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.

05/10/2012 Thwaites green upgrade is picture of efficiency Yellow dump truck manufacturer Thwaites' paint line has been refurbished – and improved its efficiency and environmental sustainability on the way. » Read More

05/10/2012 Laundry saves £30,000 thanks to flash steam recovery Commercial laundry Bates of London is reporting savings of tens of thousands of pounds in energy since installing FREME (flash recovery energy management equipment) plant, from Spirax Sarco. » Read More

05/10/2012 Hidden assassins Every year, thousands of people in Great Britain develop occupational asthma or die of lung diseases, because of airborne contaminants they inhale at work. Brian Wall reports » Read More

05/10/2012 So much more Intelligent instruments have been with us for years, but although many more plants are installing them, they're still missing some important tricks, says Brian Tinham » Read More

05/10/2012 Pressure on pumping Pump designs may be evolving only slowly, but that's far from the whole story. Brian Tinham examines developments and some cautionary tales around selection and installation » Read More

05/10/2012 Lifting the bar Case law demonstrates that courts are taking an increasingly tough line with lifting-related accidents, if companies and plant managers cannot prove due process, writes Crispin Kenyon » Read More

05/10/2012 Buyer’s market Try before you buy can make a lot of sense in all sorts of situations. But there are plenty of others where the shrewd option might well be plant hire. Brian Wall reports » Read More

05/10/2012 Academics to engineers Building up individuals' plant engineering skills is always rewarding, but for one training company that took on Nigeria, the experience has been mega. Brian Tinham reports » Read More

05/10/2012 Keep things fluid Innovation is continuing apace in the worlds of fluid power. Steed Webzell examines some of the developments most likely to be in demand » Read More

05/10/2012 Good acoustics? It's a poor workman that blames his tools, goes the proverb. But on machinery condition monitoring, it's been understandable. However, all of that is about to change, writes Brian Tinham » Read More

05/10/2012 A UK strategy worth the fight? So, at long last we have a cabinet minister – none other than Vince Cable – not only talking persuasively about a government-led industrial strategy for Britain, but one prepared to put substantial meat on the bones. It would appear there ... » Read More

01/08/2012 Herculean effort or Olympic gold? As we go to press, with London on the final countdown to the 2012 Olympics, plant engineers – although excited by the spectacle and impressed by the scale of the interdisciplinary project engineering that has made it all happen – will ... » Read More

01/08/2012 Accidents waiting to happen? Although blessed with one of the best industrial health and safety records on the planet, statistics reveal that the UK cannot afford to become complacent. Brian Tinham examines problems and solutions » Read More

01/08/2012 Silence is golden To avoid effects such as occupational deafness and hand-arm vibration, plants must adopt a best practice approach to noisy environments and processes. Steed Webzell reports » Read More

01/08/2012 Hard bargain Electric motors are responsible for by far the lion's share of electrical energy consumed throughout British industry. Brian Tinham examines options for cost and energy saving » Read More

01/08/2012 To protect and serve Personal protective equipment is clearly a must in all sorts of plant and factory environments, yet problems with adoption are still reported. Brian Wall advises that PPE needs to be carefully monitored and regulated » Read More

01/08/2012 Fuels for thought For years, there have been announcements about trials of forklift trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Cleaner and greener, yes – but will they be seen in UK plants any time soon? Laura Cork finds out » Read More

01/08/2012 Cool solutions Most plants would benefit from an energy audit, but where should you focus your efforts? And what kind of technology might yield the best dividends? Brian Tinham reports » Read More

01/08/2012 Pioneering spirit Biomass power generation is one of the keys to renewable energy diversity. Brian Tinham examines a next generation, modular version that is capturing the imagination » Read More

01/08/2012 Plant review With increasing regulatory scrutiny and rising energy costs, now more than ever plant engineers need to review and reduce plant consumption. Simon Ellam suggests a three-phase approach based on existing process automation technology » Read More

01/08/2012 Energy efficiency With energy-related issues topping most plant engineers' agendas, Laura Cork looks ahead to the forthcoming Energy Event, which promises a packed educational programme » Read More

01/08/2012 Inside recycling The Recycling and Waste Management show, co-located with the Energy Event and the new Renewables event at the NEC looks interesting for plant engineers, says Brian Tinham » Read More

01/08/2012 Cool energy savings for Flurocarbon Hertford site Cool energy savings for Flurocarbon Hertford site » Read More

01/08/2012 Energy harvesting transmitters may go on forever Energy harvesting technology from ABB is enabling speciality chemicals manufacturer Robinson Brothers to monitor temperature remotely without a power supply to the transmitter. » Read More

01/08/2012 Vibration monitors to guard Indian hovercrafts’ drivetrains Southampton-based Griffon Hoverwork is buying condition monitoring systems for 12 of its Griffon 8000TD hovercrafts, ordered by the Indian Coast Guard. » Read More