Design of a Total Productive Maintenance model for effective implementation : case study of a chemical manufacturing company

Abstract: In today’s industries, the concept of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) has been widely accepted and implemented yet it’s still possible to find industries facing maintenance challenges. The focus of this paper was to develop an effective TPM model to improve the maintenance system at a chemical manufacturing company in Zambia. The researchers set objectives to assess the current maintenance system, to determine the overall equipment effectiveness and to identify key performance indicators and success factors of TPM. Data relevant to the research was collected using designed questionnaires, structured interviews, direct observations and company records. The results of the research came double folded by reviewing that, the maintenance department employed 67.6% breakdown maintenance, 24.3% preventive maintenance and 8.1% not applicable. The research also reviewed that 78% of the time the operators were not involved in maintenance activities with only 14% operator involvement. As regards to the effectiveness of the maintenance technique( s) used, 19% was recorded poor, 65% fair, 8% good and 8% not applicable. Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) was calculated at 37% which was below the world class standard by 50%. Equipment downtime was a major cause of plant under utilization with 52% caused by shortage of spares, 32% shortage of raw materials, 8% due to power problems and 8% not applicable. TPM awareness deduced 70.5% of the employees been aware of the TPM concept while 14.7% indicated the concept of TPM would help improve the current maintenance system and 14.7% were not sure. 29.5% of the employees were not aware of TPM with 64.3% not sure that the TPM concept can help improve the current maintenance system. Based on these results, knowledge and information sharing, operator involvement and training should be considered. The researchers then designed a TPM model which would result in effective implementation of TPM for higher competitiveness in the dynamic business environment