TPM Autonomous Maintenance Clean, Inspect, Lubricate Standard
In total productive maintenance, operators take over basic care of their own machines so that deterioration is found early. This template gives you a clean, inspect and lubricate standard you can print for one machine and post at the cell.
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TPM Autonomous Maintenance CIL Standard Template
Autonomous Maintenance Standard: CNC Lathe 3
Company: Acme Precision Ltd Asset: AST-30417 Area: Cell C, Turning Frequency: Start of shift Time allowed: 10 minutes Revision: Rev A Effective: 2026-10-20
Safety
Machine in stop condition and locked out before opening guards. Wear safety glasses and cut-resistant gloves. Use only approved lubricants and wipes.
Clean, inspect, lubricate tasks
| No. | Location | Task | Method or tool | Standard or limit | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chuck and jaws | Clean chips and coolant residue | Brush, air gun at low pressure | No chips in jaw slots | |
| 2 | Way covers | Inspect for cuts or damage | Visual | No tears, no chips behind covers | |
| 3 | Coolant tank | Check level and concentration | Sight glass, refractometer | Within marked range | |
| 4 | Lube reservoir | Check level, top up if low | Approved oil, funnel | Between min and max | |
| 5 | Hydraulic unit | Check pressure gauge and leaks | Visual | Pressure within green band, no drips | |
| 6 | Door interlocks | Test operation | Open door, attempt start | Machine does not start | |
| 7 | Abnormality tag | Tag any defect found | Red tag, notify maintenance | Tag filed same shift |
Abnormalities found
Record any leak, noise, loose bolt, hard-to-reach area or source of contamination so it can be fixed or eliminated.
Signoff
Edit tasks and limits to match the machine manual and your safety rules before use. This is a starting point, not a substitute for the manufacturer's maintenance instructions or your lockout procedure.
Link operator findings to work orders
Optional: we can review how abnormality tags could flow into your maintenance module automatically.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use the template
Fill in the machine, asset number, frequency and time allowed, then edit the table to match the real tasks for that machine. Use the machine manual and the maintenance team to set limits that an operator can judge without tools, like a marked oil level or a green gauge band. Export to PDF, laminate it and place it at the machine. The abnormality section feeds the maintenance backlog, so problems found by operators are not lost.
Where it fits in TPM
Autonomous maintenance is one pillar of TPM and is usually introduced step by step: initial cleaning, eliminate sources of contamination and hard-to-reach areas, create CIL standards, then general inspection and autonomous management. This template represents the third step. Cleaning is treated as inspection, because dirt hides leaks, wear and loose parts. Better basic conditions reduce breakdowns and the minor stops that erode OEE.
- Initial cleaning exposes defects
- Countermeasures remove contamination at the source
- CIL standard keeps the condition stable
- Inspection training builds operator skill
Setting the right standard
A good standard is short, visual and specific. Ten minutes at shift start is realistic for many machines; if the list needs more, split tasks into daily and weekly frequencies. Give every item a pass or fail criterion, and mark lubrication points with colour or labels. Review the standard with operators after two weeks, because they will show you which steps are unclear, impossible to reach, or missing.
Common mistakes
A common failure is handing operators a long checklist with no time allocated, so the tasks are signed off without being done. Others copy the manufacturer's full service plan, which includes work that needs a technician. Keep operator tasks to what is safe and trained. Do not skip the loop back to maintenance: if abnormality tags are not answered quickly, operators stop reporting and the standard becomes paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CIL stand for?
Clean, inspect, lubricate. It is the set of basic care tasks that operators perform in autonomous maintenance to keep the machine in its basic condition and spot deterioration early.
How long should a CIL routine take?
Typically five to fifteen minutes at the start of shift. If it takes longer, split the tasks by frequency or review whether sources of contamination can be removed so cleaning becomes quicker.
Do operators need training first?
Yes. Operators need training on safety, lockout, what a normal condition looks like and how to tag an abnormality. Without it the checklist is signed but the inspection value is lost.
Is this template safe to use as is?
Treat it as a starting point. Edit tasks and limits to your machine manual and your own safety and lockout procedures, and have maintenance approve the final version.
If your maintenance work orders live in an ERP, we can help route operator abnormality tags straight into the backlog so nothing stays on paper.
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