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.

06/09/2019 Engineering excellence Environment Agency engineer Ahmed Yusuf (inset) has been named ‘Professional Young Engineer of the Year’ by the Pump Centre. Here, the 27-year-old explains more about his work and plans for the future » Read More

06/09/2019 Solar powering industry High-temperature solar power has been used in a demonstration project to produce liquid hydrocarbons from CO2 and water. This breakthrough is expected to lead to new renewable solutions from energy-intensive industries » Read More

06/09/2019 A big step-change Nereda technology was originally presented to the UK water industry in 2013. Since then, the technology has been tested and implemented at more plants » Read More

06/09/2019 Motion picture Typical conveyors used in industrial settings include belt systems and over-head systems. But what about static conveyor systems? OE looks at some non-moving conveyor innovations already on the market » Read More

06/09/2019 Going above and below Technological advancements are having an impact in all sectors of industry, including the offshore oil and gas sector. There are a variety of autonomous and operator-controlled solutions now able to aid in the inspection of pipelines that ... » Read More

06/09/2019 Unwrapping the enigma At this year’s Siemens Digital Talks conference, TrakRap CEO Martin Leeming told the story of how the SME is disrupting the packaging industry– one sheet of plastic at a time » Read More

05/08/2019 A Swiss summit Infor held its Third Annual EAM European Summit at CERN in June. OE’s deputy editor discovered more about asset management at the research centre, while getting up close with its first accelerator, the Synchrocyclotron » Read More

05/08/2019 Comment: Ripple effect Provisional annual data released by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) recently has revealed that 147 workers were fatally injured between April 2018 and March 2019 – an increase of six workplace fatalities from 2017/18. » Read More

05/08/2019 Cushioned approach The latest pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders feature improved cushioning systems for higher speeds with reduced stress and vibration. But what is involved in the technology, how does it work, and what maintenance implications are there? » Read More

05/08/2019 Inching forward While manufacturers are now using electro hydraulics to power all types of ancillary equipment, bringing it to market is a slow process. OE looks at the in-roads already made » Read More

05/08/2019 Listen ear Noise exposure from tools and equipment can be damaging to personnel. A range of PPE and other solutions can mitigate the risks » Read More

05/08/2019 Down the pan Having designed, built and installed power systems throughout their careers, two directors saw first-hand how water produced by AC units was going down the drain, so decided to spend a penny on a new system » Read More

05/08/2019 Absolute safety… the impossible dream Something akin to an industry consensus may be emerging when it comes to establishing holistic cyber security right across the supply chain. But with whom does liability rest when chasing that goal? » Read More

05/08/2019 Hacked off As IT (information technology) systems and OT (operational technology) systems advance, so too are cyber-attacks. Having some knowledge on common attacker methods can go a long way » Read More

05/08/2019 Crime stoppers Cybercrime is usually associated with financial services. However, with plant and control systems being increasingly connected, facilities and industrial operations are under equal threat. Could certification schemes aid industrial ... » Read More

05/08/2019 What if… There are many different uses for virtual reality technology in industrial settings. Redesigning existing facilities, as well as imagining future industrial plants, is one of them » Read More

04/07/2019 Outrunning obsolescence Machinery from any era can be kept operational, given enough time and money. In industry, limitations of both of those resources often determines when equipment becomes obsolete. However, technology is now changing that formula » Read More

04/07/2019 Comment: Speak up The Chernobyl disaster of 1986 seems to have hit the headlines again in recent weeks, following rave reviews of a new HBO TV mini-series that depicts the nuclear disaster and the clean-up effort that followed. » Read More

04/07/2019 HIPP, HIPP, Hooray! High integrity pressure protection systems (HIPPS) have become increasingly a solution of choice in managing the risks of ever more demanding environments – and none more so than offshore gas installations. How exactly do they work? » Read More

04/07/2019 Being proactive There are many factors that could deem industrial equipment obsolete. If this happens, companies could face critical failure. OE explores whether a proactive approach to obsolescence might be the answer » Read More

04/07/2019 Heads together The University of Chester has launched a Science Industry Process/Plant Engineer Degree Apprenticeship after working with the Institution of Chemical Engineers and employers in the North West » Read More

04/07/2019 Spare the headache Operators and maintenance engineers will have a variety of tools, stock and spare components available to hand. Storing them correctly can save everyone a major headache » Read More

04/07/2019 Another way Ramsoft’s approach to a critical spares review » Read More

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 » Read More

04/07/2019 Protect and serve A smart condition monitoring (SCM) system from Mitsubishi Electric is being utilised by malted barley producer Muntons to protect vital parts of its production process against unscheduled downtime » Read More