Learn about the differences between TPM and traditional maintenance methods, and how they can affect your manufacturing operations. Find out the benefits, challenges, and steps of TPM implementation.

The main difference between TPM and Traditional Maintenance are as below 1. TPM promotes a multidepartmental collaborative approach to maintenance cutting across production, safety, quality and also administration through its key pillars i.e " I operate I maintain" perspective, while Traditional maintenance approaches maintenance in a silo departmental aspect the slogan is " I operate You maintain". 2. TPM aims to eliminate losses through optimization of lean tools such as OEE, Root Cause Analysis, Kanban, Pokayoke which are proactive and are aimed at reducing losses through lean initiatives . Traditional Maintenance aims to be reactive in waste and loss reduction with no incorporation of Lean tools.

I spent almost 15 years in TPM journey. The key difference of TPM from traditional maintenance system is, it's proactive approach that begins with the operator who runs the machine. In traditional maintenance, the operator doesn't have any role. This lack of involvement towards maintenance creates a massacre. Downtime is never controlled. By routine maintenance, operator reports issues in advance and maintenance crew gets adequate time to set it right. Then comes empowerment of people by planned maintenance engineers. Engineers will develop a learning culture towards uptime. Doing that, problem is sorted easily. In TPM culture, we give emphasis on JH-PM hand in hand. This is my fundamental realization.

Traditional maintenance approaches typically involve scheduled, preventive maintenance based on predefined intervals or equipment usage, aiming to prevent failures and extend equipment life. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), on the other hand, is a holistic approach that integrates maintenance into the daily operations of a facility, involving all employees in the process. TPM emphasizes proactive and autonomous maintenance by operators, focusing on improving equipment effectiveness, reducing downtime, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Unlike traditional methods, TPM aims for total employee involvement, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for equipment reliability and overall operational efficiency.

Traditional maintenance, also known as reactive maintenance, is an approach where repairs and maintenance activities are performed in response to equipment breakdown or failures. It involves as they occur. TPM emphasizes proactive and preventive maintenance to maximise the operational efficiency of equipment.

What are the differences between TPM and traditional maintenance approaches?

If you work in manufacturing operations, you know how important it is to keep your equipment in good condition and avoid breakdowns. However, not all maintenance approaches are the same. In this article, you will learn about the differences between TPM and traditional maintenance methods, and how they can affect your productivity, quality, and safety.

1 What is TPM?

TPM stands for Total Productive Maintenance, a lean manufacturing philosophy that aims to eliminate waste and losses caused by equipment failures, defects, and accidents. TPM involves the participation of all employees, from operators to managers, in maintaining and improving the performance of the machines and processes. TPM has eight pillars that cover aspects such as autonomous maintenance, planned maintenance, quality maintenance, focused improvement, early equipment management, education and training, safety and environment, and TPM in administration.

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James Menu

Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt|| Certified Total Productive Maintenance Professional|| Certified Lean Practitioner||Production Planning and Management|| Manufacturing Operations Management|| Continuous Improvement||
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The main difference between TPM and Traditional Maintenance are as below 1. TPM promotes a multidepartmental collaborative approach to maintenance cutting across production, safety, quality and also administration through its key pillars i.e " I operate I maintain" perspective, while Traditional maintenance approaches maintenance in a silo departmental aspect the slogan is " I operate You maintain". 2. TPM aims to eliminate losses through optimization of lean tools such as OEE, Root Cause Analysis, Kanban, Pokayoke which are proactive and are aimed at reducing losses through lean initiatives . Traditional Maintenance aims to be reactive in waste and loss reduction with no incorporation of Lean tools.

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Gopal Chaudhury

Head of TPM, Six Sigma, Change Management at ITC Limited
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I spent almost 15 years in TPM journey. The key difference of TPM from traditional maintenance system is, it's proactive approach that begins with the operator who runs the machine. In traditional maintenance, the operator doesn't have any role. This lack of involvement towards maintenance creates a massacre. Downtime is never controlled. By routine maintenance, operator reports issues in advance and maintenance crew gets adequate time to set it right. Then comes empowerment of people by planned maintenance engineers. Engineers will develop a learning culture towards uptime. Doing that, problem is sorted easily. In TPM culture, we give emphasis on JH-PM hand in hand. This is my fundamental realization.

