ABSTRACT
Autonomous maintenance is considered by many people to be the simple transfer of maintenance tasks to production operators. The seven steps of autonomous maintenance present an extremely organized approach for ensuring optimal equipment performance. The seven levels of autonomous maintenance include the following: initial cleaning, preventive cleaning measures, development of cleaning and lubrication standards, general inspection, autonomous inspection, process discipline, and independent autonomous maintenance. The activities associated with initial cleaning are typically performed by members of the small groups as part of initial total productive maintenance (TPM) training. In designating what cleaning tasks are of most value, the experiences of a qualified TPM trainer can be invaluable. Initial cleaning activities identify contaminants that reside in the machine or area. Each contaminant type should be identified and documented. Typical contaminants include leaking process fluids, leaking lubricants, dust, corrosion, process scrap, material handling scrap, worker-generated trash, and other external pollutants.
