ABSTRACT
In the implementation stage total productive maintenance (TPM) moves from planning to on-the-floor activities to improve equipment performance. In Japanese plants, this stage typically unfolds over a two and one-half to four year time period. Obviously management commitment is critical to sustaining such long-term activities. Equipment criticality should be ranked on a numerical scale of one to five, with one indicating the highest level of importance. Similarly, each piece of equipment should be ranked on a scale of one to five according to the degree of difficulty in improving its performance. Most companies assign the technical portion of formal problem-solving activities to engineers. TPM traditionally delegates this responsibility to cross-functional project teams made up of production personnel, operators, and maintenance and engineering staff. The success of organizations depends on their ability to make rapid and continuous improvements. Small work groups must be reminded periodically to reevaluate their priorities, and to take an “evergreen” approach to their business practices.
