Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Radiographic Testing • Thermography • OEE

TPM

Term from Mechanical Maintenance industry explained for recruiters

TPM, or Total Productive Maintenance, is a system used in factories and industrial settings to keep machines running smoothly and prevent breakdowns. It's like having a complete healthcare plan for equipment, where everyone - from operators to maintenance staff - works together to keep things running well. Instead of waiting for machines to break down, TPM focuses on preventing problems before they happen. This approach helps companies reduce equipment failures, improve product quality, and save money on repairs. It's similar to how regular oil changes and maintenance keep a car running well, but on a larger, industrial scale.

Examples in Resumes

Implemented TPM program resulting in 30% reduction in equipment downtime

Led Total Productive Maintenance initiatives across 3 manufacturing plants

Trained production staff on TPM principles and preventive maintenance procedures

Typical job title: "TPM Coordinators"

Also try searching for:

Maintenance Coordinator TPM Facilitator Maintenance Manager Plant Engineer Reliability Engineer TPM Manager Manufacturing Engineer

Where to Find TPM Coordinators

Professional Organizations

Online Communities

Job Resources

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you implement a TPM program in a facility that has never had one?

Expected Answer: A strong answer should include creating a implementation plan, starting with pilot areas, training programs for staff, establishing maintenance schedules, and measuring success through KPIs like equipment effectiveness and downtime reduction.

Q: How do you measure the success of a TPM program?

Expected Answer: Should discuss key metrics like Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), reduction in breakdowns, maintenance costs, and production quality improvements. Should also mention tracking employee engagement and training effectiveness.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What are the main pillars of TPM and how do they work together?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain the basic pillars like autonomous maintenance, planned maintenance, quality maintenance, and training in simple terms, with examples of how they support each other.

Q: How do you involve machine operators in the TPM process?

Expected Answer: Should discuss training operators in basic maintenance, daily checks, cleaning procedures, and how to identify and report potential problems early.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is the main goal of TPM?

Expected Answer: Should explain that TPM aims to keep equipment running efficiently and prevent breakdowns through regular maintenance and team involvement, rather than fixing things after they break.

Q: What's the difference between preventive and reactive maintenance?

Expected Answer: Should explain that preventive maintenance is planned and scheduled to prevent breakdowns, while reactive maintenance is fixing things after they break, which is more costly and disruptive.