Why it matters
Most equipment failures start as small, visible problems: a loose bolt, a leak, contamination, a missing guard, a noise that was not there yesterday. Operators see the machine every shift, so they are best placed to catch these early. Autonomous maintenance turns that observation into a structured routine with clear standards and ownership.
The seven steps
The classic JIPM approach builds operator capability in stages:
- Initial cleaning – clean the equipment thoroughly and tag every abnormality found. Cleaning is inspection.
- Eliminate sources of contamination and hard-to-reach areas – fix the causes of dirt and leaks, and make cleaning and inspection easier.
- Set cleaning, inspection and lubrication standards – define what, how, how often and by whom, with time targets.
- General inspection – train operators on how the equipment works so they can inspect it properly.
- Autonomous inspection – operators run their own inspection checklists and refine them.
- Standardisation – extend standards to workplace organisation, materials and quality checks.
- Autonomous management – teams sustain and improve the system with minimal supervision.
Each step is normally audited before the team moves on.
What a CILT routine looks like
A typical routine is a short, visual checklist completed at the start of a shift. It includes photos of the correct condition, clear acceptance criteria such as gauge ranges, and a defined route around the machine. Any abnormality becomes a tag or work request with an owner and a due date.
An example
On a packaging line, operators complete a ten-minute CILT check each shift. When one finds a recurring oil leak on a gearbox, the tag is reviewed at the tier 1 meeting, assigned to maintenance, and the root cause is fixed. The inspection point is then updated so the leak would be spotted earlier next time.
Common mistakes
- Handing operators a checklist without training them on how the equipment works.
- Raising tags that are never closed, which teaches operators that reporting is pointless.
- Skipping step 2, so cleaning becomes an endless chore instead of a shrinking one.
- Treating it as a checklist exercise rather than a routine that leaders verify and support.