# Six Big Losses

**URL:** https://kaizumi.com/dictionary/six-big-losses

**Description:** The six big losses are the primary categories of equipment productivity loss that TPM targets: breakdowns, setup, idling, speed loss, defects, and startup.

**Category:** tpm

**Tags:** equipment, metrics, foundational

## Definition

The six big losses are the major categories of equipment productivity loss that TPM aims to eliminate. They map directly to OEE components: Availability losses include breakdowns and setup/adjustment time. Performance losses include idling/minor stops and reduced speed. Quality losses include defects/rework and startup losses. By categorizing losses, organizations can prioritize improvement efforts and track progress systematically. Eliminating these losses is the path to achieving OEE improvement.

## Examples

### Manufacturing

> A bottling line tracked the six big losses over a month: Breakdowns: 8%, Setup: 12%, Idling: 6%, Speed: 5%, Defects: 2%, Startup: 3%. Total losses: 36%. Setup time was the dominant loss—SMED techniques became the improvement priority.

### Healthcare

> An operating room analyzed losses: Equipment failures: 3%, Room turnover: 15%, Delays between cases: 8%, Slower than scheduled: 5%, Cancelled cases: 2%, First case delays: 4%. Turnover time (analogous to setup) dominated, focusing improvement efforts.

### Administrative

> A call center adapted the framework: System outages: 2%, Shift handoff: 5%, After-call work: 10%, Slower than target: 8%, Error correction: 3%, Start-of-day delays: 2%. After-call work and speed losses were primary opportunities.

## Key Points

- Availability losses: Breakdowns (equipment failures) and Setup/Adjustments
- Performance losses: Idling/Minor Stops and Reduced Speed
- Quality losses: Defects/Rework and Startup/Yield Losses
- Data collection enables prioritization of improvement efforts

## Common Misconceptions

**All losses are equally important.** Losses vary dramatically in magnitude and improvability. A 15% setup loss with proven SMED solutions differs from a 3% defect rate requiring major quality investigation. Prioritize by impact and feasibility.

**The six losses are the only losses.** The framework covers equipment-related losses but not all productivity losses. Material shortages, labor absences, and scheduling issues affect output but fall outside the six big losses. Comprehensive improvement addresses all loss categories.

## Try It

See how the losses hit OEE right here. Enter planned time, downtime, cycle time, and unit counts to get Availability, Performance, and Quality — the three buckets the six big losses fall into. (Also available as a [standalone tool](/tools/oee).)

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## Related Tool

Stack each operator's work elements against takt time to see how the six big losses eat into productive time and where overburden hides — chart it with the free [Yamazumi chart builder](/tools/yamazumi).

Source: https://kaizumi.com/dictionary/six-big-losses
Licence: free to quote and cite with attribution to Kaizumi.