TPM
assigns preventive and routine maintenance responsibility to those who operate
the individual equipment. In the maritime context, autonomous maintenance by
operators is essential due to the decreasing number of crew on board; this
creates a sense of ownership of the equipment in the operator, and the best way
to implement it would be to have dual competency marine officers (MAROF) on
fixed rotation, removing the concept of separate navigation and engineer
officers. MAROFs could prevent equipment deterioration through correct
operations and daily checks, bring the equipment to its ideal state through
restoration and proper management, and establish the conditions needed to keep
the equipment well-maintained. Furthermore, riding teams of repair fitters and
technicians could undertake major maintenance as and when required under the
supervision of MAROFs; this would optimise the use of skilled officers on board
and improve their job satisfaction.
Training
is another aspect that needs to be focused on to ensure adequate maintenance
management in the marine industry. While maintenance is an essential shipboard
activity, there is no training imparted in maintenance management either as a
subject or as part of one mandatory course. Most countries do not examine candidates for this topic in their competency exams either. However, IMO has
developed a model course on maintenance planning and execution, which includes
maintenance planning and control. While RCM is not mentioned, it has a similar
theme to the extent that the different failure profiles noted in the aviation
industry are also shown; this is another indication of the relevance
of RCM in the maritime context. Private maritime training institutes could
deliver this training, but they are commercial ventures and must generate
profit to sustain themselves. Maintenance management could be a topic for
competency exams or a mandatory course to create awareness.
In the
most basic sense, the three goals of TPM are zero unplanned failures (no small
stops or slow running), zero product defects, and zero accidents. To achieve
these goals, TPM must be applied in the proper amounts and situations and be
integrated with the manufacturing system and other improvement initiatives. Therefore, adequate implementation of TPM will not only improve the capability of the
equipment but also make the maintenance practice more efficient, making the
business more profitable and competitive.
TPM
aims to cultivate a sense of ownership in the equipment operator, which is
essential for the success of any maintenance program. A comparison can be made
between how RCM and TPM deal with the issue of variation in failure intervals.
RCM advocates for the use of condition-based maintenance whenever possible and
feasible to address this issue, while TPM attempts to stabilise failure
intervals by:
1)
establishing basic conditions through
cleaning, lubricating, and tightening;
2)
identifying abnormalities and restoring
deterioration;
3)
clarifying operating conditions and
complying with conditions of use;
4)
eliminating or controlling major
contamination sources;
5)
establishing daily checking and
lubricating standards; and
6)
Introducing extensive visual control.
These
recommendations are highly relevant in the shipping industry, and TPM can facilitate
RCM implementation. To a considerable extent, ships' formal safety assessment
(FSA) has a similar approach to RCM. The difference could be that FSA considers
all hazards, while RCM mainly concerns functional failures. Nevertheless, FSA
is a methodology successfully approved for rule-making purposes by the IMO and
provides insights on how RCM should be applied in ship operations.
2.8.1 TOTAL PRODUCTIVE MAINTENANCE CONCEPTS
The
concepts of TPM can be grouped into three categories: autonomous maintenance,
planned maintenance, and maintenance reduction.
2.8.1.1 AUTONOMOUS
MAINTENANCE
Autonomous
maintenance in the marine industry involves using the crew to perform routine
maintenance tasks on the vessel's equipment, including daily cleaning,
inspecting, tightening, and lubricating. The crew is familiar with the
equipment and can quickly detect any anomalies. Effective implementation of
autonomous maintenance requires education and training of manufacturing and
maintenance staff, crew, and management on the concepts of TPM, the benefits of
autonomous maintenance, and special safety awareness training for equipment
operators.
Visual
controls can simplify inspection tasks and minimise training. Equipment is labelled
to make identifying normal versus abnormal conditions more manageable, and inspections
are documented on check sheets, including a map of the area and the appropriate
inspection route. The equipment operators also collect daily information on
equipment health, including downtime, product quality, and any maintenance
performed. This information helps identify signs that equipment is beginning to
degrade and may need significant maintenance.
