1.5 Summary
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In the automotive industry, the maintenance of production facilities is a very important part of corporate success. This includes all technical, administrative and management measures that concern the maintenance and restoration of the function of all facilities.
Various maintenance strategies are used to avoid downtimes, failures, accidents and malfunctions and to optimize operating processes and plant availability. These maintenance strategies are generally divided into damage-dependent, preventive and anticipatory strategies. It is also important to identify weak points in the production process, such as incomplete documentation, lack of transparency in key figures, isolated departments, and others.
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a concept developed in Japan to promote a trouble-free production system without losses or waste, with as few defects, downtimes, accidents, and quality losses as possible. TPM is based on eight different pillars that are to be built up and implemented in the company.
The aim is to eliminate the 16 types of loss according to JPIM. These loss types were developed to be able to identify weaknesses in companies as transparently as possible and can be divided into three categories: Machinery and equipment, employees and resources.
The 5S method, another concept developed in Japan, is also particularly popular as a way of constantly developing one’s work as efficiently as possible. The 5S method is designed in such a way that every single employee can implement it, regardless of whether they are directly involved in the production, administration, or other activities.
TPM is not the responsibility of individuals but must be understood and lived by every single person in the company. Therefore, managers must anchor the knowledge about TPM in the company in the long term and anchor it in the corporate culture. Tasks and responsibilities must be delegated to the employees. A systematic approach in which working groups cooperate across departments is helpful.
A particularly important aspect of delegation in the sense of TPM is the pillar of autonomous maintenance. This transfers maintenance and repair tasks of plants directly to the people who also operate them. Extensive training and a broad understanding of all necessary areas are essential.
