TPM  | Small Group Activities  |  Suggestion Management 

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

Total Productive Maintenance- TPM, is the concept originated and developed by Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) Tokyo, since late sixties and is the key for the operational excellence for many Japanese industries.

TPM means to achieve high level of productivity (increasing production and reducing cost simultaneously), through total participation of all people in the organization and then maintaining these by developing self-managing abilities in people and practices. TPM is based on a "Zero-loss" concept viz. Zero breakdown, Zero accident, Zero defects etc. primarily to achieve high reliability/flexibility of equipment and reduce cost through minimizing wastage of manpower, raw material, energy, consumables etc.

The meaning of individual words of Total Productive Maintenance is as follows:

TPM Methodology

TPM paves way for excellent planning, organizing, monitoring and controlling practices through its unique 8 - pillar methodology. It provides an easy way of deploying activities through its TPM promotion organization involving 100% of employees on a continuous basis.

TPM at Tata Steel

TPM deployment at Tata Steel was initiated in 1999 with its Bearings Division at Kharagpur starting the TPM journey. Other departments of the company also were gradually added in this list. Presently, all the manufacturing and support services departments of the company including its captive mines and collieries, totaling more than 60 plants have already initiated the TPM deployment and all these departments have already kicked off TPM and presently are at various stages of its deployment.

Four plants of the company namely its Hot Strip Mill, Wire Rod Mill, Precision Tube Mills (Tubes Division) and Bearings Division were also received the coveted TPM Excellence Award (First Category) of Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance for the year 2004.

Small Group Activities:

Quality Circles / TPM Circles are considered as a small group activity consisting of first-line employees who continually control and improve the Quality of their work, products and services. These Small Groups operate autonomously, utilize Quality Control tools and techniques and other improvement tools, tap members' creativity and promote self and mutual development. For departments, where TPM is not being implemented, SGA teams in form of Quality Circles (QCs) are activated. In line with TPM, QCs go for focused improvement as required by the Department.

Tata Steel's SGA Performance in 2005

* Kaizen is a daily activity whose purpose goes beyond improvement. It is also a process that when done correctly humanizes the workplace, eliminates hard work (both mental and physical), teaches people how to do rapid experiments using the scientific method, and how to learn to see and eliminate waste in business processes.

Importantly, kaizen must operate with three principles in place: process and results (not results-only); systemic thinking (i.e. big picture, not solely the narrow view); and non-judgmental, non-blaming (because blaming is wasteful).

Other highlights

A Kaizen titled "Reduction in Set Up Time at Gear Cutting Machine" done by MAAG - 589 TPM Circle was recognized with 2nd Prize (a trophy and Rs. 50000/- cash) in Sona Kaizen Champions Trophy - 2006 at the 6th TPM National Conference at Chennai.

UJALA" SGA team of MED (Electrical) was recognized with First Prize at the CII Regional level QC Competition at Kolkata. The team will now participate at the National level competition to be held at Mumbai.

Suggestion Management:

Suggestion management provides an additional platform to the employees to put forward their ideas who otherwise may not come forward. It gives ample opportunity to grass-root workers to participate in the affairs of the company for achieving the goal set by the Company by giving their innovative and creative ideas and getting them implemented through management's machinery. The Suggestor starts feeling the ownership from the inception of the Suggestion and it provides ample satisfaction when implemented.

Tata Steel's Suggestion Management Performance for 2005