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.

06/10/2011 Full flow fluid power As hydraulic and pneumatic systems continue to evolve, Steed Webzell weighs up the latest innovations benefiting static and mobile plant operations » Read More

06/10/2011 Hazardous electrics Hazardous areas demand properly certified equipment – and that applies to maintenance kit, too. But cost and efficiency are also key. Gordon Low examines the issues » Read More

06/10/2011 Dust explosion Running motors and low voltage ac drives on plants with dusty environments has been regulated under the ATEX directives since 2006. Steve Ruddell explains the detail » Read More

06/10/2011 Taking control Plant engineers wedded to particular instrument and control types might do well to widen the net. Brian Tinham examines recent developments in instrumentation and control » Read More

06/10/2011 Laying down the law European directives are continuously forcing changes to UK legislation around health and safety. Brian Wall reports on what plant engineers and managers need to know » Read More

06/10/2011 Tip top condition? Predictive maintenance is an important route to cutting costs and improving plant performance. And, says Brian Tinham, the condition monitoring technologies upon which it relies are ripe for the picking » Read More

06/10/2011 Plant safety at any cost? Don't get me wrong: it's hard to argue with current moves to streamline health and safety legislation, in line with Lord Young's 'Common Sense, Common Safety' report – especially given that chief among the aims is to reduce the ... » Read More

08/08/2011 Health and Safety North Health and Safety North, the third in the regional series this year, claims to offers plant engineers a valuable learning and networking experience. Brian Wall reports » Read More

08/08/2011 Ener-G uses poultry power to generate brass from muck Green technology firm Ener-G is using chicken litter and maize to help a Hereford chicken farm become more eco friendly and generate additional income from renewable energy. » Read More

08/08/2011 Absolute Energy improves plant operations with guided wave radar Absolute Energy is reporting increased uptime and reduced energy costs since changing to Emerson's Rosemount guided wave radar to monitor water level in a condensate receiver. » Read More

08/08/2011 Tamar Foods saves 23 percent on HVAC energy One of the UK's largest producers of pastry-based products is reporting 23% energy cost savings on its HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) plant, following installation of ABB variable-speed drives. » Read More

08/08/2011 Ricoh saves £100,000 with plant-wide drives project Office equipment manufacturer Ricoh reports savings of more than £100,000 per annum on energy costs at its production plant in Telford, since installing ABB variable-speed drives (VSDs). » Read More

08/08/2011 Energy event 2011 The upcoming Energy Event promises a packed agenda focused on optimising energy management, procurement and efficiency. Laura Cork reports » Read More

08/08/2011 Sound measures Noise and vibration beyond allowable limits can leave managers on shaky ground. No wonder then these issues are climbing plant engineers' priority lists. Steed Webzell reports » Read More

08/08/2011 The master forgers Employee safety remains paramount and the legislation around personal protective equipment reflect that. But how do you tell counterfeit goods from the authentic? Brian Wall reports » Read More

08/08/2011 Turbine towers British manufacturing is on the mend. Alan Fitzpatrick reports from a site in Wales capitalising on the rush for wind power » Read More

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 » Read More

08/08/2011 Fresh pair of eyes Most plants might benefit from an energy audit, but many could also do with a review of operations, aimed at improving everything from efficiency to product quality. Dr Tom Shelley reports » Read More

08/08/2011 Feet flat on the floor Last month's introduction of legislation concerning new electric motor efficiencies should be focusing minds on cost and carbon saving projects. Brian Tinham reports » Read More

08/08/2011 Step up to the skills challenge With UK manufacturers continuing to report the welcome news of increasingly healthy order books and predicting further growth in production output for the months to come (according to latest figures from the CBI, the self-styled voice of ... » Read More

07/06/2011 Making light work There's more to cutting lighting energy costs and carbon emissions than the luminary technologies themselves. Brian Tinham reports » Read More

07/06/2011 Just Trays spreads compressor cost with lease purchase Shower tray firm Just Trays says that lease purchasing its upgraded compressed air plant from Boge has made new essential equipment affordable. » Read More

07/06/2011 Severn Trent Water improves sewage pumping efficiency Severn Trent Water's sewage treatment works in Newthorpe, Nottinghamshire reports improved pumping efficiency since installing a Chroma progressing cavity pump. » Read More

07/06/2011 Alma Products saves £80,000 pa on drives installation Runcorn, Cheshire-based plastics manufacturer Alma Products reckons it is saving £80,000 worth of electricity per annum since installing ABB ac motors and low voltage ac drives. » Read More

07/06/2011 Spirax Sarco helps Heinz save 473 tonnes of carbon per year Heinz reckons it is saving 6% of its average steam load per year at its baked bean factory in Wigan by recovering energy from effluent. » Read More