Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM), also referred to as Total Productive Maintenance, is a proactive maintenance strategy designed to minimize reactive maintenance and unplanned downtime. While it shares similarities with preventive maintenance, TPM goes further by taking an all-encompassing approach: engaging all levels of the organization to work toward optimizing equipment performance, output, and overall productivity.
In this article, we’ll explore what Total Preventive Maintenance is, its key benefits, and essential steps to consider when implementing a TPM system.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- What is Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM)
- Benefits of Total Preventive Maintenance
- The eight pillars of Total Preventive Maintenance
- Key components of a Total Preventive Maintenance System
- How to build your TPM system in 5 steps
- Choosing a Total Preventive Maintenance software
- Frequently Asked Questions on Total Preventive Maintenance
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What Is Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM)?
The term Total Preventive Maintenance originates from the concept of Total Productive Maintenance and is now often used interchangeably. Total Productive Maintenance was introduced by the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance, in the 1970s, building on practices already in use across industries. It was a structured methodology that emphasized company-wide involvement, from frontline operators to leadership. Unlike traditional maintenance, which was largely confined to technical teams, Total Productive (or Preventive) Maintenance promotes shared responsibility across the entire organization.
TPM is essentially a comprehensive maintenance strategy aimed at enhancing the performance and reliability of manufacturing equipment through focussed, scheduled and proactive upkeep and preventive practices.
Benefits of Total Preventive Maintenance
Numerous studies show support for a positive correlation between TPM and business performance, leading to higher Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) scores. Improved processes and a culture of continuous improvement are core to TPM. With strong internal communication and support across all management tiers, TPM can align the organization toward shared performance goals. Key benefits of implementing TPM include:
- Fewer breakdowns and unplanned stops, reducing costly downtime
- Lower operational costs through more efficient use of equipment and labor
- Improved equipment reliability and performance, sustaining machines at optimal levels
- Extended equipment lifespan through proactive maintenance
- Reduction or elimination of small stoppages and slow-running issues
- Fewer defects and accidents, with a target set on zero-defect and zero-accident goals
- Higher employee engagement, with operators empowered to take ownership of maintenance routines
By embedding TPM into daily operations, businesses can create a high-performing, safer, and more resilient production environment.
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The eight pillars of Total Preventive Maintenance
To successfully implement TPM, organizations focus on eight foundational pillars that work together to improve equipment efficiency, reduce downtime, and engage the entire workforce in continuous improvement:
- Autonomous Maintenance
This strategy requires trained machine operators to take continuous ownership of their equipment by performing routine tasks, like cleaning, inspecting, and minor maintenance, on a standardized schedule, rather than relying solely on dedicated technicians. - Continuous/Focused Improvement
Small, targeted improvements are made regularly to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce waste. - Planned Maintenance
Maintenance activities are scheduled proactively based on usage or time intervals to minimize unexpected failures and optimize equipment performance. - Quality Maintenance
Assets and heavy equipment are maintained to prevent errors and support consistent, defect-free production. - Education and Training
Employees at all levels receive ongoing training to build skills in equipment handling, maintenance, and problem-solving. - Health, Safety and Environment
Maintenance practices are designed to minimize environmental impact and protect workers from injury or health risks. - Early Equipment Management
Maintenance and operations teams collaborate with design teams to build equipment that is easier to maintain and more reliable thus reducing project risks and costs by solving equipment issues early. - Workforce Engagement
Everyone, from shop floor to leadership, is involved in TPM activities, creating shared ownership and accountability for performance.
Key components of a Total Preventive Maintenance System
While the 8 pillars of TPM lay the foundation, an effective TPM system is built on practical structures such as processes, roles, tools, and tracking, that turn a TPM strategy into a roadmap for daily action. In practice this should always include:
- Scheduled Inspections
Routine inspections help detect early signs of wear or failure, allowing teams to intervene before issues escalate, whether it’s daily walkarounds or monthly equipment checks. - Standardized Maintenance Tasks
Consistency is key, checklists, SOPs, and repeatable processes ensure maintenance is performed the same way every time, minimizing variability and error. - Failure Tracking & Root Cause Analysis
Documenting breakdowns and analyzing root causes allows teams to learn from failures and implement solutions that prevent recurrence. - Technician Training & Documentation
Well-trained personnel supported by up-to-date manuals, guides, and digital documentation help ensure safe, reliable, and standardized maintenance execution.
How to build your TPM System in 5 steps
Now that we've covered the practical building blocks of a Total Preventive Maintenance system, like inspections, standardized tasks, and tracking, it’s invaluable to understand how to set it all up. This 5-step guide walks you through building a TPM strategy that can be applied across most operations, from the ground up.
Step 1: Identify Critical Assets and Failure Modes
Start by pinpointing your most essential equipment and analyzing where and why failures typically occur using tools like Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) or past maintenance data.
Step 2: Create a Total Preventive Maintenance Checklist
Develop tailored digital checklists with routine tasks specific to each machine or asset type—think lubrication, calibration, cleaning, and safety checks.
Step 3: Assign Schedules and Roles
Define when tasks should happen (daily, monthly, or usage-based) and who is responsible, ensuring accountability and timely execution.
Step 4: Implement Maintenance Tracking Software
Use digital tools to automate scheduling, send reminders, log completed tasks, and generate reports, all in one place.
Step 5: Monitor, Optimize & Scale
Track key metrics, evaluate what’s working, and continuously adjust to improve uptime and extend the TPM system across more assets or sites.
Choosing a Total Preventive Maintenance software
When evaluating software for your business to support your Total Preventive Maintenance strategy, consider a solution that simplifies daily maintenance tasks as well as supports your long-term operational goals. These key features should be prioritized:
- Mobile Access: Equip teams with mobile devices, so they can conduct maintenance inspections, log checks, and report deviations in real-time. The ability to perform inspections through a phone or tablet dramatically reduces repair times and delays, minimizing downtime as a result.
- Scheduling & Automation: Ability to automate routine maintenance tasks and alerts, and sync updates in real time between desktop and mobile. Ensuring clear communication, instant visibility, and fully documented maintenance activity across your teams.
- Customizable Reporting & Dashboards: Get actionable insights into equipment health, compliance, and maintenance performance.
- Implementation Support: A robust onboarding process ensures smoother adoption and training across teams, reinforcing the eighth pillar (workforce engagement), where all teams are aligned on a common goal.
By laying the groundwork with strong processes, engaged teams, and the right tools, you can build a Total Preventive Maintenance system that drives performance, productivity, and long-term operational success.
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Frequently asked questions on Total Preventive Maintenance
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How to build a Total Preventive Maintenance system
Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM), also referred to as Total Productive Maintenance, is a proactive maintenance strategy designed to minimize reactive maintenance and unplanned downtime. In this article, we’ll explore what Total Preventive Maintenance is, its key benefits, and essential steps to consider when implementing a TPM system.