While
implementing autonomous maintenance, addressing concerns such as asking
equipment operators to assume additional responsibilities and maintenance staff
to give up part of their responsibilities is essential. Management must
communicate their support for the new maintenance approach and provide
opportunities for the maintenance staff to assume new responsibilities.
Ideally, the maintenance staff will be free from their daily firefighting
activities and focus on planned maintenance, equipment analysis, and design
activities. These changes in roles and responsibilities need to be developed.
2.8.1.2 PLANNED
MAINTENANCE
By
removing some of the routine maintenance tasks through autonomous maintenance,
the maintenance staff can start working on proactive equipment maintenance.
Planned maintenance activities (preventive maintenance) are scheduled to repair
equipment and replace components before they break down; this requires the
production schedule to accommodate planned downtime to perform equipment
repairs and allow these repairs to be treated as a priority on
par
with running the equipment to produce parts. The prevailing theory is that as
the planned maintenance goes up, the unplanned maintenance (breakdowns) goes
down, and the total maintenance costs go down.
After
implementing TPM, the equipment is likely to receive better care. The vessel
owner, operator, and crew should determine the appropriate amount of planned
maintenance as a team based on the equipment's health and the type of vessel
and equipment on board. Excessive maintenance can be as expensive as
insufficient maintenance, and therefore, a balance point needs to be determined
by a thorough analysis of the equipment.
A
detailed understanding of the equipment, including the equipment component
level, is required to perform planned maintenance properly. The process should
start with the vessel and critical features and extend to the equipment,
equipment processes, and process parameters. Once the technical department on
shore and the engine department on board have identified the critical process
parameters, they should validate them and determine the proper parameter
settings, which can be accomplished through the design of experiments (DOE).
These DOE can identify the process parameters that provide the most significant
leverage for improving equipment performance linked to critical vessel
features, and this process can be aided by the Original Equipment Manufacturer
(OEM).
Planned
maintenance uses data from process capability and machine capability studies to
establish acceptable performance levels. Process capability studies evaluate
the equipment's ability to operate without breakdowns, while machine capability
studies analyse the equipment's ability to perform specific operations and
compare the results to industry standards. Regularly conducting these studies
can provide indicators that the equipment's performance is deteriorating and
the vessel's performance is likely to decline or have a breakdown soon. This
data can also be stored in a maintenance database to analyse similar equipment
or equipment components for chronic issues, reducing the problems associated
with making decisions with insufficient data.
2.8.1.3
MAINTENANCE REDUCTION
The
final TPM concept involves equipment design and predictive maintenance, which
aim to decrease the total amount of required maintenance. Collaborating with
original equipment makers (OEM) enables
the integration of knowledge gained from equipment maintenance into the design
of the next generation of equipment. This design for maintenance approach
results in easier maintenance equipment, such as easy-to-reach lubrication
points and access covers to inspection points. It can be immediately supported
with autonomous maintenance. The supplier can also include the visual control
markings and labels the customer uses. This collaboration can be used to
establish equipment performance criteria, which can serve as an acceptance test
for the equipment. Additionally, the supplier can provide data on their
components to determine the required frequency of inspections and planned
maintenance.
Another
way to reduce the required maintenance is through special equipment analysis,
which collects data to predict equipment failures. Examples of such analysis
include thermography, ultrasound, and vibration analysis. Thermography detects
equipment "hot spots" related to bearing wear, poor lubrication, or
plugged coolant lines. Ultrasound analysis detects minute cracks in the
equipment, and vibration analysis detects unusual equipment vibration. These
equipment analyses can be performed periodically, and the frequency can be
adjusted as historical data shows trends. They are also helpful in finding the
causes of chronic problems that cannot be eliminated with the data collected by
the operator's inspections and regular planned maintenance.
