The impact of the absence of a total productive maintenance (TPM) program at a plastic painting plant

Abstract

This research was concerned with investigating “the absence of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)” at a plastic painting plant. TPM is a combination of operations and maintenance activities and is performed by operators under their own authority and is called “autonomous maintenances”. The author has tested the degree of implementation of TPM by using a sevenstep TPM implementation model this highlighted an absence of TPM in the organisation investigated. TPM is a relatively new concept in the South African automotive industry and has not been fully accepted by management as a solution to the maintenance problems in the organisation. Due to a long implementation period and the difficulty in measuring the benefits of the TPM program for the organisation TPM tends not to be implemented by companies. The research studies several maintenance philosophies each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The benefits that arise from the implementation of an effective TPM philosophy were explored. The development of an effective improved model for the implementation of TPM was investigated. Maintenance engineers and managers in any organisation can use this model to implement an effective TPM program. The seven-step TPM implementation model formed the basis for the compilation of a questionnaire. A survey was conducted to determine if an absence of TPM existed in a plastic painting plant. The results from the survey were drawn up and recommendations to further develop a model for the implementation of TPM was put forward