Total Productive Maintenance for Modeling the Enablers in the Performing of ISM Access

Total Productive Maintenance for modeling the enablers in the performing of ISM access

Masoomeh darabi[1];Ghasem Ebrahimpour Baser[2] Nina sharifi[3]

Abstract

Total Productive maintenance (TPM) is increasingly carried out by many organizations toimprove their equipment efficiency and to achieve the competitive advantage in the global market regarding cost and quality. But, performing TPM is not an easytask. There are certain enablers, which help in the performing TPM. The highest need is to analyses thebehavior of these enablers for their effective utilization inthe performing of TPM. The purpose of thisresearch is to understand the mutual interaction of these enablersand recognize the ‘driving enablers’ and the ‘dependent enablers’. In this work,these enablers have been recognized through the work,their ranking is done by a questionnaire-based review andinterpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach has beenutilized in analyzing their mutual interaction. An ISMmodel has been arrangedto recognizesome important enablers andtheir managerial implications in the performing ofTPM.

Keywords: TPM, Total productive maintenance, Enablers, Iran

1 Introduction

Thisresearch emphasize, disturbed business-environment,well run organizationsstruggles continually to increasetheir abilities to create superior value for their customers byimproving the cost efficiency of their operations.Maintenance is thus a crucial support function in business, specifically as increasingly large investments are existencerequired in physical assets (Tsang et al. 2000). Strategicinvestments in the maintenance function can lead toimproved performance of manufacturing system and increase the competitive market location of the organization(Jonsson and Lesshammar 1999). Thishas provided the urge to the leading organizationsthroughout the world to adopt impressive and effective maintenancestrategies such as Condition Based Maintenance (CBM),Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) and Total ProductiveMaintenance (TPM), over the traditional firefighting reactive maintenance approaches such as Breakdownmaintenance (BDM) (Sharma et al. 2005). Ahuja andKhamba (2008b) have stated that maintenance thoughthas advanced from Breakdown maintenance to Totalproductive maintenance (Fig.1) over the years.TPM was considered as an improvement schedule determiningan extensive productive-maintenancesystem throughout the whole life of the equipment, surrounding all equipment-related fields, and with the participation of all employees, to advance productivemaintenance through voluntary team- basedactivities (Dal et al. 2000). TPM is designed to maximizeequipment efficiencyby determiningan extensiveproductive maintenance system covering the whole life ofthe equipment, extending across all equipment-related fields andwith participation of all employees from the topmanagement to the shop-floor workers, to advance productivemaintenance throughvoluntary small group activities (Tsuchiya 1992).TPM can be specified as an approach to achieve rapidimprovement of manufacturing procedures by involving andempowering production related employees and introducing a continuous procedure of quality improvement (Nakajima 1988).TPM performing has arisen from increasedequipment efficiency, higher productivity, and better quality, lessbreakdowns, lower costs, and credible deliveries, motivatingworking environments, increased security and improved spiritof the employees (Ahuja and Khamba 2008b).Though TPM provides a lot of benefits but performingof TPM is difficult task. It has been studied thatmany of the organizations that tryto performTPM enterprises experience difficulties and are not able toachieve the expected benefits. Mora (2002) has suggestedthat many companies have triedto performTPM schedules, less than 12 % ofcompanies achievein performing TPM.PerformingTPM requires the change of the organizational culture andchange of existing behaviors of all employees, operators,engineers, maintenance technicians, and managers. TheTPM performing procedure has been charged with obstaclesand risks. These obstacle or risk which makethis performing a difficult task include: lack of managementsupport, lack of participation of production associates,lack of resources, lack of term vision, no authorize person (Chan et al.2005). No doubt there are certain obstacleswhich preventTPM performing procedure but in spite of this, there arecertain enablers for successful performing of TPM.These enablers help the management to perform TPM intheir firms. But need to be analyzed and the efficiency of these enablers understood so that the performing procedure is completed without many obstacles.These enablers not only affect the performing procedure of TPM but also affect one another. So it isreally necessary to understand the nature of these enablersand their mutual relationship so that those enablers whichsupport other enablers (called ‘driving enablers’) and thosewhich are most affected by others (called ‘dependentenablers’) are recognized. Inthis research, try has been made to complete the task of analysis of enablers of total productivemaintenance (TPM) through an interpretive structuralmodeling (ISM) approach. It is a well-founded methodologyfor recognizing relationships among specific itemswhich define a problem or an issue (Sage 1977). Therefore, inthis research TPM enablers have been analyzed using theISM approach, which shows the inter-relationships of theenablers, their driving power and reliance's. In thisstudy, 10 enablers have been recognized through the work,a questionnaire-based reviewand outlooks of experts bothfrom industry and academic environment. A questionnaire based reviewwas conducted on Iranian industries to seek their viewsregarding the main enablers for the successful modification ofTPM. In conformity with the ISM methodology, the outlooksof experts were sought to develop the relationship matrix, which is later used in the evolvement of ISM model.The main objectives of this paper are as follows:

