Maintenance, Repair and Operations Feature Library
Operations Engineer's library catalogues editorial features going back five years.
Access to all archive material is free to all, including non-members of IPlantE
(the Institution of Operations Engineers) or BES (Bureau of Engineer Surveyors), under
the umbrella of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). However, to discover the
many benefits of becoming an SOE member, please click here.
04/07/2019
A critical task
Considering the criticality of parts, along with the cost of carrying them, provides a way of deciding what parts to stock. This is the essence of a critical spares review
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04/04/2019
Interview: AI for industrial inspection
Artificial Intelligence for Industrial Inspection was the title, and subject, of a January conference organised by the Bristol Robotics Lab and the Centre for Modelling & Simulation. The latter’s AI domain specialist, Kiran Krishnamurthy, ...
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02/07/2018
End game for maintenance
Disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics are pushing maintenance into a digital future, as Mark Venables explains
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28/10/2017
Planning for the unknown
Accidents will happen. It is a fact of life. When they do, it is best to be prepared. Knowing how to respond can make a big difference in mitigating the impact on a business and its most precious asset – the people who work for it. Mark ...
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23/01/2015
Value adding
Managers turning to the belief that maintenance may be non-core need to consider the implications of that notion before they outsource key engineering functions.
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30/04/2014
Spinning a yarn
Maintenance outsourcing is steeped in myths around cost, convenience and levels of commitment. Max Gosney meets two innovative manufacturers to discover the home truths
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21/03/2014
Secrets of success
Although computerised maintenance management systems can deliver a significant boost to maintenance efficiency and beyond, that's not always the case. Brian Tinham looks at what goes wrong and how to avoid the pitfalls.
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14/12/2013
Top 10 steps to world class
Zero breakdowns and impeccable plant reliability don't have to be the preserve of those with six figure budgets. Max Gosney gets some inexpensive tips on achieving maintenance nirvana from former Nissan maintenance engineer and Sora ...
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19/10/2013
The golden oldies
WM's in-depth survey takes the temperature of the UK's maintenance operations. Annie Gregory reports on the refusal to give in to the challenges of ageing equipment and a shrinking skills base.
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26/09/2013
Do you feel lucky?
As CS Forrester's Lord Hornblower said: "The lucky man is he who knows how much to leave to chance." That's true of making maintenance sustainable, too.
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10/04/2013
Check, act, plan, do
Deming's 'plan, do, check, act' is best revised as 'check, act, plan, do' for maintenance professionals. Brian Tinham looks at the role of CMMS/EAM systems in making that happen.
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11/02/2013
Maintenance expo
With Maintec 2013 just a few short weeks away, Brian Tinham previews this show, specifically designed for maintenance technicians and engineering managers
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06/12/2012
Making MRO matter
Surprising as it may seem, some plants and factories may be expending too much of their maintenance effort in the wrong direction. Brian Wall reports
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05/04/2012
Managing maintenance
Anything that can help maintenance managers to realise cost and time-savings, while simultaneously improving plant uptime and product quality outcomes, has to be worth considering. Brian Wall looks at modern CMMs in action
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06/02/2012
Maintec 2012
With this year's Maintec show just a few short weeks away, Brian Tinham takes a lok at what engineers, technicians and mangers can expect to find
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06/02/2012
Plant & Asset Management 2012
Does the industrial maintenance sector need another exhibition? The organisers of MACH, Drives & Controls, Air-Tech and IFPEX clearly think so. Brian Tinham looks at the line-up
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07/12/2011
Adding value
Talk to Lean specialists and, surprisingly, they'll tell you the real deal in equipment service is not planned, nor even preventive maintenance. Brian Tinham talks to Dennis McCarthy about how transform engineering
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08/08/2011
Necessary evil
Poorly managed MRO stores are costing plants serious money. Brian Tinham examines systems, methods, equipment and services that claim to help plant engineers work smarter and faster
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07/04/2011
Managing maintenance
Computerised maintenance management systems – CMMS – are helping to breathe new life into enlightened plant operations, as Brian Wall reports
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01/03/2010
Fixing maintenance
Properly implemented, maintenance management systems can help transform the efficiency of plant engineering departments. Steed Webzell reports on what makes best practice
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01/04/2006
Watching for the red alert
Plant engineers face a dilemma. Is it best to wait for something to break down or undertake maintenance work at pre-planned intervals (which may mean performing maintenance and causing downtime when it is not really needed)? Or should they ...
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04/04/2005
Maintenance - What do you know?
Most maintenance improvement philosophies work on the basis that if more time is spent on predictive and preventive maintenance work, equipment will become more reliable: breakdowns will become less frequent, making more time available for ...
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