3) Idling and Minor Stoppages

Idling and minor stoppages occur when equipment runs without producing, or stops due to a temporary problem. For example, a component which becomes trapped in a chute will cause a minor stoppage.

Generally, these stoppages can be quickly dealt with once they have been noticed. However, if they happen frequently, and they are not dealt with promptly, output will decrease. Particularly vulnerable are those factories with a lot of automated equipment.

Often, little effort is made to eliminate idling and minor stoppages. Some likely reasons for this are given below:

• They can be quickly corrected and may not be regarded as a problem.
  
  
• They occur in a number of different situations, e.g. combinations of certain parts, machines, days, etc.,.
  
  
• They occur in different areas on the same machine.
  
  
• Often people are not in the right place at the right time to observe what actually happens when a minor stoppage occurs.
  
  
• Losses are difficult to measure and therefore the company does not realise how big the losses are in total.
  
  

Reducing idling and minor stoppages

To reduce idling and minor stoppages will need considerable attention to detail. The basic TPM strategy is to:

• Correct slight defects in parts and jigs.
  
  
• Ensure that basic equipment conditions are maintained (e.g. cleanliness, lubrication, fastening).
  
  
• Review basic operations (e.g. ensure that set-ups and adjustments are correctly carried out).
  
  
• Carry out P-M analysis
  
  
• Determine optimum conditions (installation, operating speed, etc.,).
  
  
• Eliminate design weaknesses in equipment, tooling, or detection systems.
  
  

KEY POINTS

• Address common problems before specific problems.
  
  
• Consider what actually happens on the shop floor, not just the operation of the equipment.
  
  
• Take action against every type of occurrence.