| Folts
and Russell attribute their success in implementing TPM to
seven things. Russell said, "We realized early on that we
couldn't do it all. So we identified a few areas that we felt
were key, we did those things, and we did them well." The
areas that MRC focused on were:
Preventative maintenance
- Putting predictive maintenance process in
place (i.e., vibration analysis equipment)
- Cleaning the machines, resulting in
inspection
- Creating standards on the equipment for
cleaning, lubrication, and daily checks
- Collecting data on downtime
- Creating Equipment Improvement Teams
- Creating TPM Area Coordinators
From this experience, Russell suggests
organizations beginning TPM programs start small and keep it
simple.
Did MRC learn any lessons implementing TPM?
Folts said, "We learned that training is a key to being
successful with TPM. We did some initial TPM awareness
training for the organization, about one week of training with
the operators, and some for the mechanics. But, looking back
we could have had quicker success if we had done more
training." Folts also credits their success to the
support of their management, the U.A.W. union, the hard work
of the people at MRC, involvement of Marshall Institute, and
the support of their customers. "Ultimately this is a
people issue and we are lucky to have the right people
involved," he said.
Thinking back about the initial resistance to TPM, Don Russell
laughs and says, "At first a lot of folks here defined
TPM as 'Totally Painted Machines'. Now I can say we all define
TPM as 'Taking Pride in our Machines'."
This case study was supplied
by Marshall Institute
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