IBM Austin Industrial Business Center total productive maintenance - The beginning

The efforts of IBM Austin Industrial Business Center (AIBC) to adopt total productive maintenance (TPM) as the process for improving quality, increasing production and eliminating waste on the pull production lines (PPLs) are described. Over-all equipment effectiveness (OEE) is seen as the measurement for AIBC improvement activities. The initial introductory conversations with management and early pilot measurement activities are described. The data collection tools used and the resulting analysis of the data collected are shown. The initial benchmark activities are described. The authors describe how they obtained the necessary top-down commitment from management by showing the faults of pilot measurements.<>