IMPROVING MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE BY COMPLEMENTARY APPLICATION OF JUST-IN-TIME, TOTAL QUALITY-CONTROL AND TOTAL PRODUCTIVE MAINTENANCE PARADIGMS

This paper discusses the approach of applying practices and tools deri ved from just-in-time, total guality control and total productive main tenance in a complementary manner. First, we provide a brief descripti on of these three paradigms in a tabular form, thus facilitating their comparison and the grasping of similarities and particularities. Then we develop insights on the mutual reinforcement effects that may take place when more than one of the mentioned paradigms are adopted by a same organization. Finally, we present an investigation that was condu cted in search of evidence that could illustrate the dissemination of this cumulative approach among manufacturing companies. This study rev ealed not only many actual initiatives in this direction but also furt her findings concerning implementation issues.