7 Steps of Jishu Hozen (Autonomous Maintenance) Pillar in TPM

 What is Jishu Hozen (Autonomous Maintenance)?

→ The Jishu Hozen is a Japanese word that means autonomous maintenance.

→ Autonomous Maintenance is a well-defined method for maintaining the machine by the operator rather than the maintenance person.

→ This is also known as a JH Pillar of TPM.

→ It is the first step in the process of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Implementation.

→ It empowers operators to operate and maintain his/her machine in good condition.

→ In some cases, operators run machines until they get breakdown at that time organization lost productivity, and also it will take time for machine repair and maintenance.

→ So to avoid this kind this kind of situations organization need to implement Autonomous Maintenance.

→ This allows machine operators to perform minor maintenance tasks, such as lubrication, bolt tightening, cleaning of machines and parts, safety checks, and inspections, etc.

→ Jishu Hozen Pillar of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is also promoting: " I operate and I maintain - rather than I operate and You maintain".

Objectives of Autonomous Maintenance (Jishu Hozen)

→ Identify the deterioration of machines

→ Keep equipment working at their optimal performance

→ Return equipment to its original condition like brand new

→ Prevent machines from failing or breakdown

→ Increase the skill levels of the operators

→ Prevent quality defects

→ Improve profitability and productivity by reducing machine breakdowns

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How to Implement Autonomous Maintenance?

→ Before the implementation of Jishu Hozen, there are some basic things that we need to perform.

→ The circle team and team leader should be finalized.

→ All team members should be given basic training on TPM and why we need to implement it.

→ The skill level of team members to be defined and the implementation plan should be shared with the team members.

→ Operators are the master of running their machines to maximum capacity.

→ But the effective use of machines is also important while we are operating machines.

→ For this, we need to train the operator on the technical details of the machine and its various components, its functions, and their purpose, as well as Problem-Solving, and troubleshooting skills.

➨  In very easy language, operators should have below four minimum skills that are related to machine

     (1) Ability to identify abnormalities

     (2) Take corrective action and restore machine in normal condition

     (3) Ability to Set Machine in Optimum Conditions

     (4) Ability to Sustain the Optimum Machine Conditions

→ So, to improve the skills of operators we need to give training and evaluate them on machines with the help of actual task offering.

→ Sometimes, the above-mentioned points are considered as Step 0 of the JH Pillar.

7 Steps of Jishu Hozen (Autonomous Maintenance)

→ Implementing Jishu Hozen may vary slightly depending on each plant's operation, but it's typically broken down into seven steps.

1. Initial Clean-up (Cleaning and Inspection)
2. Eliminating the SOC (Source of Contamination) and Improve HTA (Hard to Access)
3. Preparation of Tentative Jishu Hozen Standard
4. General Inspection
5. Autonomous Inspection
6. Standardization
7. Autonomous Management/ Self Management

Step 01. Initial Clean-up (Cleaning and Inspection)

→ The purpose of the initial cleaning is to identify the various abnormalities (Fuguai) during the cleaning activity.

→ Also, we can say this as: "Cleaning is inspection".

→ This step is towards the equipment get back to almost a Brand New Condition with the help of overhauling and machine and surround area cleaning activity.

→ All team members (like - production, maintenance, engineering, operator, etc.) should be available during this activity.

→ The goal of initial machine cleaning and inspection activity is to fully restore each piece of machine to its full performance by identifying and eliminating the deterioration.

➨ Teams should work on the below-mentioned things - it might be different as per the machine:

     ⇢ Fixing of Various Leakages

     ⇢ Tightening of loose Screws, Bolts, and Nuts

     ⇢ Provide proper Lubrication

     ⇢ Fixing of Cracks – both apparent and non-apparent

     ⇢ Eliminating of Fluid Contamination

     ⇢ Dirt and Dust Cleaning

→ It's better to have proper documentation for this activity so we can have traceability of progress.

→ Also, we can easily escalate if further support requires.

➨ During cleaning activities, we need to identify and eliminate the 7 types of Abnormalities:

     ⇢ Minor Defects (deficiency, imperfection, or Flaws)

     ⇢ Unfulfilled basic Conditions.

     ⇢ Inaccessible Places.

     ⇢ Contamination Sources.

     ⇢ Quality Defect Sources.

     ⇢ Unnecessary and Non-Urgent Items.

     ⇢ Unsafe Places.

➨ Refer to this article for better understanding:  7 types of Abnormalities Explained with Examples

Step 02. Eliminating the SOC (Source of Contamination) and Improve HTA (Hard to Access):

→ The purpose of the second step is to eliminate the sources of contamination and improve the access of hard-to-access areas with the help of implementing various Kaizens.

→ In the 1st step we have completed the initial cleaning, so we have equipment in brand new condition.

→ We need to ensure that it should not degrade again.

→ For this, we need to focus on the elimination of the cause of contamination and improving the cleaning and maintenance accessibility.

→ For this step, we need to consider safety as a priority due to the machine is in running condition.

→ We can take different actions to improve the accessibility like instead of an opaque cover of rotating part we can provide the transparent cover.

→ So we can easily able to visualize the rotating parts are working ok or not.

➨ Eliminating the Cause of Contamination can be done by below-mentioned activities:

     ⇢ Establishing and Displaying the Cleaning Standards on equipment

     ⇢ Ensuring and Promoting the Cleaning activity on time

     ⇢ Promoting Orderliness means making sure that all tools have their own place and we need to put them in their defined place.

     ⇢ Ensuring proper fixing of all necessary machine seals and covers

     ⇢ Promoting the safe working practices - use lockout/tag-out (LOTO) during the cleaning or performing the task if operators having a risk of injury for reach contamination areas

Step 03. Preparation of Tentative Jishu Hozen Standard

→ The purpose of this step is to develop the tentative standard for maintaining machine conditions as we have achieved in steps 1 and 2.

