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Assignment 3- Honda Case/ Total Productive Maintenance.

Quality Management PO2

December 6, 2023
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1. Company background and purpose of the Total Productive Maintenance

A well-known Japanese business, Honda is recognized for its diversified portfolio, including
motorbikes, automobiles, and other items. Honda Soichiro, a visionary engineer, created the corporation
based on invention and technological prowess (Honda Motor Company: Our History | Honda, n.d.).
Honda’s story unfolds as a series of trailblazing innovations that have permanently altered the face of the
mobility sector. Here, we look at a few essential aspects of Honda's history:

 Honda has been the world's largest motorbike manufacturer since 19591.
 Honda was the first Japanese automaker to manufacture automobiles in the United States,
beginning in Marysville, Ohio 1982.
 By 2030, Honda hopes to have electrified vehicles account for 75% of its global automobile sales.
 Honda has received various honors for its automobiles, including North American Car of the Year
in 2018 for the Accord and North American Truck of the Year in 2017 for the Ridgeline.
 Honda also manufactures airplanes, robotics, power equipment, and marine engines.
TPM is a comprehensive maintenance technique developed in Japan that focuses on increasing the
efficiency and effectiveness of equipment across its entire life cycle (Nakajima, 1988b). The purpose of
the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) program at Honda’s motorcycle manufacturing plant in India
was to improve the productivity and quality of its operations by involving all employees in the

maintenance and improvement of the equipment and processes (CASE STUDY: The Honda Way, 2007b).

Aspect Details
Honda has been a proponent of TPM and has integrated it into its manufacturing
Implementation at processes. The goal is to minimize equipment downtime, improve productivity, and
Honda enhance overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Autonomous Maintenance: Empowering operators to perform routine

maintenance tasks, fostering a sense of ownership, and reducing breakdowns.
Planned Maintenance: Scheduled and systematic Maintenance to prevent
unplanned downtime. Quality Maintenance: Ensuring that Maintenance activities
contribute to maintaining or improving product quality. Focused Improvement:
Continuous Improvement activities to enhance equipment performance and
Pillars of TPM efficiency.
Increased equipment reliability and availability. Reduction in unplanned downtime
and breakdowns. Improved product quality through proactive maintenance.
Benefits at Honda Enhanced overall operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
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TPM is often integrated with Lean Manufacturing principles, aligning with Honda's
Integration with Lean commitment to efficiency and continuous improvement.
Employee training and involvement are crucial components of Honda's TPM
implementation, promoting a culture of shared responsibility for equipment
Employee Involvement maintenance.

2. Summary of the Total Productive Maintenance

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a maintenance technique that strives to improve the
productivity and efficiency of industrial systems by integrating all employees in the process. It is founded
on the ideas of continuous improvement, preventative maintenance, and the participation of all
employees in equipment maintenance (Cooke, 2000).
TPM was created in Japan between 1950 and 1970 by Seiichi Nakajima and later expanded by
the Japanese Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) to encompass eight activities or pillars covering
all manufacturing and non-manufacturing operations. TPM aims to improve equipment efficacy while
lowering an organization's operational costs.
The TPM program at Honda's facility was based on the 5S foundation and the eight TPM pillars,
which included the following aspects:

1. Operators are entrusted with doing daily cleaning, inspection, and minor repairs on their
assigned equipment and machines.
2. Planned Maintenance: Skilled professionals regularly perform preventative and corrective
maintenance on machinery and equipment.
3. Quality engineers meticulously monitor and analyze both product quality and process quality.
They then take corrective and preventive measures to avoid faults and rework.
4. Focused Improvement: Work teams identify and resolve problems while driving improvement
efforts using Kaizen and Six Sigma methods.
5. Design and engineering teams are dedicated to designing and developing new equipment and
technology that promotes ease of operation, maintenance, and ongoing improvement.
6. Education and Training: The training department oversees comprehensive training and skill
development programs for all employees to increase their knowledge and competence.
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7. The safety, health, and environment committee diligently monitors conformity to safety, health,
and environmental norms and regulations. It also actively fosters a workplace culture that places
a premium on safety and well-being.
8. TPM in Administration: Administrative professionals easily integrate TPM principles and practices
into their office activities and procedures, enabling efficiency and effectiveness increases.

