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TPM
The New Attitude
The
companies that are able to implement with efficiency the TPM discipline will be
in better competing possibilities in the world class market, not only for the
biggest quality and efficiency of the productive plant, but because when having
bigger profit margin they can offer their product at more competitive prices,
winning bigger participation in the market.
The
valuable human resource will be easier to conserve, since they will be giving
their operators better working, hygiene and safety conditions, as well as
greater resources thanks to their better knowledge of the equipment. As a result
of this, more stability will be observed in the employment base.
Additionally, the workers who participate in this program acquire a
bigger self-esteem thanks to the new training they received. They feel more
capable inside and outside of their workspace. The above-mentioned is also
manifest in the loyalty they will develop. We have seen that the personnel
turn-over decreases substantially. For example in Tijuana, Mexico, the assembly
plants had turn-over (or desertion) that reacheds more than 20% monthly. After
the TPM implementation it has been clearly reduced to less than 5%.
The
workers' unions find the TPM an important ally in the attainment of their
objectives for the workers' benefit. Such is the case of the big unions of the
automobile industry that have been supporting the implementation for several
decades.
Initially
they were concerned that TPM could mean the possibility that the maintenance
personnel would be laid off. Experience has shown that in fact what happens is
that maintenance people acquire bigger knowledge and responsibilities as they
are liberated of the small routines. What rebounds is a more reliable plant.
It is
very important to make sure that everyone understands the benefits of a better
education. As we said in the chapter 3, education and training are fundamental
ingredients in the implementation of this program. This is a permanent
commitment. TPM is not a temporary or transitory program.
A
plant that is able to make a good implementation will conserve the dynamics of
continuous improvement forever. Once we are able to implement the autonomous
maintenance, the maintenance activity in the plant is seen in a new way. It no
longer will be a “department of emergency repairs”. It begins to work and
develop with higher levels of qualification and technology application. It is a
good opportunity to get started with PdM.
For
more than 20 years PdM has been developing new techniques to forecast and
prevent failures:
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We have
mentioned in many of our articles the importance of the Root Cause Analysis of the
failures and how it reduces or eliminates the recurrence of the same problems. A
great number of systems exist to make these analyses, in many cases with help of
computerized equipment, besides the manual and traditional processes on paper.
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The Thermo-Photography and
the Infrared Thermography help us detect when the temperature of some element of
the machines or facilities is out of the specifications. Depending on the size
of the plant, this technology can be acquired or rented to use it with our own
personnel; or we can hire a service company for that purpose.
The correct use of such equipment requires special training. With it, we
can define if a transformer terminal or switch is over-heating due to
loose-contacts or overloads. If there are some hot motor bearings or bushings,
or if a steam line or trap has a leak, all these detections are possible at a
distance and while the equipment is in operation.
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Vibration Analysis.
Equally
taking advantage of the electronic advances, this analysis that in the past
would have been done only through mere touch or ear, today there are devices
that give us precise and reliable information. In certain specific points of a
machine we set "witness" points where we can affix a small metal disk
that allows us to make repetitive readings in exactly the same point. The
detecting instrument is then placed on each disk. It will indicate exactly the
width and frequency of the vibration. In this analysis we use values of
specifications and we also take a register that is usually achieved with the
features of the program that comes with the equipment. This way we can detect if
there has been remarkable variation that can end up causing a problem or
failure. When detected, we schedule a deeper revision that in most cases will
prevent a future catastrophe. Had we not have this technology available, it
would have been overlooked.
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Oil Analysis. This technology
is available generally through the lubricant suppliers. It is particularly
useful in systems with big volumes of oil, such as transformers, internal
combustion engines and large hydraulic systems. By means of a small sample of
about 2 ounces sent to the laboratory, they will be able to determine if the oil
is polluted with water, carbon or another substance; or if its viscosity or its
physical or chemical characteristics have been altered. In certain cases it can
detect if there are metallic particles from the equipment, suspended in the oil.
The experts in this matter say that the oil "is speaking to us", and
it is necessary to listen to it.
Another
activity that becomes possible for the maintenance personnel when the TPM is in
full implementation is that of carrying out re-engineering projects on the
equipment and the plant. This refers basically to the process of continuous
improvement that is intrinsic in all Lean Manufacturing strategies.
There
is the possibility of carrying out Kaizen Events with production and plant
engineering people and to define rearrangements in the plant in order to:
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Integrate more
efficient cells
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Shorten
distances in the processes
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Reduce WIP
inventories
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Improve
operation conditions
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… and many
other projects that contribute to optimize the operation.
This
is a very important activity. It consists of actively participating in the
design or selection of equipment to be acquired, and to make certain to
implement autonomous maintenance as soon as it arrives into the plant. Many
plants that are administered in the old way have an omnipotent department of
acquisitions that decides what should be bought and from whom it should be
bought. Through the years, this absolute power has caused countless problems to
the final users of the equipment and has also been a source of corruption.
In the
new culture of the TPM, the purchases or acquisitions department will have a
very wide communication with the maintenance, manufacturing and plant
engineering personnel including the operators who will be operating the new
equipment. A wide communication also takes place with the possible suppliers who
should present diverse alternatives and make the correct maintainability,
reliability, and operability considerations. We can request the maker to comply
with certain standards in components that benefit us. We can even get the
equipment already painted in agreement with the plant code. This way we reach
the definition of the equipment to be acquired. Also, we should get previous
information so the settings for an efficient installation are timely prepared.
The layout is adjusted so that its location is the best possible.
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