→ Also, prepare the tentative 5S standards like maintain orderliness, tidiness, cleanliness, and cleaning in a short time.

→ The standard should clearly define which component of the machine should be cleaned and lubricated by whom, when, and how.

➨ That means the standard must include the below activities:

     ⇢ What to clean, lubricate, and inspect

     ⇢ How to perform cleaning, lubrication, and inspection

     ⇢ What is the frequency for cleaning, lubricating, and inspection?

     ⇢ Also, include if any other critical task is suggested by the maintenance team during this activity

→ Once the standard is finalized then it should be easily available to all operators.

→ The success of autonomous_maintenance depends on discipline, culture, orderliness, and standardization.

Step 04. General Inspection

→ The purpose of the general inspection is to understand the equipment structure, function, and principle.

→ In step 4, general inspection will be performed by considering standards defined from steps 1 to 3.

→ As we know that the steps 1 to 3 are preventing the equipment from force deterioration.

→ In a similar way, steps 4 and 5 measure the deterioration.

→ The operators can modify their maintenance basic maintenance routine to streamline and improve activities.

→ In this step, the team members should be trained on the inspection manual and they are also able to identify the slight defects and machine restoration.

→ Also, need to work on the preparation of the autonomous inspection standard.

Step 05. Autonomous Inspection

→ The purpose of the autonomous inspection is to maintain the improved equipment condition that is achieved during steps 1 to 4.

→ In this step, we need to reduce the number of checks specified in the cleaning, lubricating, and inspection standards.

→ Also, duplicated tasks should be eliminated in the autonomous inspection step.

→ We need to focus on reducing the inspection time with the help of implementing visual management, and PokaYoke.

➨ We can do the below activities for quick inspection:

     ⇢ Color coding for lubrication levels (e.g. Max and Min level)

     ⇢ Match mark can be provided to nuts and bolts

     ⇢ Pressure level indicator can be provided to pneumatic and hydraulic pressure gauge

     ⇢ In the case of a belt, and chain drive we can provide the direction and maximum and minimum slackness area during operating condition

→ Also, the operator can check the different mechanical problems such as cracks, wear, and tear of various machine components, functions of different sensors.

Step 06. Standardization

→ Steps 1 to 5 are focus on maintaining the machine's basic conditions and daily inspection.

→ The purpose of standardization is the reduce all kinds of losses and empower the operator for maintenance and management of the equipment by standardizing the activities and standards.

→ Standardizing autonomous_maintenance and making equipment "visual" is an important step for the maintenance activity of each part of the machine.

→ Visual Management means making visible all machine components and their operating condition.

→ Implementation of Visual Management helps the operator to handle the equipment more confidently.

➨ We can do the below activities for Visual Management:

     ⇢ Identifying the direction of fluid flowing through pipes

     ⇢ Replacing the opaque cover with the transparent cover

     ⇢ Provide the opening and closing direction to valves and levers

     ⇢ We can also apply the green and red colors for the normal and critical levels of operation

     ⇢ Also, we can indicate the sequence of the checks

➨ Also, need to define various standards for the below criteria

     ⇢ The standard for Work criteria

     ⇢ Line distribution criteria

     ⇢ Data record standards

     ⇢ Managing tools die, jigs, fixtures, and measuring instruments

     ⇢ Spare Part Management criteria

     ⇢ Process and Product quality standards, etc...

Step 07. Autonomous Management/ Self Management

→ From steps 1 to 6 we have seen different activities related to autonomous_maintenance.

→ Now the purpose of step 7 is to encourage the operator to drive and initiate the improvement activities.

→ Self-management includes daily routine management and policy management that is carried out by the operator.

→ Now operators are the owner of the machine and they will also lead the continuous improvement activities.

→ Also, need to keep records of all equipment or component failure and improvement-related data that will help us in the future during the designing of new equipment.

→ Self Management (Continuous Improvement) activities can also be verified by maintenance technicians periodically for the sustenance of Autonomous_Maintenance and to identify the further scope of improvement.

How to Sustain (Jishu Hozen) Autonomous Maintenance?

→ Once we have implemented the autonomous_maintenance process and trained the operator on this.

→ Now we need to sustain autonomous_maintenance, so we need to focus on standardized and auditing systems for sustaining this process.

→ For sustaining purposes we can use the below simple tools.

→ A daily stand-up meeting for 5 to 10 minutes - Based on the defined machine's KPI

→ Displaying and sharing One Point Lessons to team members for any changes

→ Tracking and analyzing the equipment breakdown data - also implement the actions on time

→ OEE trend monitoring and taking necessary actions based on requirements

→ MTBF & MTTR trend monitoring and action-taking

→ Monitor the machine component wear with the help of various techniques like oil analysis, vibration analysis, and infrared thermography.

 → Apart from the above-mentioned points, you can work on different points as well as per your process and machine.

Benefits of Jishu Hozen (Autonomous Maintenance)

→ Lower Manufacturing Costs

→ Detect issues in early stages before any breakdown

→ Free up Maintenance Personnel, so they can focus on other important activity

→ Improve Product Quality

→ Reduce the variation in process and product

→ Improve Overall Safety

→ Increase the knowledge of the operator and another team member

→ Improve machine life and reduce the spare consumption

👉 See Also:

➨ All Topics

➨ Lean Manufacturing

➨ ISO 9001:2015 & IATF 16949:2016

➨ 7 QC Tools

➨ MSA, FMEA, PPAP, APQP_SPC

➨ Six_Sigma & Lean Six_Sigma

➨ QA & QC Topics