TPM Tips
TIP #1:
The formal announcement of management’s intent to embark on TPM seems a simple task, but it must be positioned and structured correctly for maximum impact on the organization. A general announcement from the plant manager should be followed up with structured inter-department and team communication with each communication providing more and more detail about the program in terms of what’s in it for the employee and how it will impact what they do. Employees recognize the significance of the event only if management delivers a clear, consistent message and will buy-in if they fully understand the impact on them individually.
Source: Ellis New, Senior Management Consultant, Productivity Inc. Ellis has over 20 years experience implementing TPM and Lean. Ellis will be a presenter at the TPM Conference.
TIP #2:
Most organizations schedule their PM activities based on a specified time period, but this may not be the most affective approach. Machine parts wear at different intervals, therefore, periodic maintenance or overhaul intervals should be determined by the machine parts with the shortest lives. This suggests a switch over from time based maintenance to condition based maintenance.
Source- Ellis New, Senior Management Consultant, Productivity Inc. Ellis has over 20 years experience implementing TPM and Lean. Ellis will be a presenter at the TPM Conference.
TIP #3:
Basic training for production and maintenance personnel should emphasize on –the-job training and self-development in the workplace. At the same time, a sustained, long-term skill-development program tailored to the needs of the individual and individual workplaces is essential to enable people to cope with today’s rapid technical progress and advancing automation. In the long run, the best way for a company to achieve their objectives is to develop people with excellent skills and abilities, tap into their unlimited potential, and encourage them to take on greater and greater challenges.
Source: TPM in Process Industries, by Tokutaro Suzuki, published by Productivity Press, 1994
TIP #4:
Label gauges so abnormalities can be detected by anyone at a glance and from a distance. This simplifies training in autonomous maintenance programs and enhances efficiency when conducting route-based PM inspections.
Source: Chris Rutter, Senior Marketing Manager, Brady Corporation. Chris has over 12 years experience helping organizations with visual management. Brady Corporation will be an exhibitor at the TPM Conference.
TIP #5:
Operators work the hardest when things go wrong (they have to make decisions or get other people involved in taking some action). If the "things gone wrong" were eliminated, operators could focus on continuous improvement. Using their expertise to do continuous improvement, if given the time, is what makes operators feel as if they are empowered. Implementation of the Pillars of TPM eliminates the "things that could go wrong" by introducing a systematic step-by-step process that contains built-in improvement, sustainment and, problem solving activities.
Source: David Rowland, Managing Director of Milliken Performance Solutions, Milliken & Company. David has over 25 years experience implementing Lean and TPM. David will be a presenter at the TPM Conference.
TIP #6:
Companies when implementing Lean use TPM as a tool to increase Overall Equipment Effectiveness. TPM does drive OEE, but proper implementation of all of the pillars of TPM will stabilize the manufacturing processes in an operation so that the activities of Lean can be successful and sustained.
Source: David Rowland, Managing Director of Milliken Performance Solutions, Milliken & Company. David has over 25 years experience implementing Lean and TPM. David will be a presenter at the TPM Conference.
TIP #7:
When selecting a pressure gauge, a good rule of thumb is to select a gauge that is 2 times the operating pressure. The operating range should occur with-in the middle 50% of the scale.
Source: Ellis New, Senior Management Consultant, Productivity Inc. Ellis has over 20 years experience implementing TPM and Lean. Ellis will be a presenter at the TPM Conference.
TIP #8:
When you embark on an Autonomous Maintenance program remember the goal is not simply to clean away accumulated dirt and grim from the equipment. The ultimate goal of Autonomous Maintenance is to stabilize equipment conditions and prevent additional deterioration. Cleaning the equipment allows you to get up close and inspect its condition. Inspection leads to the discovery of less than ideal equipment conditions that could cause breakdowns or unsafe operating conditions. Then once abnormalities have been detected, they can be corrected. To ensure you achieve the best results from your Autonomous Maintenance efforts, take the time to clearly communicate that it is more than just a cleaning activity.
Source: Ellis New, Senior Management Consultant, Productivity Inc. Ellis has over 20 years experience implementing TPM and Lean. Ellis will be a presenter at the TPM Conference.
TIP #9:
When a piece of equipment in your facility fails, don’t rush right out and immediately repair or replace it, use the failure as an opportunity to identify the reason for the failure (search out the root cause) and to look for opportunities to make efficiency and energy saving improvements. Create a team to survey the area where the failure occurred looking for efficiency and energy savings opportunities that could be realized through simple repairs or minor equipment modifications. Once the team has done an analysis use this new information to inform your repair or replacement. In many cases the team will identify several opportunities that will lead to significant and long term cost savings.
Source: Ellis New, Senior Management Consultant, Productivity Inc. Ellis has over 20 years experience implementing TPM and Lean. Ellis will be a presenter at the TPM Conference.
TIP #10:
For optimal results from early equipment management, you should determine the fabrication method and equipment format early – when modifications can still be made easily at the development and design stages. List goals and gather ideas for factory-friendly products; consider and include new fabrication methods in product designs to foster development and design of more appealing products.
Source- Equipment Planning for TPM – Maintenance Prevention Design, by Fumio Gotoh, published in English by Productivity Press, 1991.
TIP #12:
When you are performing TPM audits, use the data collected to drive the focus of the TPM Steering Team. Your data should point you to the weakest application area of your implementation. Start your effort there. Once that area has been improved, move on to the next weakest application area. This method of focusing on the weakest area will allow you to achieve the biggest gains in the shortest timeframe.
Source: Eric Whitley, Senior Consultant, Productivity. Eric has over 20 years implementing TPM and Lean. Eric will be a presenter at the TPM Conference.