Impact of loss elimination in businesses explained

Innovative action based on Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is growing in popularity. It is not surprising. Focused Improvement is the involvement of employees in finding a solution to minimise the side effects of faulty machine use. Loss minimisation measures, which have been based on staff ingenuity, pass the test and significantly increase the chance of reducing losses and aiming for zero losses altogether. This means that by resiliently operating based on a TPM system, we have an opportunity to have no defects, no product defects and, most importantly, no accidents in the performance of our duties.

Where should you start to organise your responsibilities at work properly?

Above all, it is crucial to standardise work organisation; however, this cannot be implemented on the spot. It is, therefore, necessary to start by introducing five principles that will raise awareness among employees and make it clear to them how important it is to comply with them and to work together collectively, which will make daily life much easier for everyone who finds their place in the ranks of the company. These rules are the so-called 5S, about cleanliness, tidying the workplace and keeping it tidy correctly. The next step is to increase knowledge, and therefore awareness, of the first pillar of TPM, based on total loss elimination. If all five principles are put in place in the right way, and employees start to take them as the basis of organisation at work, you can move on to a Focused Improvement activity that allows you to quickly catch faults in your equipment and implement ideas on how to get rid of them.

What generates the most significant losses in a company?

First, it is essential to start by categorising the most disruptive losses to the company. From these, most delays, budget shortfalls and situations that generate stress and unnecessary accumulation of negative emotions arise.

The first such area is machine breakdowns, which occur suddenly and without warning. The loss of time, in this case, is very acute. The second big area of failure is all kinds of machine adjustments. The third area is machine downtime, caused by overlooking the basic things that must be done to keep machines running smoothly. Finally, another area is equipment that is too worn out to be set at optimum speed. This situation results in a significant slowdown in production time, which translates into reduced profits and increased losses simultaneously.

A fifth area worthy of attention is product quality defects. Any defects in products or equipment generate the need to throw them away, or repair them, which is a loss. The final area is the poorly planned start of production. If the department’s work starts at a specific time, all the necessary machinery should be in operation from then on, and employees should be standing at their posts. Otherwise, losses are again created.

What is the concentrated loss elimination process?

The activity, called Focused Improvement, is a way of removing waste caused by machines through creative discussion among selected company employees. The idea behind this method is quite simple. First, it is best to display a whiteboard in a communal area for employees, where a selected person will write down the key steps in solving a problem. Each stage is based on the conversation and ideas of the employees who face the problem daily, which is why Focused Improvement is so effective.

The first step is to name the problem with a full definition. The second part is to analyse the losses that the problem generates. The third is to come up with concrete solutions together, the fourth stage is to plan a concrete action, and the fifth is the action itself. As much as possible, plans and photos before and after the entire operation are desirable. What is most important in all this is all team members’ real, genuine commitment. Only with such an element can you be sure that the Focused Improvement programme will work.