What is centerlining?

Centerlining is a process to optimize production by keeping equipment operating within a desired range of performance.

It’s all about establishing controls and standards for machine operation to reduce variability and keep errors to an absolute minimum.

You can think of this optimal state (where machines are running at peak efficiency with no errors) as “centered.”

But what does it look like in practice? 

The success of your centerlining endeavors largely hinges on your ability to:

• Get accurate data from your machines 
• Have your frontline workforce engage with (ie. use) standards 
• Correct any deviations immediately

Implementing centerlining in your operations.

Today’s centerlining operations are often aided by tools like digital checklists. These can be generated from data about machine performance, and then followed to ensure correct operation.

1. Identify your variables.

Figure out and clearly define which parameters you’ll be “centering” for each process or machine in the production environment.

Example: In a bottling line, physical settings like machine speed are common variables to be centered.

2. Find the optimal range for each process.

Identify what the ideal state looks like. Think of this as your control variable, it’s essential to identify when a process is no longer operating at peak efficiency.

Define this range by setting upper and lower control limits. Anything in between these values is considered to be within centerline, and means the machine is running according to standard. 

Example: A machine on your bottling line needs to be operating between 850 and 925 RPM - with anything falling inside this value considered ‘centered’ and anything outside of this value considered suboptimal.

3. Evaluate the centerlining process.

Continuous improvement hinges on constant evaluation. You’ll be doing this with both machine data and feedback from your frontline workforce. Monitor your processes to ensure that machine operation falls within these centerlined parameters.

Example: Each day you pull a centerlining report from PowerBi for bottling line 3. You see that production has been within centerline 75% of the time, with a number of deviations. You also see that two of the required checks were not completed. 

💡Tip: a powerful data visualization tool like PowerBi will help you consistently pull accurate machine data.

4. Adhere to standards.

Centerlining gives you a data-based foundation on which to create and evaluate SOPs. By determining which tasks keep machines in their centered range, you can then create and distribute SOPs to ensure adherence.

On the flipside - digital job aids like checklists can also help you monitor the success of your centerlining efforts. In turn the centerlining data can then be used to improve and create checklists that better ensure optimal machine function.

How centerlining improve processes and products?

Ensure consistency.

Centerlining allows manufacturers to reduce variability by aligning standards to optimal machine performance. Adherence to standards and less variability in production translates to higher product quality and less waste.

Prevent errors.

Centerlining can be used to identify (and prioritize) adjustment points for processes and machinery. These then become a focal point for machine operators - simplifying processes and therefore reducing common human errors.  

Identify problems.

Pairing the simplicity of a centerlined process with the visibility of a digital visualization tool like PowerBi allows you to spot deviations quickly and deliver the resources and training needed to solve them.

Close the loop.

Manufacturers can take centerlining data and use it to create tools like digital checklists, which can be accessed in the production environment on smartphones and tablets.

Machine operators follow these checklists throughout their shift to ensure that machine operation falls within the accepted range. They can also report any deviations and issues directly to a supervisor.