|
TPM Procedure
Process description:
At a pace to be
chosen according to the particular conditions, the implementation process will go, at
least, through 60% of the most important machines at the most critical areas or
departments. Also "spontaneous implementation" is expected in some areas.
For those, the TPM coordination will supply all the technical support required.
The general
foremen and other key people of each shop department or production area will reach a
decision about what is the next machine and what the most feasible schedule. They
will also assign the people to the team for that particular project. Teams are
normally comprised of four to eight people. Machine operators have a very important participation in this process.
They will lead
the team to solve the most important concerns that they have in the day to day dealing
with the machine. They know how the machine could be improved to become safer and more comfortable to work with. They
become customers and co-providers of the TPM effort. By participating, they develop
"ownership" on their machines.
At the beginning, teams will
be comprised of one or two operators and one supervisor from the production area and one
mechanic, one electrician from the Maintenance Dept. and the coordinator. As the
program evolves, the production departments will be more involved all the time, to a point
when they will build the teams with three to six production people and only one
coordinator from maintenance. They will be supported eventually, but momentarily, by
maintenance technicians that may be required for each task. The training will be given to
those small teams, one each time. Each team meets for a total of five to six one hour
sessions, some of them before starting the "hands on experience" of the TPM
implementation.
As a result of the training,
the team develops an implementation plan that consists of cleaning, reconditioning,
lubricating and also making any modifications that may be convenient for the equipment to
be more accessible to the daily operator's routine and any maintenance service that may be
needed in the future. (See Autonomous Maintenance).
Such
modifications may also be made to prevent the equipment from getting dirty or damaged by
external agents, such as rain, dust, spills and all kinds of contamination. When those
modifications imply any structural or engineering changes, experienced people from other
departments or even external resources, such as contractors, will be involved.
At
NO COST to YOU!
We
appreciate that you
visit our sponsors and advertisers.
They make it possible for us to keep this
free service up to date for you.
|
TPM in America