TPM Implementation Experiences

Abstract

This paper provides some information on the historical background of TPM introduction to Infineon Technologies followed by the chronicle events and experiences learnt in adopting and adapting TPM development activities to improve productivity in DS Business Unit. It also identifies some of the difficulties faced while implementing TPM and finally proposes some solutions for eliminating them. 

•  Introduction

Like many organizations continue searching for excellence approaches / programs to improve their competitiveness, top management introduced Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) in 1994 to Siemens Malacca (former company name of Infineon Technologies). At that time, some selected people were trained on the TPM methodology however the initiative did not achieve the expected result. Without giving up the hope, top management made the second attempt and reinitiated the TPM program in 1996 with the following main events.

•  TPM blast-off for management

•  TPM training for implementation teams

•  Establish TPM management team

•  Prepare TPM implementation plan

•  TPM training for supervisors & engineers

•  Pilot TPM teams in Business Units

•  TPM training for operators & technicians

2. TPM Development Activities in DS

In mid of 1996,SOT23 is the highest volume runner in DS and the bottleneck process was at testing area. Unanimously, DS management has chosen SOT23 inliner as the pilot project to launch TPM initiative because it accounted for about 60% of the SOT23 capacity.

Prior to that, the DS management established an organization structure to coordinate and support the TPM efforts and activities. This is done through the formation of the DS TPM Steering Committee team and the assignment of a full time departmental coordinator to develop the TPM master plan, control the standardization of the TPM implementation and regularly review the progress. In addition, there is a pool of TPM facilitators in DS Business Unit to implement the TPM development activities.

In the initial roll out of TPM activities, DS implemented two out of the five fundamental development activities (pillars) at that time namely Jishu Hozen Autonomous Maintenance and Kobetsu Kaizen.

Jishu Hozen Autonomous Maintenance (JHAM) ? Teams of operators performance routine maintenance tasks and participate in improvement activities that halt accelerated deterioration, control contamination and maintain optimal machine conditions. It is typically implemented in eight steps in our factory

Kobetsu Kaizen (KK, Focused equipment improvement)- Cross functional project teams composed of people from production, maintenance, engineering and operators in activities to minimize equipment losses.

At that point of time, the company was also launching a new work-floor management system called Self- Managing Team (SMT) and this had created some confusion in the early stages as well as priority / focus of both initiatives. As a result the TPM implementation has taken a longer time than it should be.

The JHAM implementation is the toughest among all the TPM development activities as it affect more people who have to change the ways they do things (culture). The JHAM journey started off with the 1 st step: initial cleaning which took about a year to pass the certification. Step by step, Self-Managing Team implemented the JHAM from step 1 to step 4 till to-date. Some of the important requisites for the successful JHAM implementation are training, step audits, activity board, meeting, One Point Lesson, and last but not least reward and recognition system. Furthermore, the assigning of office hour TPM coordinators by production have greatly helped to facilitate the JHAM implementation.

Milestone Events

1996 pilot group SOT23 inliner

1997 JHAM Step 1

1998 JHAM step 2

1999 JHAM step 3

2000 JHAM step 4

2001 Skill level 1

?

As for the Kobetsu Kaizen, the formation of the focused equipment improvement team and ownership by production has overcome many difficulties faced in most improvement projects. A full time supervisor who has been empowered by the superior coordinated the improvement activities through data collection, equipment loss analysis, countermeasure implementation and confirmation. In the beginning, that team mainly focused on reducing equipment losses followed by expanding the scope to improve operating efficiency namely change lot time optimization. One of the good practices was that the team met regularly to discuss/review the status of the improvement activities so that every member was informed about their contributions. It is observed that the team is possible to achieve the dramatic and sustainable result due to a common shared goal and good teamwork among the members. In addition, the readily available and easily accessible equipment performance measurements namely output, uptime/downtime, overall equipment efficiency, etc through real time on line monitoring system (mTPM) has also enabled the change process.

In between, the operators and production technicians are regularly trained on equipment/process-related knowledge and skills using a unique and strategic training concept: One Point Lesson used extensively in the progress of TPM implementation. Gradually, more and more operators and production technicians follow established/standard operating procedures that has one way or the other minimized the variability in the production process.

Initially, the maintenance department personnel also participated in the TPM activities through restoring the equipment to its original and basic conditions as much as possible. The effect of the restoration if done objectively will minimize the frequent reactive maintenance practices. There after, the maintenance personnel will have more time to involve in higher value-added activities by continuous improvement of equipment reliability and maintainability.

In view of the successful result achieved through this pilot TPM, DS management unanimously decided to deploy this approach to all product groups. This is made possible through the assigning of experienced TPM practitioners from the pilot groups to facilitate the TPM implementation to all products groups in DS. The leverage of TPM best practices internally has significantly shorted the learning cure to achieve similar results in the DS Business Unit.