• To recognize and rank the enablers the performing ofTPM.

• To found relationships among these enablers usingISM.

• To discuss managerial implication of this research andsuggest guidance's for future research.

2. Recognition of enablers in TPM performing

Workreview of maintenance and production managers showthat performing ofTPMis not an easy task as it determining new cultures (Patterson et al. 1996),changing policies (Turbide 1995), creating new workenvironment’s (Maggard and Rhyne 1992), completing ideal shifts (Jeszenka 1993) and shifting the responsibilityof the maintenance department to existence everyone’sresponsibility (Lawrence 1999). Based on the range workreview, questionnaire review and discussion withexperts in the organizations, ten major enablers were recognized,which can serve as an invaluable lesson to thoseorganizations that are planning to perform TPM or are inthe procedureof performing. In addition, the enablers like worker training, crossfunctionaltraining, teams, employee participation, TPM consultant, operatorparticipation, obligated leadership which are often quoted with different names and headings are covered in this studyunder a common name like training and education, totalemployee participation and Top management obligationand support. Hence, these ten enablers are supposed to bemajor TPM enablers in the successful performing ofTPM. Enablers along with their references/sources are existenceredisplayed in Table 1.

2.1 Top management obligation and support

The role of top management’s obligation andleadership has been often emphasized in many works to have the conclusive affect over successfulTPM performing (Tsang and Chan 2000). Bamberet al. (1999) have found management obligation asfactor affecting successful performing of TPM in UKmanufacturing firms.Patterson et al. (1995) illustrated that to performTPM; an organization must be led by topmanagement that is supportive understanding and obligatedto the different kinds of TPM activities. Top managementhas the responsibility of preparing asuitable and supportive environment before the officialpromotion of TPM within their organization.Such support is necessary to ensurethe unification of TPM into the business strategy, andcontinuity of policy across company divisions (Park andHan 2001).The performing of TPM requires topmanagement support, obligation and participation. Topmanagement needs to have a strong obligation to theTPM performing schedule and should go all-out for developing mechanisms for multi-level communication to allemployees explaining the importance and benefits of thewhole schedule, andin full faith generating the TPMbenefits to the organization, employees by linking TPM tothe organizational strategy and objectives (Ahujaand Khamba 2008a). Nakajima (1989) argue that the topmanagement’s responsibility is to found afavorable environment where the work environment cansupport independent activities. Chan et al. (2005) havefound management support as the important success factor in performing of total productive maintenance in an electronics manufacturing company.Before TPM performing, top management shoulddecide the vision, mission, and goals for the organization.Top management should determine sound foundation for familiarizing TPM activities. Top management must develop TPM framework by developing policies.

2.2 TPM consultant

Consultants have main role in mutation on the organization. This role is organizing the activities due to helping employees for solving their issues and training them for improvising their activities. Hence, consultants are a facilitator for doing better training and helping employees in dividing their tasks while they are working. In fact, they don’t suggest any suggestion for fixing the issues, they just act as facilitator or they help the staff for finding better way for fixing their problems.Mora (2002) has stated that though in recent years, many companies have attempted to implement TPM programs, less than 10 per cent of companies succeed in implementing TPM. Implementing TPM requires the change of the organizational culture and change of existing behaviors of all employees, operators, engineers, maintenance technicians, and managers. Davis (1997) has outlined various reasons for TPM failure within UK manufacturing organizations that one of them was deployment of inexperienced consultant. TPM implementing process has been fraught with roadblocks and pitfalls. Then for successful TPM implementation companies needs to employ educated and experienced consultant.