2.8.1.4
EQUIPMENT EFFECTIVENESS
The
term equipment effectiveness is commonly used to refer only to the availability
or up-time of the equipment, which is the percentage of time it is up and
operating. However, the actual effectiveness of equipment depends not only on
its availability but also on its performance and rate of quality. A key
objective of TPM is to maximise equipment effectiveness by reducing waste in
the manufacturing process. The three factors that determine equipment
effectiveness are equipment availability, performance efficiency, and quality
rate, and these factors are used to calculate the overall equipment
effectiveness (OEE) measure, which is discussed further in the TPM Metrics
section.
2.8.1.5
EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY
Equipment
availability is crucial on a well-functioning vessel, but it may mean something other than the equipment must always be available. In a synchronised
system, for example, having an auxiliary engine running when power is not
needed results in fuel oil overconsumption. However, when there is a need to
increase power, the equipment must be capable of satisfying the demand. Therefore,
the equipment management program should balance the costs of maximising
equipment utilisation with the costs of storing extra fuel and spares needed
for running extra auxiliary engines.
Equipment
availability is affected by both scheduled and unscheduled downtime. In a
well-functioning system, unplanned downtime is minimised, while planned
downtime is optimised based on need levels and the equipment's ability to
change as per user needs. The appropriate need evel depends on how often the
equipment is down for scheduled and unscheduled repairs.
Unexpected
breakdowns are the most common cause of lost equipment availability, affecting
crew maintenance times. Keeping backup systems available can minimise the
effect of lost availability, but this is only sometimes cost-effective. Another
drain on equipment availability is the time required to change over equipment
to run. Performance efficiency is another factor that contributes to overall
equipment effectiveness.
2.8.1.6
PERFORMANCE EFFICIENCY
Equipment
efficiency is a commonly used metric when evaluating a propulsion system ( main
engine) or any other system on board. It is typically maximised by running the
equipment at its highest speed for as long as possible to increase performance.
Conversely, efficiency is reduced by idling time (waiting for orders), minor
stops, and lower throughput from running the equipment at a reduced speed.
These efficiency losses can be caused by low operator skill, worn equipment, or
poorly designed systems.
However,
relying solely on equipment efficiency can lead to poor decision-making since
the system may not benefit from the traditional goal of 100 per cent
efficiency. The essential criteria are how many parts the equipment should be online,
not how many can run at a breakneck pace. The target efficiency needs to
consider what speed/output the equipment is designed to produce and what is
needed as per requirements. When the equipment is up and running, it should be
capable of running at its designed speed. However, when running is unnecessary,
shut the equipment down and use this time to perform other tasks rather than
slowing the equipment down to reduce throughput (e.g. the Auaxiliry engine).
This occasional downtime can be valuable for performing autonomous maintenance,
planned maintenance, and equipment analysis.
2.7.1.7
QUALITY RATE
An equipment/system on board's primary
purpose is to provide propulsion to produce power, not just to keep equipment
running or people busy. Therefore, the system only fulfills its purpose if
the equipment is available and running at its designed speed but not performing
as designed. In such cases, it is best to shut down the equipment to conserve
energy and repair it if necessary. Quality losses can also result from long
warm-up periods or waiting for other process parameters to stabilise, resulting
in lost time, effort, and overconsumption.
Improving the quality rate should be
linked to critical requirements. Having vessel performance on a perfect level
or close to perfect in every aspect except the critical one that matters most
to the customer is of little value. The concept of key characteristics helps align the essential features with the responsible equipment
parameters. These are the parameters that need to be improved to maximise the
overall system's benefit, and they should be measured when determining the
quality rate of the equipment.
2.8.2 TPM METRICS
The additional data collection
requirements in TPM are crucial for measuring progress and identifying
opportunities for improvement. These metrics include equipment availability,
performance efficiency, and quality rate, which calculate the equipment's
overall effectiveness (OEE).
In addition to OEE, other metrics
commonly used in TPM include the mean time between failures (MTBF), mean time
to repair (MTTR), and the number of breakdowns. These metrics help identify
chronic problems, evaluate the effectiveness of maintenance activities, and
determine the root causes of equipment failures.
It is also essential to track the costs
associated with maintenance activities, including planned maintenance,
corrective maintenance, and autonomous maintenance. By analysing these costs,
organisations can identify opportunities to reduce maintenance expenses and
improve the overall efficiency of the maintenance program.