3. Results

All these TPM development activities which are synergy to each other have brought about enormous and sustainable productivity improvement in this pilot project. Before TPM, the plan module capacity of SOT23 inliner was 80'0 million per year and in most cases the actual capacity was hugging below this value. Currently, the module capacity of SOT23 inliner can reach more then 100'0 million. As a result, the bottleneck has shifted to End Of Line process. Same approach is replicated to improve the equipment capacity in others bottleneck processes within all the product groups in DS.

Summary of some of the results

Capacity of SOT23-2up > 37%

Capacity of SOT3x3-2up > 27%

Capacity of SOD323 > 30%

Capacity of SOT223 > 19% (within 3-4 months)

•  Leassons Learned

Measuring TPM Effectiveness

For any improvement strategy to be successful there must be a way to measure how are we doing and how do we compare with others. TPM uses a key performance indicator call Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) to measure the productivity (effectiveness and efficiency) of equipment.

OEE = Availability x Uptime Utilisation x Process Performance x Quality Yield

Availability is the time the equipment is available to run (uptime)

Uptime Utilisation is the idling / engineering time

Process Performance is the actual vs. the design speed

Quality yield is the total product produced minus the rejects divided by the total product produced

All these figures are usually expressed in percentage and higher OEE translates into higher capacity from the equipment. Surprisingly, the OEE of most equipment range from 40%-60% when first time take the measurement whereas the benchmark is 85%. As such, OEE has become the accepted indicator to assess how plants actually manage their most expensive asset, the equipment to produce saleable good with minimum losses and wastes.

Implementing TPM

Although JIPM has established and simplified a 12 steps in TPM development programs (attachment 1), however most organisations implementing TPM on their own have never get off the ground the first time and for those who manage to kick start do not achieve the expected and sustainable productivity improvement.

Introducing and implementing TPM is not like a standard project, which normally has a starting, and an end that seldom exceeds one year. Rather, TPM is a long range ? living program ? which can take more than few years to implement and enjoy the lasting benefits when the whole organisation has become strategy focused instead of evaluating one new program after another before implementing TPM thoroughly.

Why is TPM difficult to implement?

In actual fact, implementing TPM is a dramatic organisational change that can affect organisation structure, work-floor management system, employee responsibilities, performance measurement, incentive systems, skill development and the use of information technology. No wonder the success rate of such large-scale change is less than 30% for most organisations.

Difficulties faced in TPM implementation

•  Typically people show strong resistance to change.

•  Many people treat it just another ? program of the month ? without paying any focus and also doubt about the effectiveness.

•  Not sufficient resources ( people,money,time,etc.) and assistance provided

•  Insufficient understanding of the methodology and philosophy by middle management

•  TPM is not a ? quick fix ? approach, it involve cultural change to the ways we do things

•  Departmental barrier existing within Business Unit

•  Many people considered TPM activities as additional work/threat

5. Conclusion & Recommendations

TPM is one of the world class lean manufacturing strategies that is well structured with eight fundamental development activities and data based approach (OEE) to improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of any production system/process involving everyone.

Apparently, successful TPM implementation can achieve better and lasting result as compared to other isolated program because there is an ultimate change in people (knowledge, skills, and behaviour) during the progress. However don't underestimate the tremendous efforts required to make that change happened and last.

If we have to start over again?some serious thoughts

Top management (strong & consistent involvement/commitment)

•  Create a communication campaign & frequently reinforce the need to change

•  Establish the organisation e.g. steering team/TPM co-ordinator/TPM office

•  Create a TPM deployment through sponsor,owner,users and coach

•  Provide the needed means and resources (equipment, space, training, money, etc.)

•  Engage a knowledgeable consultant

•  Establish reward and recognition system

•  Review the implementation status regularly

Middle management (strong understanding TPM methodology & philosophy)

•  Ownership of TPM implementation ( KK & JHAM )

•  Active promotion and sustenance (training, coaching, etc.) to the direct staff

•  Visit the line frequently to show your interest

•  Provide supporting environment by removing barriers

•  Promote TPM activities through activity boards and best practices sharing

Direct staff (active participation in TPM activities)

•  Learn autonomous maintenance by doing

•  Suggest new ideas for improvement

•  Raise equipment/process-related knowledge and skills

•  Participate in equipment and process improvement activities

Teamwork between production,maintenance,and engineering

•  Use of cross functional teams is important for TPM success

Information Technology

- Use information technology to gather equipment information

6. Attachments

Attachment 1: JIPM 12 steps development program

7. Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank all TPM teams, TPM Facilitators, and SMT members in DS for their cooperation and contributions to make TPM successful

8. References

•  S. Nakajima [1989] ? TPM Development Program ?, Productivity Press

•  K. Shirose [1996]? TPM New Implementation Program in Fabrication & Assembly Industries ?, JIPM

•  JIPM, Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance

yoke-choy.siam@infineon.com