Control Automation 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.

28/02/2018 Putting safety first Mark Venables looks at the potential hazards involved in compressed air use and asks how aware is industry of the preventive measures that can be taken, the current pressure regulations and the legal obligations of compliance » Read More

28/02/2018 Training to be the best Plant Engineer looks at what an employer can aim to achieve and how this can help other companies » Read More

28/02/2018 Transforming the engineering talent pipeline To get closer to the challenges and potential talent management solutions faced by clients, business management consultants Kiddy & Partners developed a white paper on ‘Transforming Engineering Talent Pipelines’. We caught up with Dr Zara ... » Read More

10/01/2018 The difference between rupture disc and buckling pin relief valves Buckling Pin Relief Valves (BPRVs) and rupture discs both have a similar primary function. They are used to protect against the over-pressurisation of a range of applications. Information from ASME VIII Division I suggests the two are ... » Read More

28/12/2017 Will new emissions legislation catch plant engineers unawares? The Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) is due to be incorporated into UK law in December 2017. Unfortunately, there is currently a deafening silence from the industry over what this will mean for engineers. » Read More

28/12/2017 Hindering hackers Research suggests that companies, including manufacturers, acknowledge cyber threats are a risk to their business, but many are unprepared. Adam Offord asks what steps UK manufacturers can take to improve their cyber security and mitigate ... » Read More

28/12/2017 Safeguarding palletisers in the workplace Palletisers are some of the most widespread machine types in manufacturing and serious injuries occur on them each year. Paul Taylor, manager for machinery safety at TÜV SÜD Product Service, explains how to ensure their safe operation. » Read More

28/12/2017 The future of maintenance Mark Venables looks at the role of the maintenance engineer in the factory of the future » Read More

28/12/2017 CHP – an efficient, cost-effective solution With plant and factory operational costs rising, owners and operators are keen to identify efficiencies that save money without impacting performance. With this in mind, Combined Heat and Power (CHP) technology can be an attractive ... » Read More

28/12/2017 Living with obsolescence Obsolescence of components can be a constant headache for plant managers, but there are several ways around the problem, as Mark Venables discovers » Read More

28/10/2017 What is DDMRP and how can business planners use it? Demand-driven material requirements planning (DDMRP) has been going from strength to strength since its conception in 2011, with adoption by leading companies around the world, as Mark Venables explains. » Read More

28/10/2017 Industrial vending – vote or veto Industrial vending machines can be used to stock a range of items and tools, but would they work on your site? Adam Offord explores the options » Read More

28/10/2017 Protecting the protective equipment Everyone knows the importance of wearing the correct PPE at all times. However, Chris Beck discovers there is a worrying knowledge gap when it comes to caring for this vital equipment » Read More

28/10/2017 The height of good sense More than 4,000 people a year in the UK suffer major injuries from falls while working at height and it is a major cause of workplace death. Mark Venables explains that, while most of these incidents occur in construction, other sectors of ... » Read More

28/10/2017 Creating a safe warehouse Manufacturers are being hit with large fines and suffering reputational damage following entirely preventable forklift truck accidents. Training operators in the safe use of these ‘warehouse workhorses’ is paramount, as James Clark, ... » Read More

28/10/2017 From local to cloud-based condition monitoring Condition Monitoring (CM) no longer needs to be restricted to highly skilled, experienced engineers. With the advent of cloud-based CM systems, users can now share data with experts via the cloud, enabling improved fault diagnosis, faster ... » Read More

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 ... » Read More

26/08/2017 Six ways smart plastics can strengthen UK productivity The advent of smart plastics could play a crucial role in helping UK manufacturers move towards the connectivity of Industry 4.0, as Mark Venables discovered when he visited igus, the motion plastics specialist, at its Cologne ... » Read More

26/08/2017 Breaking the barrier Accidents do happen and for this reason safety showers and eye baths are essential first aid equipment in minimising the damage caused by contamination of workers with harmful materials, as Mark Venables reveals » Read More

26/08/2017 Peril of particles Mark Venables examines the issues facing managers as they balance the needs of people and productivity associated with laser and 3D printing processes, particularly in meeting their health and safety obligations in the light of recent ... » Read More

26/08/2017 Factories get smarter Many companies are now harnessing the benefits of digitalisation and will rely on smart factories in the future. However, the required budget is not always available or, due to short production cycles, complete machinery replacement is ... » Read More

26/08/2017 Powering the plant Today’s under-pressure facilities managers have to become smarter than ever before to keep abreast of the ever-changing challenges of the role, as Chris Beck explains » Read More

26/08/2017 Banishing unplanned downtime Predictive maintenance is the best answer to minimising the risks of equipment failure. However, monitoring practices in the past have been expensive, problematic and, at worst, unreliable. The solution is to switch to smart condition ... » Read More

26/08/2017 Sound advice (in association with Casella) Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is a growing concern for many manufacturers, but more can be done to raise awareness of the risks amongst workers – particularly the youth. Chris Beck reports on the latest Works Management roundtable event » Read More

26/08/2017 Fit for future Effective and well-planned factory design and layout can impact operational efficiency, as Mark Venables explains. » Read More