Finally, data on the frequency and
severity of safety incidents should also be collected and analysed as part of
the TPM program. This data can be used to identify safety risks and develop
strategies to mitigate them, reducing the risk of injuries and accidents in the
workplace.
2.8.2.1
OVERALL EQUIPMENT EFFECTIVENESS
The
OEE is a widely used concept in TPM literature, and it is determined by
multiplying the equipment availability, performance efficiency, and quality
rate, as previously explained. The equipment operators collect the data
required to calculate these values daily, including scheduled downtime,
unscheduled downtime, and good or bad performance results. Implementing control
charts on these values provides aggregate data that helps track changes in
equipment performance. However, predefined thresholds should be established to
determine when more detailed data collection is necessary to prevent
catastrophic failure. A history of both OEE and more detailed data should be
collected to identify undesirable events and their causes to set these
thresholds. Although OEE provides a valuable benchmark for tracking TPM program
progress, it does not provide enough detail to determine the root cause of
equipment performance issues. Therefore, supplemental data is required
to identify the cause of observed events.
2.8.2.1.1 SUPPLEMENTAL DATA COLLECTION
These
methods are intended to provide more detailed information for problem-solving
and decision-making than the aggregate measure of OEE.
One
such method is statistical process control (SPC) data, which can be collected
on critical product features to provide feedback to equipment operators on the
repeatability of specific equipment operations. For example, if the process
goes out of control, the SPC data should immediately alert the operator.
Another
approach is to collect SPC data on critical process parameters such as feed,
speed, temperature, and time. This requires first identifying the vital
parameters and determining their optimal settings using design-of-experiments
(DOE) techniques. Once established, the operators can collect data or continuously
monitor the parameters' performance.
Due
to limited data, special "short run" methods may be
required for SPC equipment and process parameters analysis.
A
process is to be considered
out
of control when any of the following are detected in the control charts:
•
One
point is more than three standard deviations from the process mean
•
Two out
of three points are at least two standard deviations from the process mean
•
Four
out of five points are at least one standard deviation from the process mean
•
Eight
points in a row lie on the same side of the process, which means it is essential
to balance providing too little or too much data for analysis.
The
data should be easily monitored and analysed to provide benefits without
becoming burdensome.
2.8.3 TPM IMPLEMENTATION
The
implementation of TPM involves critical issues that must be considered. Based on the TPM concepts discussed earlier, the plan typically takes 3
to 5 years to complete. Below is a brief description of each TPM implementation
activity.
2.8.3.1
MASTER PLAN
At
this stage, the office technical team, management, and onboard engine team
collaborate to determine the scope and focus of the TPM program. The equipment
to be included in the program and their implementation sequence are selected.
Baseline performance data is collected, and the program's objectives are
established.
2.8.3.2
AUTONOMOUS MAINTENANCE
The
office and onboard technical/engine team undergo training on TPM's methods,
tools, and visual controls. The vessel engine crew cleans and inspects their
equipment and performs maintenance work. The engine staff trains the operators
( on deck, bridge) on routine maintenance, and all parties collaborate in
developing safety procedures. The vessel crew begins to collect data to assess
equipment performance.
2.8.3.3
PLANNED MAINTENANCE
The
engine crew, followed by the technical department on shore, analyses the data
collected by equipment operators to determine maintenance requirements based on
usage and need. If a system for tracking equipment performance metrics and
maintenance activities is yet to be available, they create one. The
maintenance schedules are integrated into the vessel schedule to avoid
conflicts.
2.8.3.4
MAINTENANCE REDUCTION
The
knowledge gained from collecting data and implementing TPM is shared with OEM,
who incorporate this "design for maintenance" knowledge into the next
generation of equipment designs. Additionally, the office and engine develop
plans and schedules for periodic equipment analyses such as thermography,
vibration and oil analysis. The results of this analysis are recorded in the
maintenance database to create accurate estimates of equipment performance and
repair requirements. These estimates are then used to develop spare part
inventory policies and proactive replacement schedules to ensure that the
necessary parts are available when needed.
