TPM Activities...Integral Time ....

TPM as perceived by most is a Japanese Productivity Improvement Program which is done on top of existing jobs or activities. But it is not. TPM is a System. It is something you use to do your responsibilities and activities.

To improve the factory, first, we need to understand what is the Key Performance Indicators of the Company. What are the Goals, What impedes the company to achieve the goals. For each of the known indicators, a team or individual is assigned to address and improve. A well defined 10-Step Kobetsu Kaizen Methodology is utilised. Each of the issues properly registered and monitored by the responsible departments which is integral part of their functions. There is a complete 8-Pillar TPM Implementation to address all the factory concerns.

Thus, TPM is not additional burden, more so, activities that is added to the current tasks. TPM is a Way of Doing Improvement Activities. It is a well defined System of How to Run the Factory Effectively. The task at hand is to transition the company systems to TPM. It's not so difficult as TPM is also aligned to ISO Quality Systems .

Check out how you are implementing your TPM.... If you feel it's a burden then, you are not adapting teh TPM System properly. For guidance and coaching feel free to contact me.

God bless!

Dubai Airport... A 5S Experience

Most companies promoting and embarking on TPM look far and wide searching for a Benchmark to follow. The very first thing to look for is a company that implements to the core 5S. Well, the best place to look for is an Airport. Yes, you read it right...Airport. It is the best place to start as a baseline for world-class 5S (with Visual Controls) Implementation.

I have been to different places the world over. have been all over Asia, Europe, and the USA. Thus, I have seen many different airports. And this I can claim. Nothing beats the immensity and cleanliness of Dubai International Airport. It is build to last and built to have least maintenance and cleaning. That's the real essence of 5S TPM. Cleanliness and Maintainability that is designed in. On top of that, Visual Controls are super. You exactly know where you are , what approximate minutes you can reach your next point, and there is absolutely no hazards, or plainly, the place is very safe.

So, when you think of doing a benchmarking outside the country, do not just benchmark the final destination or company you will visit, but, benchmark what you see in the airport. And if you have a chance, go to Dubai to see for yourself the best 5S Experience....

God bless!

How to Increase Rate of Success in TPM!

Implementing TPM in the factory is a challenge posed on people made responsible to pursue it. To ensure success, there are at least Three things I have seen as most critical and important.

First is the need to have an experienced TPM Consultant.TPM like most systems is made complicated by people who are implementing it the first time around. It is made more simpler and implemented faster with a coach or a consultant.

TPM Consultants who had gone through the same path will make sure that the best ways and strategies to accomplish the steps towards completion of a Pillar is done. Eliminating the wastes in time, money and efforts.

Secondly, the TPM driver in the factory must be identified and should form the TPM Promotion Office which comprises of people across the organization. These group of people must all be trained and believe in the system.

TPM Systems needs to run through cooperation of the entire organization. Thus, participation of all sectors in the organization is harnessed in the TPM Promotion Office which formulates the plans and informs the whole factory about the progress against this plans. However, it must be noted that the TPM Office is not the one responsible for the implementation. It is still in the hands of hte area owners.

Thirdly and most importantly, the need for Promotions and Incentives. TPM is a morale boosting system filled with activities for the associates in the factory. Incentives and Promotions serves as the fuel or energy to continuously fire up the teams in pursuing their activities.

Promotions and Incentives need not be monetary. But it certainly will be very exciting for the associates to take part on the fruits of success of the company through their efforts. Most recommended activity are cross factory /cross country visits for the teams sharing experiences and team building.

There are many other factors and considerations but the above are major, major ones that will surely boost your TPM Success Rate.

God bless!

Food Company and Wood Company...They Both Need TPM to be Good

Only three letters differs between Wood, Food and Good...that is W,F, G and.... TPM.

I am currently engaged with several factories in various fields as TPM Consultant, and the commonality is that the company has dabbled into many other systems to improve the factory and then eventually go back to the basics..that is TPM.

The essence of improvements lies within what can be seen from the workplace condition, to how people behave in the organization. Those who have continuously implemented TPM not only have a spic and span work environment but also empowered associates or team members. If you only see a workplace that is good , but the team members are not empowered to do improvements nor believe that they are part owner of the company, then TPM is not in place. On the other hand, if you see all people seemed to be fired up to do good for the company but yet the workplace is in shambles, TPM is also not truly implemented.

And whether the factory is in Food or Wood business, the same principle holds.

TPM transforms both workplace and people regardless of what business that factory does.

You want to learn more... just post me an email... I will gladly respond...

God bless!

Secret of 5S- SWEEP Revealed

5S- SWEEP which is part of the initial implementation of TPM based on JIPM deals with cleaning and inspecting to keep tools and machines in good condition and ready for use. TPM 5S SWEEP is Cleaning with Meaning. Cleaning to find out the source of contamination and abnormalities to eliminate the need to clean and prevent areas to be messy. The TPM 5S “principle here is that we are all happier and hence more productive in clean, bright environments.” TPM 5S SWEEP also makes it easier to detect abnormalities if there is routine clean up and inspection of the machine by the person who runs it. TPM 5S SWEEP also promotes ownership, and pride on workplace and company. 

Other issues TPM 5S SWEEP addresses includes health and safety and early machine or tools deterioration due to contamination either by grease and or dust.

The task of TPM 5S SWEEP is to establish the maintenance of a clean and orderly workplace and environment as a continuous program by the area owners who set aside 5-10 minutes to perform  cleaning and inspection each day, or each shift and everything is restored to its place..

DAILY HABIT TO CLEAN & INSPECT TO PREVENT LOSSES AND ERRORS

Secret of 5S Set in ORDER Exposed....

TPM 5S- Set In Order is finding the proper place for all items, supplies, and equipment so that everyone can easily identify, find, use and returned to its place when done. Once you have cleaned the area out you need to ensure that the items left are kept in the right place. Tools should be located where they are needed and the utilization of shadow boards to store them in set locations

TPM 5S SORT refers to "a place for everything, and everything in its place" to find needed items easily. TPM 5S SORT is also done to organize, identify and arrange everything in a work area for safety, and ease of checking and monitoring through “ line of sight concepts.”

Workers should not have to exert effort to access materials, or whatever they need to perform tasks... Each tool, part, supply, piece of equipment, should be kept close to where it will be used (i.e. straighten the flow path) to enable items to be completed in one work area rather than requiring a significant movement down the shop.

MAKING WORK EASY AND SAFE FOR EFFICIENCY… through TPM 5S SORT

OUR 5S MISSION AND COMMITMENT:

5S is one of the foundation of TPM- Total Productive Maintenance. 5S in TPM is a systematized and step by step organizational tool that provide the necessary groundwork for improvement in the workplace- factory and office areas. 5S in TPM does not simply make the workplace spic and span but ensures elimination of waste and errors in all levels and in all areas of the company.

Our 5S TPM Mission and Commitment is to educate your team in 5S and TPM and support them during the implementation through 5S TPM Small Group Activities or 5S TPM Model Teams who then will replicate activities in other areas.

There are many 5S and TPM Training Institution and materials you can refer to , but, our company boast of a compilation of actual applications, and resource people who have the experience and training certification on TPM from JIPM.

Contact us for more information and support on your 5S TPM.

God bless!