Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) focuses on reducing the amount of downtime for equipment, one of the biggest sources of revenue loss in all industries. TPM calls for integrating maintenance as part of the operation of equipment and depends on commitment and involvement from employees.

The goal of reducing downtime for equipment is worthwhile. Unplanned downtime costs the manufacturing sector alone about $50 billion per year, according to research from Deloitte. It leads to lost productivity, delays, unsatisfied customers and lower profits for businesses.

As Deloitte puts it: “The goal of any maintenance organization is always the same: to maximize asset availability.” Adopting TPM helps organizations accomplish that goal.

Getting Equipment Operators Involved

The strategies and techniques employed in Total Productive Maintenance focus on proactive and preventative maintenance that includes getting equipment operators more involved with maintaining their own equipment. In many ways, it blurs the line between production and maintenance teams.

It’s a strategy most associated with manufacturing. However, it has its place in other industries. For example, in a supply chain this might mean drivers doing daily inspections on vehicles before hitting the road. In an office, it could mean an employee taking responsibility for printer maintenance.

Companies use TPM to reach a straightforward goal: fewer equipment breakdowns or poor performance, such as running too slowly. That, in turn, leads to less time and money spent on repairs and also greatly reduces the chance of an accident.

Built on a 5S Foundation

The implementation of TPM starts with a strong foundation in 5S, a strategy created in Japan as part of the Toyota Production System. It involves taking five steps to get a workstation in optimal condition. The term “5S” comes from the names used for each phase of the system. Here are the phases in Japanese and English.

  • Seiri (Sort)
  • Seiton (Straighten or Set in Order)
  • Seiso (Shine)
  • Seiketsu (Standardize)
  • Shitsuke (Sustain)

The idea is to create clean and tidy workstations where frequently used tools are visible and within easy reach. Finally, and most importantly, 5S creates a system and mindset that strives to maintain this order indefinitely.

The Eight Pillars of TPM

With a strong 5S foundation in place, TPM involves using what is known as the Eight Pillars of Total Production Maintenance. These pillars have proven effective since Seiichi Nakajima first developed TPM in Japan in the late 1960s and early 1970s, according to Reliable Plant.

  • Autonomous Maintenance: This involves putting some routine maintenance in the hands of operators, including cleaning, lubricating and inspection.
  • Planned Maintenance: Creating a maintenance schedule based on the predicted failure rates for the components of a piece of equipment, which is determined by analyzing data on past  equipment performance.
  • Quality Maintenance: Using root cause analysis, companies integrate design error detection and prevention into production processes.
  • Focused Improvement: Small groups of employees work proactively, achieving regular, incremental improvements in equipment operation.
  • Early Equipment Management: Teams take knowledge gained through using TPM on current equipment in the design of new equipment.
  • Training and Education: Train operators, maintenance personnel and managers on what they need to know to achieve TPM goals.
  • Safety, Health, Environment: While making changes to create better efficiency, it’s also important to consider maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for employees.
  • TPM in Administration: To make the biggest impact, organizations should also incorporate TPM into administrative functions.

The Benefits of Total Productive Maintenance

TPM takes an organization from a reactive to a proactive mode. That alone saves costs, as reactive maintenance typically costs more in the long run for both the repairs and the loss productivity of downtime.

Using TPM also improves Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by reducing stop times, slow running, and defects that make a piece of equipment’s performance unsatisfactory. That increases the satisfaction of employees as well as reducing customer complaints, workplace accidents and repair costs. Companies that use TPM also typically see an increase in the quality of its product or services, something that can benefit both the company culture and the bottom line.