2.8.3.5
HOLDING THE GAINS
The organisation's standard operating procedures
should include the new TPM practices. Integrating these practices and data
collection activities with other production system elements is important to
avoid duplication or conflicting requirements. The equipment management methods
should be continuously improved to simplify tasks and reduce the effort
required to maintain the TPM program.
2.8.3.5
SUMMARY
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is an
approach to equipment management that emphasises collaboration and teamwork to
enhance equipment effectiveness. Successful implementation requires shared
responsibilities, full employee involvement, and natural work groups. The
analogy to the average car owner can be used to explain the TPM approach. The
owner (equipment operator) performs minor maintenance activities like checking
the oil and tires and sometimes even gives the car a tune-up. However, if
something major goes wrong, an expert auto mechanic (maintenance technician) is
called to perform the complex tasks. However, most traditional organisations
treat their equipment as a rental car, unlike the car owner who values and takes
care of their vehicle.
While TPM is often implemented as a
standalone improvement activity, it should be integrated with other vessel
elements as an overall system for more significant benefits. For example, the
synergy of inventory reduction, hardware variability control, and cycle time
reduction can provide more significant benefits than the sum of their parts.
2.8.4 COMMON BARRIERS ENCOUNTERED
Several challenges and setbacks were encountered while implementing the TPM programs mentioned earlier. Although some were unique to specific vessel types,
many barriers encountered were common to most TPM programs. The following briefly describes some of these challenges that affected the four sites
mentioned earlier and other TPM programs.
2.8.4.1
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
One of the significant challenges to
the success of TPM is the need for more strategic direction, which can be
the most significant obstacle. Each organisation that decides to implement a
TPM program creates a unique implementation plan. Consequently, each program is
typically "owned" by one or two individuals within the organisation.
If these individuals leave the group, the TPM program may experience a gradual
decline in direction and support. Moreover, these programs hinder information,
tools, and data sharing among organisations. If a comprehensive TPM strategy
and approach were developed, some organisations might be required to backtrack
to achieve commonality.
2.8.4.2
PRIORITY GIVEN TO TPM
TPM
is often viewed as maintenance rather than a vessel operations issue in the
marine industry; this is supported by the fact that most TPM personnel are
either maintenance or training personnel. The separation between vessel
operations and maintenance is often significant, with these groups rarely
reporting to the same organisation until above the executive level. As a
result, vessel operations personnel are rarely measured on vessel equipment
performance, and the maintenance group is rarely measured on vessel operations,
safety, or environmental performance. This separation eliminates any incentive
for managers of both organisations to pool their resources to achieve a
successful TPM program. The lack of TPM goals and metrics in business plans and
performance plans for vessel operations and maintenance provides evidence of
this barrier.
2.8.4.3
CONFLICTING PROCESSES
The vessel operators are often faced
with implementing multiple projects and initiatives simultaneously, including
new equipment installations and process improvement initiatives; this can often
result in overwhelming workloads and a lack of resources to implement all
projects effectively. Implementing additional initiatives, such as a TPM
program, without proper documentation and prioritisation may lead to neglecting
other important projects.
Vessel
operators must prioritise their crew's workload and evaluate the potential for
integrating multiple processes into one cohesive initiative. This can help
avoid resource competition and ensure that all initiatives are effectively
implemented over a longer timeframe. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the
possible process integration that can be achieved to avoid overwhelming
workloads and neglect of important projects.
2.8.4.4
DATA AVAILABILITY
The
lack of reliable data for planning purposes has hindered several efforts to
implement TPM in the marine industry. The existing data collection methods do
not emphasise the benefits of accurately monitoring vessel performance. Without
this data, it is challenging to determine the relationship between vessel
performance, safety, and maintenance costs. In addition, the data being
collected is often not used for any decision-making, so the quality of this
data is never verified. The result is that some data is available, but it may
be of poor quality and is not collected in a manner that allows easy analysis.
Without reliable data, the organisation can not develop accurate prioritisation
plans and quantify any of the benefits received from their TPM programs, such
as increased safety and reduced maintenance costs.
