Implementation of the TPM system

The observations, conversations and analysis of our customers’ problems show that most companies that strive to implement or improve the TPM system know very well what its assumptions are. The very concept of Total Productive Maintenance in theory seems to be well known. The problems arise when the activities start in the production environment, i.e. in practice. The biggest difficulty for companies is synchronizing all the activities in different areas of the organization. Typically, questions arise such as: “Where to start? Which machines should be included in the TPM program? Does the program apply to the entire production floor? Is the operator responsible for the whole machine from now on? What will the Maintenance department be responsible for? How to reconcile the often contradictory interests of Maintenance and Production?”.

TPM implementation – reasons for failure

Our trainers often hear words like this from clients: “We wanted to implement a TPM program this year, but because of the production workers, it didn’t work out.” At this point it is worth emphasizing that the failure is not the responsibility of the production workers. They are only part of the change. The most common cause of failure is simply the lack of a comprehensive TPM implementation plan. We often take rash decisions, which are lacking strategy and adequate preparation.
Without a proper “road map” defining what to do at what point, what tools to use, what results and difficulties to expect, the whole process drags on. Employees lack enthusiasm and motivation. In many companies, the very strategy of implementing the TPM system consists of defining the project completion date in time. Such an approach makes the developed solutions only apparent and does not solve the real problems faced by the production.

Standardized system for implementing and improving the TPM system

Employee awareness creation

The system approach in the TPM implementation process seems to be crucial for the efficiency and effectiveness of the whole undertaking. The TPM implementation system should consist of several stages. The first is to build awareness at the top management level. Our experts believe this is a determinant of success. With properly selected training supported by a series of practical examples, employees become prepared for change. Above all, the awareness of machine operators is increasing. They become co-responsible for the machinery. It is worth emphasizing at this stage that “co-responsibility” is not about transferring tasks from Maintenance to Production. The aim is to reduce additional work for both.

Analysis of the current state

The next step is to analyze the current situation of the machinery and the indicators used so far (KPIs). Then decisions are made on how to implement the TPM system. Resources should be provided at this stage. Lack of adequate resources can cause the results not to be visible. The whole process of Total Productive Maintenance implementation may come to a standstill or worse, go backwards. A current state analysis and a good action plan can significantly speed up the TPM implementation process.

Establishment of working teams

The next step is to select change leaders from the already trained senior managers. Their task is to coordinate all activities related to the implementation of TPM and to build so-called “work teams”. This is an element that is often overlooked, but which is very important. The team itself should be interdisciplinary – it should include representatives of both the Maintenance and Production departments.

Organization of workshops

The next step is to develop a standard implementation workshop. The purpose of the workshop is to orient employees, especially production employees, to their subsequent responsibilities for independent, “enriched” machine operation. Reorganizing their work is one of the key tasks to be planned in TPM.

Red-tag implementation

As planned, the next step is to implement the red-tag tool. This system gives operators the possibility to inform others about problems with the machine. Operators are tasked with using red cards to mark the problem locations on the machine. They must then register the “tag” on the anomaly board. During working group meetings (and production meetings), the anomaly table is discussed. A corrective and remedial action plan is then developed for newly reported defects and problems.

Improvement of TPM system

The process of implementing TPM is gradual and requires a systematic approach. The steps described above enable employees to respond appropriately to detected anomalies. The “red-tag” tool allows you to manage anomalies and respond quickly to machine fleet issues. As a result, machine efficiency increases and fewer problems, breakdowns and production stops occur. However, keep in mind that the entire Total Productive Maintenance system should be constantly monitored. And the anomaly management action plan should be constantly discussed during production meetings.