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Philip Ayowole

"LinkedIn top manufacturing operations voice. Results-Driven Factory Manager with a Decade of Expertise in Plant Management, Continuous Improvement, and Cost Optimization."
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Traditional maintenance approaches typically involve scheduled, preventive maintenance based on predefined intervals or equipment usage, aiming to prevent failures and extend equipment life. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), on the other hand, is a holistic approach that integrates maintenance into the daily operations of a facility, involving all employees in the process. TPM emphasizes proactive and autonomous maintenance by operators, focusing on improving equipment effectiveness, reducing downtime, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Unlike traditional methods, TPM aims for total employee involvement, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for equipment reliability and overall operational efficiency.

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willys juma

Maintenance Engineer
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Traditional maintenance, also known as reactive maintenance, is an approach where repairs and maintenance activities are performed in response to equipment breakdown or failures. It involves as they occur. TPM emphasizes proactive and preventive maintenance to maximise the operational efficiency of equipment.

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2 What are traditional maintenance approaches?

Traditional maintenance approaches are based on reactive or preventive strategies that focus on fixing problems after they occur or following a predetermined schedule of inspections and repairs. Traditional maintenance often relies on external specialists or technicians to perform the tasks, while the operators have little involvement or responsibility for the equipment condition. Traditional maintenance can result in high costs, downtime, waste, and low morale.

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3 How does TPM differ from traditional maintenance?

TPM differs from traditional maintenance in several ways. First, TPM adopts a proactive and holistic approach that seeks to prevent problems before they happen and continuously improve the equipment performance and reliability. Second, TPM empowers the operators to take care of their own machines and processes, and encourages cross-functional collaboration and problem-solving. Third, TPM aligns the maintenance goals with the business objectives and customer needs, and measures the results using indicators such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), mean time between failures (MTBF), and mean time to repair (MTTR).

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4 What are the benefits of TPM?

TPM can bring many benefits to your manufacturing operations, such as reduced costs of maintenance, spare parts, and inventory; increased productivity, quality, and efficiency; improved safety, health, and environment; enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty; higher employee engagement and motivation; and greater innovation and competitiveness. All of which are key components of a successful manufacturing process. By implementing TPM, you can ensure that your operations are running at their peak performance.

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5 What are the challenges of TPM?

TPM is not a quick fix or a one-time project; it requires a long-term commitment and a cultural change in your organization. Challenges such as obtaining top management support and leadership, overcoming resistance to change and breaking silos, developing the skills and knowledge of the workforce, establishing clear roles and responsibilities, setting realistic and measurable targets, and sustaining the momentum and continuous improvement must be addressed.

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David Ortiz

Maintenance/Planning/Lean Manufacturing
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I believe that one of the most difficult challenges in implementing a high level of TPM is that of union organizations. Many have immovable conditions for the growth of the organization and personnel. In Latin America, the tight control of the unions does not allow the implementation of autonomous maintenance, for example, under the argument that combining operation and maintenance tasks is taking away the work of the personnel of this department and putting at risk the existing positions.

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6 How to start with TPM?

If you want to start with TPM in your manufacturing operations, you should begin by conducting a gap analysis and identifying your current situation and desired state. Then, form a TPM steering committee and assign a TPM coordinator. Select a pilot area and a model machine to apply the TPM principles and practices. After that, train and educate the employees on TPM concepts and tools. Implement the eight pillars of TPM and monitor the progress and results. Standardize and document the best practices and procedures, expanding and replicating the TPM approach to other areas and machines. Finally, recognize and reward the achievements, celebrating the success.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the differences between TPM and traditional maintenance approaches?

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1 What is TPM?

2 What are traditional maintenance approaches?

3 How does TPM differ from traditional maintenance?

4 What are the benefits of TPM?

5 What are the challenges of TPM?

6 How to start with TPM?

7 Here’s what else to consider

Manufacturing Operations

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What are the differences between TPM and traditional maintenance approaches?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 What is TPM?

2 What are traditional maintenance approaches?

3 How does TPM differ from traditional maintenance?

4 What are the benefits of TPM?

5 What are the challenges of TPM?

6 How to start with TPM?

7 Here’s what else to consider

Manufacturing Operations

Rate this article

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