2.8.5 SUCCESS FACTORS AND ENABLERS
It
is not surprising that some of the factors contributing to successful TPM
programs involve avoiding the barriers discussed earlier. However, additional
activities are also common among the more successful programs. For this
analysis, a successful TPM program is defined as one that has developed and
followed through with implementation plans and has achieved the expected
benefits. It is important to note that success is not solely measured in significant
financial savings, as some programs may have less ambitious goals yet still be
considered successful if they achieve their stated objectives.
2.8.5.1
MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
The
successful implementation of TPM requires a highly supportive management team
committed to the program; this means that management should do more than allow
TPM to be implemented; they should be an integral part of the driving force
behind it. Management activities include rewarding teams for proactive
maintenance, revising business plans to include TPM goals, allowing vessel
crews to attend training sessions, and communicating the TPM goals to the
entire organisation. With management's full support, the TPM program can
succeed even if the TPM coordinator or critical personnel leave the
organisation.
2.8.5.2
FOCUSED APPROACH
In the marine industry, it is vital to
prioritise the implementation of TPM practices to achieve the most significant
benefits. While there may not be a universal method for prioritisation, developing
a clear master plan is crucial, as it allows organisations to allocate
resources efficiently and address the most pressing equipment issues.
Successful TPM programs in the marine industry have had the support of a
committed management team, who rewarded proactive maintenance and communicated
TPM goals to the entire organisation.
2.8.5.3
OPERATOR ( vessel management team ) OWNERSHIP
It
is also essential to involve the vessel's crew in implementing TPM. Crew
members responsible for operating and maintaining the equipment on board should
be trained in the methods and tools of TPM. They should be encouraged to take
responsibility for cleaning, inspecting their equipment, and performing
maintenance tasks. The office technical and vessel engine team should train all
the crew members on performing maintenance, and all should be involved in
developing safety procedures.
It
is also important for the crew members to collect data to determine equipment
performance. The crew members can provide valuable insights into the condition
of the equipment, which can be used to determine maintenance requirements. The
office technical and vessel engine team can use this data to develop accurate
estimates of equipment performance and repair requirements.
For example, in manufacturing, the marine industry must prioritise the implementation of TPM
based on the equipment and systems most critical to vessel operations; this
requires a clear master plan for how the vessel will transition to TPM
practices and a focused plan of attack.
Management
also needs to assume a leadership role in TPM implementation while allowing the
crew members to take a prominent role in its development and implementation.
The crew members' involvement in implementing TPM enables them to invest some
of their blood, sweat, and tears in the TPM plans, resulting in proactive
equipment inspection and maintenance.
2.8.5.4
JUST-IN-TIME TRAINING
For
the vessel management team, ensuring that training is delivered at the
appropriate time is vital to be effective. Training that is provided too early
or too late can be equally ineffective. Therefore, it is essential to time the
training to deliver it just before the individual is required to apply the
knowledge in their job. This approach, known as just-in-time (JIT) training,
allows individuals to reinforce their learning by immediately applying it
hands-on. JIT training also minimises the impact of training on the vessel's
operations by delivering training in small doses over an extended time.
2.8.5.5
INTEGRATED PROCESSES AND SCHEDULES
Failing
to integrate the various vessel operation and maintenance processes can create
conflicts and inefficiencies. It is essential to have a cohesive plan that
integrates the vessel's maintenance schedule with the schedule to avoid
conflicts and prioritise resources; this includes incorporating scheduling
activities and coordinating access to the vessel among various departments and
teams involved in vessel operation, maintenance, testing, and research and
development. Just-in-time training should also be considered to ensure crew
members are trained using their new knowledge, reinforcing classroom learning
with direct and immediate feedback.
