This article delves into execution part of TPM practices in a small to mid cap industry to create a world class maintenance organization. Before proceeding future lets define some concepts/jargons that quantifies TPM benefits.
OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) ratio: It is a function of the complete system, process line, or an individual, critical piece of the equipment’s availability, performance and quality rate. Its mathematical formula is
OEE = [Availability X Performance Efficiency X Rate of Quality Products] X 100
(OEE is measured in percentage so is the availability, performance efficiency and Quality.)
Where:
Availability = (Loading Time – Downtime)*100/Loading time
Performance Efficiency = (Theoretical Cycle time * Processed Amount)*100/Operating Time
Rate of Quality Products = (Processed Amount – Defects)*100/Processed Amount
Let us put some numbers to above formulas to get hand on experience.
In a workstation of XYZ company say Loading Time and Down Times are 230 minutes and 30 minutes respectively. Its Cycle Time (in theoretical), Processed Amount (in numbers), Actual Operating Time and Defects are 0.25 minutes, 200 units, 200 minutes and 4 units respectively.
Putting data in the above formulas of Availability, Performance Efficiency and Rate of Quality Products we get the values as 87%, 50% and 98% respectively. (Rounded off)
Thus the OEE (ratio/percentage) of the workstation would be (0.87*0.5*0.98)*100 = 42.63%
Companywide TPM success/effectiveness can be measured with the change in the OEE ratio. Now a million dollar question is: How will a company proceed step by step to establish TPM work culture?
1. Appoint a coordinator: Here deliberately the term ‘hire’ is not being used as it is not necessary to appoint an external consultant to create TPM work culture. If a person has sound knowledge of the execution, if he/she is trained for TPM implementation in some other organization where TPM is widespread then there is no need to spend bucks for hiring TPM coordinator. After all TPM is all about empowering the workforce. It is the responsibility of the coordinator to sell the TPM concepts to the workforce through the educational programmes. To do a thorough job of educating and convincing the workforce that TPM is just not another “consultancy” it will take time, perhaps a year or more.
2. Form action teams: This should start when the coordinator has convinced the work force that TPM programme would work for their organization also as it has worked for Toyota and Honda. However, this first step is the most difficult and critical towards the success of TPM programme. The coordinator may have to face a stubborn workforce or its leaders that are imbibed with the preconceived ideas that theirs is the only way to survive this organization. But things would change, that change even though would come after some struggle but it will have sustainable effect on the organizational culture.
First study and action teams are formed. These teams are usually made up of people who directly have an impact on the problem being addressed.
3. Compare TPM methods: The action teams pin point the problem areas, do detailing and initiate corrective action. However, their lack in experience will obstruct them standardizing the procedure. In a well run TPM programme, team members often visit cooperative plants to observe and compare TPM methods, techniques, and observe the shop floor working. This comparative process is a part of an overall measurement technique called “benchmarking” and is one of the greatest assets in TPM programme. Now team members would be encouraged to start working on small problems occurring in their organization.
After the successful completion of Ist phase, the management should propagandize the little success and the changed environment created. This publicity is paramount for successful TPM implementation as the bottom line would get motivated to sustain and increase the positive change. The top management should gradually empower the teams for dealing with the operational problems and this empowering phenomenon should percolate the whole organization starting from small problems to the problems of ever increasing importance and complexity.
4. The Operator’s responsibility: After the success has been demonstrated on one machine/work station (by the improvement in Overall Equipment Effectiveness), another work center, department etc should be selected and the process should continue until this work culture should permeate to every department of the organization. For extensive overhauls, breakdowns, even if outside maintenance or factory experts have to be called in, the equipment operators must play a significant part in the repair process.
