effect of TPM, it must be fully implemented.

When TPM is implemented in an organization, then it offers short-term success. The idea is to sustain this success for the long term, and this is where one needs to focus on the employees. If employees buy the TPM program and envisage the company’s future development, then TPM has the calibre to achieve a powerful effect. An active and engaging leadership with the TPM program is another way to see a sustainable improvement in your organization after adopting TPM.

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