2.8.6 BENEFITS OF TPM
When
considering whether to implement a TPM program for ocean-going vessels, it is important
to ask what benefits can be gained from such an initiative. The answer is
simple: TPM can help reduce the operating costs of vessels; this is
particularly true for vessels that rely on complex equipment and automated
systems. However, the actual savings will depend on the current state of the
vessel's system and the specific type of equipment used. For example, if the
equipment is already performing well, focusing on other ways to improve the
system may be more beneficial. Each vessel must be evaluated for its unique
situation to determine whether TPM brings significant advantages.
It
is important to note that TPM implementation does come with a cost, including
training and changes to procedures and roles. However, the benefits of improved
equipment reliability and utilisation, reduced equipment wear and tear, and
decreased maintenance issues have been well-documented in many industries. For
example, in the marine industry, increased equipment availability may also
enable vessels to delay purchasing additional equipment to meet employment
demands.
In
the marine industry, increasing scheduled maintenance activities can also
drastically reduce unscheduled maintenance and breakdown repairs, leading to
cost savings. This is particularly important for vessels that operate in remote
areas, where breakdowns can result in significant delays and additional costs.
Preventive maintenance can also help extend the vessel's and equipment's lives,
reducing the need for costly replacements. Additionally, improving equipment
reliability and utilisation can increase the efficiency of operations,
resulting in increased productivity and profitability.
Implementing
TPM in the marine industry can also improve safety, which is vital in this
field. Ensuring equipment is properly maintained and inspected reduces the risk
of accidents and injuries. Furthermore, improving equipment performance and
reliability can help reduce environmental risks and comply with regulatory
requirements.
In
summary, implementing TPM in the marine industry can lead to cost savings,
improved efficiency and productivity, increased safety, and environmental
compliance. However, like any other industry, the optimal amount of preventive
maintenance must be determined through a cost-benefit analysis to balance excessive
maintenance costs and breakdowns.
2.8.6.1
REDUCED VARIATION
In addition to the benefits mentioned
above, TPM can help reduce energy costs and environmental impact. Properly
maintained equipment running at optimal conditions typically uses less energy
and produces less waste; this can lead to significant cost savings for the
organisation and help reduce its carbon footprint. By implementing TPM
practices such as energy audits and identifying opportunities for energy
savings, organisations can reduce their energy consumption and improve their
sustainability. Additionally, TPM can help improve workplace safety by
identifying and eliminating potential hazards in the production process; this
can lead to a safer work environment and reduce workers' compensation costs for
the organisation. Overall, the benefits of TPM are numerous and can positively
impact an organisation in many ways.
2.8.6.2
INCREASED VESSEL AVAILABILITY
Implementing
TPM can also lead to increased vessel availability. By reducing unscheduled
downtime and increasing equipment reliability, vessels can spend more time in
operation and less time in repair or maintenance; this is particularly
important for vessels that operate on tight schedules or in harsh environments
where maintenance and repairs are more challenging to perform. An effective TPM
program can also reduce setup and changeover times, allowing vessels to
transition between tasks more quickly and efficiently. The result is increased
productivity and value-added time for the vessel and crew. Companies that have
successfully implemented TPM in the marine industry have seen increased vessel
productivity, maintenance cost reductions, and customer satisfaction
improvements due to increased vessel availability.
2.8.6.3
REDUCED MAINTENANCE COSTS
By
shifting maintenance focus from reactive repairs to proactive improvement,
organisations can reduce their overall maintenance costs. The traditional
approach of fighting fires and handling unpredictable workloads requires extra
staffing. However, by implementing scheduled maintenance events and autonomous
maintenance under TPM, organisations can level-load the work across all staff
members and free up maintenance staff to focus on proactive equipment
improvements and analysis. This transition requires a management team that
values improved maintenance's potential gains over reducing staff headcount.
Moreover, TPM also contributes to reduced energy consumption since equipment
operates more efficiently, spending less time idling. Though gains from energy
conservation may not be staggering, they still contribute to reducing overall
manufacturing costs. Successful companies have achieved significant benefits
from TPM, including a reduction in maintenance spending.
