What defines a "maintenance strategy" in the context of TPM?

A maintenance strategy in the context of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is defined as a structured approach aligned with production goals. This means that the strategy focuses not only on keeping equipment operational but also on ensuring that maintenance activities contribute to overall production efficiency, quality, and safety. In TPM, every maintenance action is strategically planned and implemented to support the production process, thereby maximizing equipment effectiveness and minimizing downtime.

This structure ensures that maintenance is proactive rather than reactive, aligning maintenance objectives with organizational goals and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. By integrating maintenance practices with production needs, organizations can enhance reliability, reduce waste, and achieve higher levels of productivity.

Other approaches, such as random, informal, or solely reactive maintenance strategies, do not support the comprehensive and systematic framework that TPM promotes. Instead of being deliberately aligned with production goals, these alternatives can lead to inefficiencies, increased downtime, and ultimately hinder overall operational performance. By adopting a structured maintenance strategy, organizations can significantly improve both their maintenance outcomes and their overall operational effectiveness.