2.3 Coordination

The attempts of the TPM performing team must be suited after successfully familiarizing the communicationand cooperation functions. Coordination advancesencouragingorganization of performing attempts (Park and Han 2001).Management must develop a mechanism to coordinateactivities. Coordination will help in achieving TPMobjectives and goals more easily.The TPM schedule should be suited within thecompany by an admirer whois nominated on a full-timebasis, at least during the planning and performingphases, and who can lead a performing team that isrepresentative of different company divisions (Park andHan 2001).

2.4 Communication

Performing new technology may generate interests both within and outside the organization. A regular affect is the loss of jobs. Sometimes, there maybe ambiguity about the impact of the proposed technology. Communications should be in the receiver’ language and within his/her understanding: therefore the message must be in terms of that individual’s experience and comprehension (Eti et al. 2004). Proper communication can help moderate the fearsof those to be affected by the performing attempt. Welldeveloped, two-way communication is required to supporta TPM system. Wide communication is a crucial factor insecuring support for a TPM performing project (Parkand Han 2001). Communication will help the employee toknow the technical and calm aspects of TPM.

2.5 Cooperation

TPMemphasizes that people operators, maintenance technicians,engineers, designers, and planners must work as ateam if they are to maximize the efficiency oftheir equipment, by actively seeking creative solutions for removingwaste due to equipment problems (Park andHan 2001). TPM is a team activity not a single man activitywhich requires cooperation of all employees specifically production and maintenance personnel’s.

2.6 Total employee participation

Total employee participation is really a pre-requite tosuccessful TPM performing and can be ensured by improvement the capabilities of employees towards thejobs, developing the environment of equipment and systemownership by the employees, suitable employee advising, and deploying encouraging and safe work environmentin the organizations (Ahuja and Khamba 2008a).TPM demands active participation from the shop flooroperators in the continuous improvements activities,crossfunctional teamwork, work suggestion schemes(Nakajima 1989).TPM completed the maximization of equipment efficiency through total employee participation andincorporated the use of independent.

2.7 Training and education

Maggard and Rhyne (1992) stated thattraining and education is crucial to the success of TPM.The importance of training is also highlighted by Turbide(1995). Swanson (1997) has emphasizedupon worker training as an important ingredient for successful performing of TPM in an organization. Blanchard(1997) suggested that training and educational issues hadbecome one of the important factors to found successfulTPM performing, where proper education begin asearly as during the TPM introduction and first preparationstages. Chan et al. (2005) have also found training asthe important success factor in performing of total productivemaintenance in an electronics manufacturingcompany.The top management must attempt to train and developthe employee capabilities by modernizing their skill,knowledge and attitude to enable higher productivity andachieve highest standards of quality, to eliminate productdefect, equipment failure (breakdowns) and accidents, todevelop multi skilled work force, and to create a sense ofpride and membership, among all employees (Ahuja andKhamba 2008a). Employee training should focus onsuitable multi-skills and knowledge (Eti et al. 2004).

2.8 Integration of TPM goals and objectivesinto business plans

In order to realize the ability of TPM and ensuresuccessful TPM performing, TPM goals and objectivesneed to be fully integrated into the strategic and businessplans of the organizations, because TPM affects the wholeorganization, and is not limited to production. The first manner of action is to found a strategic guidance forTPM. The change from a traditional maintenance scheduleto TPM requires a significant shift in the way theproduction and maintenance functions operate. Rather thana set of directions, TPM is a philosophy, the adoption ofwhich requires a change of attitude by production andmaintenance personnel (Ahuja and Khamba 2008b).

