Print this Page | Send to a Friend | Comments

What is the definition of continuous improvement?

Replacing ineffective practices, machines, or other manufacturing components with effective ones to attain ongoing, measurable gains. Organizations must constantly measure the effectiveness of processes and strive to meet more difficult objectives to satisfy customers.
Learn more about continuous improvement in the class "Total Productive Maintenance Overview 150" below.

Total Productive Maintenance Overview 150

Quality Training

Class Information

Tooling U classes are offered at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The typical class consists of 12 to 25 lessons and typically requires at least two hours of instruction time.

Class Name:	Total Productive Maintenance Overview 150
Description:	This class describes the elements of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and explains how TPM helps reduce losses and waste.
Prerequisites:	none
Difficulty:	Beginner
Number of Lessons:	18

Below are all the competencies and job programs that contain the class Total Productive Maintenance Overview 150. Job programs are our traditional class lists organized according to common job functions. Competences are our latest job-specific curricula that help tie online learning to practical, hands-on tasks.

Click on any title to view its details.

Competencies	Show All
Centerless Grinder Operator CNC Mill Operator Maintenance Fundamentals

Job Programs	Show All
Job: CNC Operator: Mill Job: CNC Operator: Lathe Job: Machinist/Machine Setter

Class Outline
Objectives What Is Total Productive Maintenance? Lean and Quality Types of Maintenance Pull System Cells Six Big Losses Overall Equipment Effectiveness Principles of TPM Autonomous Maintenance Five S Planned Maintenance Quality Maintenance Kaizen Training Safety Office TPM Summary

Class Objectives

Define total productive maintenance.
Define lean.
Define quality.
Describe various types of maintenance.
Define pull system.
Define cell.
Identify the six big losses.
Define overall equipment effectiveness.
Identify the principles of TPM.
Define autonomous maintenance.
Identify the activities in the Five S approach.
Describe planned maintenance.
Describe quality maintenance.
Describe kaizen.
Describe the training that is most important to TPM.
Describe the role of safety in TPM.
Describe the purpose of office TPM.

Class Vocabulary
autonomous maintenance		Maintenance that is performed by the machine operator rather than the maintenance staff. Autonomous maintenance includes tasks such as lubricating and tightening machine parts.
availability		The percentage of time a machine is actually able to produce parts out of the total time that it should be able to produce. This number includes breakdowns, setups, and adjustments.
basic condition		The expected good state of repair that equipment should possess in order to produce quality parts in a timely manner. Under TPM, operators are expected to maintain their machine's basic condition.
breakdown maintenance		Maintenance performed on broken machines to restore them to working order.
cell		A specialized grouping of people, machines, and materials. The purpose of a cell is to efficiently produce small batches of parts.
certification		Validation that a person or company has achieved a certain standard. Certification may be awarded by a school, a professional organization, or other governing body.
continuous improvement		Replacing ineffective practices, machines, or other manufacturing components with effective ones to attain ongoing, measurable gains. Organizations must constantly measure the effectiveness of processes and strive to meet more difficult objectives to satisfy customers.
downtime		The period of time when a machine or a factory is not operating and is not producing.
external customer		An outside organization or individual that receives a product or service from the company.
finishing		A process applied to a manufactured part that goes beyond making the part to the correct shape and size. Sanding, heat treating, and painting are examples of finishing.
Five S		A targeted list of activities that promotes organization and efficiency within a workspace. The Five S terms are sifting, sorting, sweeping, standardizing, and sustaining.
internal customer		A department or individual within the company that relies on others to satisfy the external customer.
International Organization for Standardization		ISO. An organization based in Switzerland that develops and publishes standards for its international membership base.
kaizen		The belief that an organization must maintain a focus on change for the better or continuous improvement.
kaizen event		An improvement tool that brings together employees from various departments to examine a problem, propose solutions, and implement changes. Kaizen events usually take place over one or two days.
lean		An approach to manufacturing that seeks to improve product quality and productivity, reduce cost, and eliminate waste.
maintenance		The necessary and basic support and repair of machines. Maintenance includes tasks such as lubricating, adjusting, and replacing parts.
maintenance prevention		Machine engineering and design that is based on preventing the need for maintenance or for ease of access to machine parts so that maintenance may be carried out easily.
office TPM		Application of the principles of total productive maintenance to the administrative areas of the company.
overall equipment effectiveness		OEE. The percentage of equipment's availability, quality, and performance multiplied together.
performance rate		The rate parts are produced divided by the machine capacity. This number includes the number of parts produced in a given time, reduced speeds, idling, and short-term stoppage for jams and other problems.
periodic maintenance		Maintenance performed on a calendar basis.
planned maintenance		Maintenance that is performed purposely and regularly in order to prevent a machine from deteriorating or breaking down.
predictive maintenance		Maintenance performed based on the known and expected behavior, condition, and history of the machine.
preventive maintenance		Maintenance performed while a machine is still in working order to keep it from breaking down. Preventive maintenance includes lubricating, tightening, and replacing worn parts.
pull system		A material management system in which parts are not delivered to machines until they are needed. Pull systems place demands on maintenance to keep machines up and running.
quality		An approach to manufacturing that focuses on customer satisfaction. Quality products conform to specifications, are free of defects, and meet the requirements of their anticipated use.
quality maintenance		Maintenance focusing on tasks that keep machines producing quality, error-free parts.
quality rate		The percentage of good parts out of the total produced. This number includes time lost to defects and the time it takes from startup to normal production.
safety		The practices and policies that a company puts in place in order to preserve the health and well-being of employees, equipment, and facilities.
six big losses		Areas in manufacturing where the greatest amounts of materials and time are wasted. They include breakdowns, setup and adjustment time, idling and minor stoppages, speed reduction, quality defects, and startup losses.
total productive maintenance		A manufacturing improvement method that increases production and reduces waste through continuous attention to the condition of machines and processes. TPM's main goal is to maximize equipment usefulness across its lifespan.
training		Educating and coaching staff to improve or change practices.