3. Analysis of the Total Productive Maintenance

Honda is a leading automobile company that has integrated TPM into its manufacturing systems.
Honda has used TPM since the 1970s and has had tremendous benefits in improving quality, lowering
costs, and increasing productivity.
Honda's TPM strategy is founded on the following principles (Case Studies of Successful TPM
Implementation | Total Productive Maintenance, n.d.-b):
1. Honda strives to meet and exceed customer expectations by providing high-quality goods and
services.
2. Honda encourages all employees to participate in TPM activities such as autonomous
maintenance, scheduled maintenance, quality maintenance, focused improvement, education
and training, office TPM, safety, health, and the environment, and early equipment
management.
The TPM program at Honda’s plant achieved remarkable results and benefits. Some of the key
performance indicators and achievements are:
1. Maintenance expenses were cut by 40%, productivity was enhanced by 25%, and product quality
was improved.
2. OEE was enhanced from 75% to 90%, downtime was decreased by 50%, and equipment
dependability was increased by 30%.
3. Defects were reduced by 80%, customer satisfaction was increased by 20%, and employee
morale and teamwork were improved.
4. The company has received honors such as the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) TPM
Award, the World Class Manufacturing Award, and the Deming Prize for its outstanding Total
Productive Maintenance (TPM) performance.
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4. Benefits of A Total Productive Maintenance

1. Improved Quality and Reliability:

 Implementing TPM significantly contributed to the heightened quality and reliability of
Honda's products. Proactive maintenance practices and continuous equipment
monitoring minimized defects and issues.
 The result was an evident increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customers
experienced more reliable vehicles, leading to positive perceptions of the brand and
fostering long-term relationships.
2. Enhanced Employee Skills and Involvement:
 As (eWorkOrders.com, 2023) said, TPM improved machine performance and was critical
in establishing a trained and engaged staff. Giving operators the ability to take ownership
of routine maintenance activities instilled a sense of responsibility and pride in them.
 The increased involvement of employees in the maintenance process not only improved
the efficiency of operations but also contributed to heightened job satisfaction and
motivation among the workforce.
3. Cultivation of Continuous Improvement and Learning:
 A core tenet of TPM is the promotion of a continuous improvement culture. Through
methodologies like PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), Kaizen, and Six Sigma, Honda's plant
teams actively identified and solved problems.
 This culture of perpetual improvement and learning fostered innovation and creativity
among employees. Teams were encouraged to think critically, propose solutions, and
contribute to the plant's growth.
4. Increased Competitiveness and Profitability:
 The TPM program at Honda's plant resulted in tangible economic benefits. By minimizing
downtime through preventive maintenance and streamlining processes, the plant
experienced increased productivity.
 Reduced costs in terms of maintenance and operational efficiency contributed to
enhanced competitiveness. The improved efficiency of operations and reduction in
waste directly impacted the bottom line, leading to increased profitability.
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The TPM program at Honda's plant yielded many benefits beyond mere quantitative
improvements. It positively influenced the organizational culture, customer relations, and the overall
sustainability and profitability of the plant. The successful integration of TPM principles showcased the
interconnectedness of quality, employee engagement, innovation, and economic viability in Honda's
manufacturing environment.

5. Plan of Action/Recommendation

Based on the TPM program at Honda’s plant, I recommend the following plan of action for other
companies that want to implement TPM:
 Establish a clear vision, mission, and goals for the TPM program and communicate them to all
employees.
 Form a cross-functional TPM steering committee and assign roles and responsibilities to each
member.
 Perform a baseline assessment of present equipment, procedures, and performance to identify
gaps and potential for improvement.
 Develop a TPM master plan and action plan that include the 5S foundation and the eight pillars
of TPM and prioritize the activities and projects based on their impact and feasibility.
 Implement the TPM plan and monitor the progress and results using key performance indicators
and audits.
 Recognize and reward the employees' and teams’ achievements and contributions and celebrate
the successes.
 Assess and evaluate the TPM program, pinpoint optimal practices and insights gained, and
distribute this knowledge to other facilities and departments.
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Reference

Case studies of successful TPM Implementation | Total Productive maintenance. (n.d.). maintwiz.com.

https://www.maintwiz.com/tpm-case-studies/

CASE STUDY: The Honda Way. (2007, March 9). Reliable Plant.

https://www.reliableplant.com/Read/5198/case-study-honda

Cooke, F. L. (2000). Implementing TPM in plant maintenance: some organizational barriers. International

Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 17(9), 1003–1016.

https://doi.org/10.1108/02656710010378789

eWorkOrders.com. (2023, February 22). Guide to Mastering the Fundamentals of Autonomous

Maintenance - eWorkOrders CMMS/EAM. eWorkOrders CMMS/EAM.

https://eworkorders.com/cmms-industry-articles-eworkorders/autonomous-maintenance-a-

complete-guide/

Glock, C. H. (2013). The machine breakdown paradox: How random shifts in the production rate may

increase company profits. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 66(4), 1171–1176.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2013.07.018

Honda Motor Company: Our history | Honda. (n.d.). https://www.honda.com/history

Nakajima, S. (1988). Introduction to TPM: total productive maintenance.

https://openlibrary.telkomuniversity.ac.id/home/catalog/id/2773/slug/introduction-to-tpm-

total-productive-maintenance.html

Reliable Plant. (2010). Honda’s TPM program boosts productivity quality. Retrieved from

https://www.reliableplant.com/Read/24776/honda-tpm-program

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023, November 29). Honda Motor Company, Ltd. | Definition,

History, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Honda-Motor-

Company-Ltd
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