ABSTRACT
The "P" and "M" in P-M analysis do not stand for preventive or productive maintenance. The "P" stands for "phenomenon"-the abnormal event to be controlled. It also stands for "physical"- the perspective we take in viewing the phenomenon. "M" refers to "mechanism," and also to the four production inputs (4Ms) we examine for causal factors: machine (equipment), man (people), material, and method (Figure 2-1). The term "mechanism" applies to any grouping of equipment elements (including jigs and tools) with a common function. It also refers to the "mechanics" or failure mode of an abnormal event.
