What is TPM Circle and how they are formed?

171 Comments / Kaizen, Total Productive Maintenance, TPM / By leadnchange@gmail.com

What is TPM Circle and how they are formed?

A TPM Circle is a small, self-managed team of operators, maintenance personnel, and engineers who work together to improve equipment reliability and efficiency. TPM Circles are an essential element of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), a comprehensive approach to equipment maintenance that involves all employees in an organization.

TPM Circles are formed by selecting a small group of employees who are responsible for a particular piece of equipment or production line. The group should include operators who are familiar with the equipment and maintenance personnel who have technical expertise. The team should also include an engineer who is knowledgeable about TPM principles and practices.

In a typical company, where TPM has taken a full form, the whole production floor is divided into TPM Circle, and each employee would be a part of one circle or another. That way, the involvement of all employees in TPM activity is ensured.

TPM Circle is different from Quality Circle, the participation of which is voluntary. Normally, TPM circles do not offer a choice of selecting a circle, as the focus is on a particular equipment, plant or unit.

TPM Circle is related to the Autonomous Maintenance Pillar of the TPM structure. The TPM circles conduct their own preventive maintenance and improvement activities, and employees follow the philosophy of “We Operate and Maintain it”, in contrast to the traditional thinking of “I Operate and You Maintain it”. The Autonomous Maintenance or Jishu Hozen Pillar oversees the activities of TPM Circles and helps them solve their problems at local level. The problems which are beyond the capacity of the TPM Circle are then taken up by the AM Pillar with other Pillars of the plant, e.g., Planned Maintenance Pillar, Training & Education Pillar, Focused Improvement Pillar etc.

The primary purpose of a TPM Circle is to identify and eliminate the root causes of equipment failures and reduce downtime. The Circle achieves this through a structured problem-solving approach, which involves the following steps:

Define the problem: The Circle defines the problem by identifying visiting the site location or equipment, identifying malfunctions or abnormalities or the existing problem, and study them .
Collect data: The team collects data related to the problem, removes whatever malfunctions the team can remove on its own, and then report the defects in a systematic manner.
Analyze the data: The Circle analyzes the data to identify the root cause of the problem. The Circle uses tools such as Ishikawa diagrams, Pareto charts, and 5 Whys to identify the root cause. It tabulates the problems found and corrected, problems that need to be improved with external help, and train the people through OPL (One Point Lessons) and Kaizen Sheets.
Develop solutions: The Circle develops solutions to address the root cause of the problem. The solutions should be practical, cost-effective, and easy to implement.
Implement solutions: The Circle implements the solutions and monitors the results. The Circle tracks the results to ensure that the solutions are effective and sustainable.
Standardize: The Circle standardizes the solutions by developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training operators on the new procedures.
Review and improve: The Circle reviews the results and looks for opportunities to improve further. The Circle should continuously seek to improve equipment reliability and efficiency.

The benefits of TPM Circles are numerous. First, TPM Circles promote a culture of continuous improvement by involving all employees in the operation and maintenance process. Second, TPM Circles help organizations reduce downtime, improve equipment reliability, and increase overall efficiency. Third, TPM Circles help build teamwork and collaboration among operators, maintenance personnel, and engineers.

Therefore, TPM Circles are an essential element of TPM and a powerful tool for improving equipment reliability and efficiency. By involving a small, self-managed team of operators, maintenance personnel, and engineers in the maintenance process, TPM Circles can lead to significant improvements in equipment performance and productivity.