2.9 Motivation

Bamber et al. (1999) suggestedmotivation of management and manpower as a factoraffecting successful performing of total productivemaintenance in UK manufacturing organizations. Motivationis the changing behavior of employee towards workfrom negative to positive. The employee should be drivento contribute to maintenance activities.

2.10 Teams:

TPM is based on teamwork and provides a method for the achievement of world class levels of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) through people and not through technology or systems alone. TPM is an approach to equipment management that involves employees from both production and maintenance departments through cross-functional teams (Wang and Lee; 2001). TPM implementation requires a long-term commitment to achieve the benefit of improved OEE through training, management support and teamwork. An effective TPM program calls for deployment of teams for improving equipment performance through and critical investigation of current and potential equipment problems. An important structure for employee involvement in TPM is cross functional teams (CFT). Teams help to break down the barriers that are inherent in the traditional approach to maintenance. Teams also help to identify problems and suggest new approaches for elimination of problems, introduce new skills that are needed, initiate training programs, and define TPM processes. Cross functional teams may involve participation from maintenance, R & D, process planning, production, and engineering that work together on an ongoing basis or temporary groups formed to address specific problems. The technical skills of engineers and experience of maintenance workers and equipment operators are communicated through these teams. One key strategy in effective implementation of workgroups is ensuring management’s support to the efforts to drive CI in the team environment. Team leadership should include encouragement, facilitating and maintaining order, and help with decision-making. The organization must work progressively for promoting smooth functioning of cross functional teams, autonomous work teams (AWT), and problem solving groups (PSG). Maintainability improvement and maintenance prevention are two key team based TPM activities (Ahuja et al., 2004).Hutchins (1998) has advocated for making considerable efforts for recognizing teams and enabling them to display their work for successful TPM implementation.

Besides these enablers, the eight pillars of TPM (Fig. 2)will also serve as an effective tool in performing ofTPM.Pillar 1: 5S TPM starts with 5S. It is an organized procedureof housekeeping to accomplisha peaceful environment in thework place involving the employees. Problems cannot beclearly seen when the work place is unorganized. The different S isas described below:

Japanese term / English 5S / Features
Seiri / Sort / Sorting and organizing items as per frequency of usage
Seiton / Systematise / Storing the items in organized way
Seisio / Sweep / Cleaning of workplace to make it free from dust, dirt etc.
Seiketsu / Standardise / Maintaining standards for keeping workplace & machine in neat and clean condition
Shitsuke / Self-discipline / Treating 5S to develop self-discipline for following good housekeeping disciplines

Making problems visible is the first step of improvement. 5s is a foundation program before the implementation of TPM (Venkatesh 2007)

Pillar 2: independent maintenance,this pillar aims to preparethe operators to take care of routine maintenance taskswhich will help to free the core maintenance personnel to extract on high maintenance activities. The operator’sact of taking care of small maintenance tasks will avoid theequipment’s from decline (Paneerselvam 2010).

Pillar 3: Kaizen kaizen means change for betterin Japanese.It is focuses upon unbroken improvementof procedures in manufacturing. Kaizenfocuses on zero losses, cost in reduction in allresources, improvement of overall plant efficiency.Pillar 4: planned maintenance Planned maintenance aimsto have trouble free machines and equipment’s to producedefect free products to satisfy the customer’s requirement(Paneerselvam 2010).Pillar 5: quality maintenance Quality maintenance aims tomaintain the equipment’s in good operating condition suchthat highest quality products are delivered to customersthrough defect free manufacturing (Paneerselvam 2010).QM activities is to set equipment conditions that eliminatequality defects, based on the basic thought of maintainingperfect equipment to maintain perfect quality of products.The condition is checked and measure in time series to extremely that measure values are within standard values to preventdefects (Venkatesh 2007).Pillar 6: training.Itis directed to have multi-skilledre-create employeeswhose spiritis high and perform all required functionseffectively and independently. Education is given tooperators to improve their skill (Venkatesh 2007).Pillar 7: office TPM Office TPM mainly aims to improvethe productivity and efficiency in the managerial functionsby recognizingand removing losses in them.