How to Maintain Total Productive Maintenance Ideals

Total productive maintenance (TPM) is used to improve the quality of production systems within a workplace, working with employees to encourage them to effectively maintain the equipment they are using. The approach aims to cut out breakdowns, slow running, defects, and any accidents which can halt operations, striving for a zero defects production line.

By utilizing employees and equipment through educating the workforce on preventive maintenance techniques, the effectiveness of machinery can be greatly improved to enhance a business's operations, thus enhancing ROI over time. Improvements tend to arise from small changes which are implemented across teams to overcome the known areas for mishaps and faulty machinery.

Standardizing the training of employees on how to correctly use and maintain equipment will involve all departments to ensure everybody is working in line with the new processes. By creating a unified workforce, productivity can be significantly improved and in turn, downtime is kept to a minimum.

Why Introduce TPM Measures?

A predictive workforce means that instead of dealing with issues as and when they occur, they can be avoided in the first place. This method can save huge chunks of money from both repairs and from avoiding downtime, keeping operations running as smoothly as possible. As a result of this, customer complaints are also less of a risk as deadlines and production quantities are more likely to be met, meeting demand and maintaining reputations.

To avoid the need for ongoing repairs or replacements, total productive maintenance should be a key factor in everyone’s working day. An improved mindset means operations improve without the need for unnecessary upgrades or additional needs to hire new personnel. Once every member of staff is aware of the processes, workplace incidents should be kept at bay and this can result in significant improvements in employee confidence levels when they arrive at work. By having a happier workforce off the back of a more organized and efficient workplace, many organizations notice an improved attitude among their employees as everyone can take a level of pride in their duty.

How To Achieve Total Productive Maintenance

Pinpoint the problem areas

Before getting stuck in, it is key to identify the key areas within the business that cause financial loss. Work through every department and analyze them in terms of machinery and processes which may not be meeting operational targets, requiring frequent repairs, or halting production goals.

All members of an organization can benefit from the process at this stage. As well as managers offering insight into their departments, speaking to members of staff who work with equipment firsthand each day can paint a clearer picture of the issues that are faced. As well as identifying the cause of these underlying processes, discuss the best solution available in an ideal scenario and whether this is a realistic prospect.

Analyze the performance of existing equipment

Measure overall equipment effectiveness by analyzing how frequently it experiences downtime, how many repairs have been required, how much volume it produces, and how much money is spent on it. By gathering this data about all key machinery and equipment, any undiscovered issues may arise and this information will become valuable when establishing solutions to create an efficient production environment. 

Maximize the condition of all equipment

Get the current situation in optimal condition to create a basis for the change, ensuring every asset within the business is in full working order. Whether that consists of simply cleaning and oiling machinery or carrying out outstanding maintenance tests or repairs, this will set the foundations for any new processes that are about to be implemented. 

All workspaces should be in full working order, be cleared of clutter, and have sufficient storage in place so all employees can stay organized when working. Once this standard has been set, photos should be taken and everyone should be made aware that this layout is expected to be maintained, helping everyone work in a clean and tidy space that helps them carry out their job with ease.

Keep up with maintenance

Once it’s clear where improvements are needed, keeping on top of the old issues will ensure they do not creep back. A maintenance program should be created that states what action is needed and when ensuring key dates are not missed. Particular attention should be paid to areas that utilize fragile machinery or have intricate processes, minimizing downtime by keeping the equipment in its best working condition. 

Some businesses choose to use a logbook, physically documenting the condition of each asset and the result of inspections, making tracking easy, and highlighting any replacement parts which need to be ordered or any work needed before an issue arises.

Inform members of staff of the new processes

The attitudes and actions of staff members have a huge impact on the day-to-day running of a business. Every member of staff should be informed of the plans, aligning themselves with the objectives and understanding the benefits that it can bring both the company as a whole and them as an employee in their role.

Once total productive maintenance has been embedded into the ongoing processes, vast differences will become visible to business owners, employees, stakeholders, and even customers. The ongoing maintenance should become significantly more straightforward and any new equipment purchased can be implemented with ease, maintaining its efficiency for plenty more time to come.