It
is important to note that the actual benefits of TPM will vary based on each
organisation's specific circumstances and challenges. TPM is not a
one-size-fits-all solution, requiring careful planning, implementation, and
monitoring to ensure its success. It is also important to recognise that TPM is
not a quick fix or a short-term solution. It requires a long-term commitment to
continuous improvement and a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances and
emerging challenges. With the right approach and mindset, however, TPM can be a
powerful tool for improving equipment reliability, reducing costs, increasing
productivity, and enhancing overall competitiveness
2.8.6.4
REDUCED INVENTORY
Any
marine organisation that uses unreliable equipment on their vessels must
maintain an unnecessarily large stock of spare parts to fulfil the operational
demands. In contrast, the equipment is nonoperational—the more unreliable the
equipment, the larger the necessary stock of spare parts. If a vessel system is
composed of unreliable equipment, the spare parts inventory must be kept higher
than desirable to accommodate equipment performance uncertainty. This extra
inventory can create many problems: vessel operational requirements change
takes too long to incorporate; the new lead time must allow for using up the
spare parts inventory. Further, any defective parts produced can sit in the
inventory, waiting to be discovered at the next step in the maintenance
process. The inventory is effectively hiding these maintenance problems.
Implementing a TPM program removes much of the uncertainty in the vessel
system's equipment reliability and maintenance cycle time.
The
spare parts for the vessel equipment are another source of unnecessary
inventory holding costs. The spare parts are used to repair the equipment,
which could occur at any time on unreliable equipment. Once again, the
uncertainty in the equipment performance requires extra inventory. Through
reliability engineering, data collection and analysis, the maintenance staff
can develop an accurate estimate of the necessary spare parts and the frequency
of their usage. Implementing TPM will allow the maintenance technicians to
perform the analysis required to optimise their spare parts inventory policy.
Additional
effort should be applied to reducing inventory via improved scheduling systems
and synchronised maintenance processes.
2.8.6.5
IMPROVED SAFETY
The initial steps in implementing the
autonomous maintenance activities of TPM in the marine industry create an
environment that could quickly reduce safety and increase accidents; this is the
result of crew members taking on additional and unfamiliar maintenance tasks
for which they may not have been effectively trained. Since these tasks are new
to the crew and often involve potentially hazardous activities (such as
inspecting machinery in confined spaces or working at heights), they pose a new
threat to the crew's safety. Therefore, ensuring the crew's safety must be a
primary function of the TPM implementation plan; this requires extensive
training, developing "fool-proof" maintenance tasks, and implementing
improved procedures. Also, the crew better understands their equipment by
performing routine maintenance tasks frequently. This new knowledge helps the
crew make more intelligent decisions to reduce the potential hazards that the
equipment presents. Therefore, the safety of all individuals involved with the
vessel must be a top priority of any good TPM program.
The improved safety within TPM has
allowed some marine companies to reduce their accidents to zero. Another side
benefit of the TPM program is that pollution is often reduced due to more
efficient equipment, which extends the safety improvements to include the
marine environment.
2.8.6.6
IMPROVED MORALE
The
final benefit of implementing TPM is improved crew morale. Of course, any
change in the workplace can cause disruption. Still, TPM uses onboard teams to
develop and deploy the implementation plans, giving the crew increased control
and ownership over the vessel equipment. This ownership allows the crew to take
pride in their work and make informed decisions on equipment use. However, this
requires management support and the willingness to give decision-making
authority to the operators. If managers are unwilling to do so, morale may
suffer rather than improve.
The
vessel's engineers also benefit from TPM as they have more time to perform
equipment analysis, work with equipment designers, and engage in other
technically challenging tasks. The engine crew will not necessarily see a drop
in their workload as they shift to more proactive maintenance activities, such
as developing preventive maintenance requirements for the equipment. This
change requires management support to allow the engine crew to develop their
skills and take on these new tasks.
Disclaimer:
Out
of Box Maritime Thinker © by Narenta Consilium Group 2022 and Aleksandar Pudar
assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the
content of this paper. The information in this paper is provided on an "as
is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or
timeliness or of the results obtained from using this information. The ideas
and strategies should never be used without assessing your company's situation
or system or consulting a consultancy professional. The content of this paper
is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only.
