Imagine your team is in the middle of a big production run, and just as things ramp up, a critical machine fails. Production grinds to a halt, timelines are missed, and costs climb. Customers are unhappy and the repairs blow through your budget.
If you’ve ever been in a situation like this — or if you want to improve productivity to avoid this entirely — then you need total productive maintenance (TPM).
TPM is a proactive manufacturing strategy that helps you make the most of your equipment and processes. Keep reading to learn more about TPM, its benefits, and how to implement it, or jump to the bottom to learn how Fishbowl can enhance your TPM strategy.
What is total productive maintenance?
TPM is a structured approach to maintaining industrial equipment and optimizing production. It ensures every element in your manufacturing business — from machinery to your workforce and factory processes — works together seamlessly.
Rather than responding to equipment breakdowns after they happen, TPM promotes a workplace culture of shared responsibility for equipment care and performance. Your employees track wear, anticipate potential issues, and proactively fix minor problems before they become major ones. This boosts the operational efficiency of your machinery and processes, minimizes downtime, and increases overall productivity.
The process is built on a five-step foundation and has eight main activities, also referred to as pillars, that sustain it.
The 5S foundation explained
The 5S system is designed to improve workplace organization, efficiency, and cleanliness. Each “S” builds on the last, creating a streamlined and safe manufacturing environment.
1. Sort
First, sort the items in your workspace based on how often they’re used. This includes equipment, tools, materials, and inventory.
2. Systemize
Second, logically arrange the items you’ve sorted around the warehouse or production floor.
Put items you use most often close to the workspace where they’re used and move the rest farther away, like with warehouse slotting methods. Consider grouping items by category to reduce clutter so your employees can work more efficiently.
3. Shine
Third, keep the workplace — and your equipment and machinery — clean and tidy. This makes it easier to spot wear or damage in machinery, which is essential for preventive maintenance. It also improves safety by removing tripping hazards and boosts morale (since everybody likes to work in a clean space).
4. Standardize
Fourth, establish clear standards for processes and routines across the workplace. Standardizing procedures ensures consistency and helps employees understand what’s expected from them at any stage. As a result, the team will see fewer errors.
5. Sustain
Finally, commit to maintaining 5S practices long term. Sustaining these habits requires regularly reviewing your performance and taking proactive steps to correct mistakes or reorganize workflows.
When 5S practices are a permanent part of your company’s culture, they create a more disciplined, efficient work environment where continuous improvement becomes second nature.
The 8 total productive maintenance pillars
Once you’ve got the 5S foundation down, you can move on to the eight TPM pillars.
1. Autonomous maintenance
Empower machine operators to take responsibility for routine maintenance tasks such as inspections, cleaning, and minor adjustments. Autonomous maintenance equips operators to detect and prevent potential issues early on. It also reduces your dependence on specialized maintenance teams for basic tasks, improving the overall equipment uptime.
2. Planned maintenance
Establish a planned maintenance schedule based on equipment usage and performance data, focusing on preventive care rather than reactive repairs. This enables you to prevent unexpected breakdowns, so maintenance is only being performed when it’s convenient. It also extends machinery life, leading to major savings.
3. Quality control
Incorporate quality control into your maintenance practices by monitoring key quality indicators so you can catch problems early. Also, focus on determining the root causes of defects. When you address root causes, it’s easier to prevent defects entirely.
4. Focused improvement
Form teams that will analyze and resolve inefficiencies in your equipment and processes. Ask them to identify specific areas for improvement and give them the authority to implement solutions that optimize productivity across all departments.
5. Early equipment management
When you get new equipment, involve maintenance and production teams from the start. This approach ensures that machinery is designed, installed, and configured with usability and longevity in mind. As a result, your maintenance needs will be simpler and integrating the equipment into existing workflows will be easier.
6. Training and education
Employees work more efficiently and productively when they’re knowledgeable about TPM. Provide ongoing training that equips them with the skills they need to support TPM initiatives, like teaching them how to perform basic maintenance and identify potential problems.
7. Safety, health, and environment
When implementing TPM, it’s vital to ensure your maintenance activities don’t compromise safety or environmental standards. Integrate safety practices into all TPM activities to mitigate potential hazards and create a healthy work environment.
8. Administrative and office TPM
TPM isn’t just for the manufacturing floor. Apply TPM principles to administrative and office areas to improve productivity and reduce inefficiencies in non-production departments. For example, organize your filing systems and streamline communication processes to enhance workflows.
Benefits of total productive maintenance
Implementing TPM in manufacturing helps you achieve more reliable, efficient operations — which improves nearly every aspect of your business. Here are five key benefits:
- Better customer service: Consistent production and fewer delays mean you can better meet deadlines and quality expectations. This leads to higher customer satisfaction and stronger client relationships.
- Improved cost efficiency: TPM’s preventive approach reduces emergency repairs and resource waste, extending the lifespan of your machinery and cutting down on unexpected costs.
- Optimized product quality: Product consistency improves when machinery operates at peak performance. Minimize quality issues and ensure every unit produced meets your standards, in turn boosting brand reputation.
- Fewer mistakes and accidents: By addressing potential operational issues early, TPM helps reduce human error and workplace hazards to create a safer work environment.
- Happier, more productive employees: With reliable equipment and reduced downtime, employees can focus on core tasks — and they won’t have to deal with frustrations like unexpected slowdowns or last-minute fixes. Their job satisfaction and overall productivity will increase, leading to a more positive, cooperative workplace culture.
How to implement total productive maintenance
Ready to reap the benefits of TPM processes? Here’s how to get started:
1. Set the 5S foundation
Begin by establishing the 5S framework we discussed earlier. This foundation organizes the workplace, eliminates waste, and creates a clean and efficient environment where equipment and processes can thrive.
2. Train everyone on TPM
Next, set the stage for successful TPM implementation by providing comprehensive training for all employees, from management to equipment operators. Ensure that everyone understands TPM principles and how their roles support your TPM initiative.
3. Launch a pilot
Then, select a specific area or piece of equipment to test your TPM process on. Running a pilot program allows you to gather insights that can help you refine your processes before a full-scale rollout. It also gives you a chance to demonstrate the benefits of TPM, which helps you gain buy-in from the rest of the organization.
4. Repair equipment
Before fully implementing TPM practices, prioritize addressing any existing maintenance issues and repairing damaged or broken equipment. You want machinery to be in good working condition before you begin, as this sets a solid foundation for ongoing maintenance efforts to build on.
5. Analyze OEE
Once you’ve brought all your equipment up to speed, measure your overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). This metric reveals how efficiently your equipment is performing at baseline, so it’s easier to track the positive effects of TPM as you implement it.
6. Identify areas for improvement
Based on your baseline OEE, create specific, actionable targets for improvement. Focus on pinpointing inefficiencies in downtime, performance, and quality. This step ensures that your efforts lead to tangible results so you can start making continuous progress.
7. Introduce planned maintenance
When you’re ready to fully implement TPM, introduce a planned maintenance program. Create a schedule for tasks that keep your equipment and processes in optimal condition. By prioritizing preventive care, you’ll avoid production hiccups and ensure smoother operations, helping you achieve better productivity at lower costs in the long run.
Enhance your maintenance strategy with Fishbowl
Looking to take your TPM strategy to the next level? Fishbowl Manufacturing can help with that.
Fishbowl solutions are designed to help you streamline operations, reduce downtime, and boost productivity. Plus, they seamlessly integrate with QuickBooks, so you can enjoy more efficient inventory control and accurate financial tracking.
Experience the synergy of maintenance and inventory management with Fishbowl. Schedule a demo today to learn more.