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.

10/09/2020 Sensing safety: helping protect the public around rubbish collection vehicles Waste collectors take to the streets on a daily basis – picking up and disposing of household and industrial waste. Operating such large vehicles when pedestrians, cyclists and other motor users are around requires the utmost attention. ... » Read More

02/09/2020 Water travel by gas The Volkswagen Group has deployed a car freighter powered by liquefied natural gas, with a second due to enter service later this year. The move marks a new direction for heavy shipping. By Adam Offord » Read More

02/09/2020 Winded: new approaches to offshore wind turbine maintenance Not only are offshore wind turbines a long way from shore, their rotating machinery is housed tens of metres above the surface of the water. The financial incentive to minimise the need to perform inspections and carry out maintenance has ... » Read More

31/08/2020 Hose re-ending: the fallacies behind ‘saving a bit of money’ Fluid power hose re-ending is a dangerous business. Not only does it fly in the face of industry standards, but it can also prove highly destructive… and even lethal if the remade joint fails. Add a lack of warranty and supplier liability ... » Read More

24/08/2020 Smart moves Jody Muelaner explores how a building management system works and the range of equipment and systems with which it can work » Read More

24/08/2020 Community spirit The Environment Agency, along with a variety of partner organisations, is celebrating 10 years of successful soft engineering along rivers in Cumbria, England » Read More

17/08/2020 Suit up The International Space Station is a modular space station in the low Earth orbit and just like industrial, commercial and domestic facilities across our planet, it typically needs to be maintained, repaired and upgraded by its residents. ... » Read More

10/08/2020 No more clouds over cyber security Leading experts in cyber security have produced an authoritative guide that could help factories and process plants better protect their resources. Steed Webzell spoke to the guide’s project lead to find out more » Read More

03/08/2020 Watch your distance As UK industry tries to get back to some form of working normality, social distancing measures are still to be encouraged. Adam Offord finds guidance and products to help with social distancing in an industrial setting? » Read More

03/08/2020 Fever screening The Coronavirus epidemic has created a worldwide demand for infrared cameras as fever screening tools. Explaining how to be sure that the camera chosen can actually do the job it is supposed to do is Glenn Wedgbrow, business development ... » Read More

27/07/2020 Object deconstruction Operations Engineer explores the basic principles of the reverse engineering technique and how it can be carried out » Read More

20/07/2020 Air upgrading Midas Pattern Company has recently had a compressor system audit carried out at its premises in Bedford, UK, as part of a green initiative project. This has led to an equipment upgrade and has also helped the company to achieve energy ... » Read More

20/07/2020 Flowing smoothly in the field Operations Engineer explores what mobile workforce management software is and the benefits that it can bring to the field » Read More

13/07/2020 Lifting spirits The UK Coronavirus crisis has seen distilleries, breweries and other plants pivot their operations to hand sanitiser production. How easy was it to do in such a short space of time? » Read More

13/07/2020 Before & after There are a variety of health and safety regulations in the UK. In this article, Operations Engineer explores the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 » Read More

06/07/2020 Getting air Hemel Hempstead-based company Atlas Copco celebrated a century of UK operations in November. A few months on – and during the UK lockdown over Coronavirus – OE spoke to Alexander Pavlov, general manager at Atlas Copco Compressors UK & ... » Read More

06/07/2020 Work wearable Vehicle manufacturer Iveco has introduced a wearable ‘exoskeleton’ device from industrial automation specialist Comau. This is helping to reduce the fatigue on the upper limbs suffered by the operators engaged in activities inside the ... » Read More

29/06/2020 Preventing infection The Covid-19 pandemic has cast human hygiene into the spotlight with repeated messages of ‘wash your hands’. The vital importance of this is clear when it can directly impact on lives, but even at normal times, good hygiene should be the ... » Read More

29/06/2020 Legal - Brexit & Covid-19: double trouble for contract Michael Hiscock (pictured) is a partner and head of construction law at solicitors Wright Hassall, advising on construction and engineering procurement. In this article (from OE Summer 2020), he highlights an in-depth case study of an ... » Read More

22/06/2020 In times of change - message from SOE CEO Bruce McGill This comment piece comes from Bruce McGill, CEO at the Society of Operations Engineers, and first appeared in Operations Engineer's Summer 2020 print issue. » Read More

22/06/2020 Control room Good design can make the difference between comprehension and chaos, when depicting the actions and interactions of process system displays. New guidance interpreting an international standard codifies the latest norms » Read More

15/06/2020 Cutting effects Testing, inspection and compliance services provider Socotec discusses the health risks associated with respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and how best to protect against its harmful effects » Read More

15/06/2020 Driver not required Prototypes and concept designs are demonstrating the potential of commercial vehicles that are operated without one component traditionally thought to be operationally important: the driver. Although not all necessarily ready to go to ... » Read More

08/06/2020 Best practice shines through To ensure operators are not at risk, how often should a LEV (local exhaust ventilation) system be cleaned and maintained, and by who? » Read More

08/06/2020 Safe operations One of the many hazards to people posed by industrial environments is forklift trucks. To improve pedestrian safety, digital solutions have come to the fore » Read More