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.

07/12/2011 Wastewater treatment plant slashes down-time and maintenance Shasun Pharma Solutions is reporting vastly reduced maintenance, zero recalibration, and easier, more accurate and more reliable monitoring since moving to Hach Lange sensor equipment for its wastewater plant. » Read More

07/12/2011 Variable speed drive compressor cuts Celotex energy costs Insulation board manufacturer Celotex is reporting reduced energy consumption and improved air supply quality since replacing its compressor with an Atlas Copco variable speed drive, oil-free unit, equipped with a heat regenerative IMD ... » Read More

07/12/2011 MasoSine pump provides rapid drum unloading at Britvic Britvic is reporting that four MasoSine SPS pumps, from Watson-Marlow, built into a bespoke drum unloading system, are allowing its plant to unload 45 gallon (200 litre) drums of fruit juice concentrate, four at a time, in just two minutes. » Read More

07/12/2011 Extracting rewards Avoiding risk, safeguarding the workforce and complying with health and safety regulations are key goals of dust and fume extraction equipment. But there's also a financial reward to be reaped, reports Brian Wall » Read More

07/12/2011 Maintain your guard Health and safety regulations continue to be breached, with sometimes tragic, as well as costly consequences. David Lewis reviews the legal landscape and some salutary cases » Read More

07/12/2011 Bearing the brunt Long-term performance of plant and machinery owes a great deal to using the right lubricants in the right quantities at the right time. Get it wrong and it could prove very costly, warns Brian Wall » Read More

07/12/2011 Playing it safe The October 2011 arrival of new guidance for the safe operation of steam and hot water boilers gives boiler operators and managers up-to-date advice, and recognised training is a key focus. Brian Wall reports » Read More

07/12/2011 Compressing costs As compressors and associated plant continue to see engineering updates, Steed Webzell examines the cost/benefits for plant engineers seeking to improve operations » Read More

07/12/2011 The case of Mr S The role of an individual acting as, or on behalf of, a 'competent person' under PSSR (the Pressure System Safety Regulations 2000) comes with serious obligations S Moore Holmes takes us through the case of Mr S » Read More

07/12/2011 Adding value Talk to Lean specialists and, surprisingly, they'll tell you the real deal in equipment service is not planned, nor even preventive maintenance. Brian Tinham talks to Dennis McCarthy about how transform engineering » Read More

07/12/2011 Energy efficiency is effective now Just a few short weeks ago, npower raised concerns that, with the UK's wide portfolio of energy regulations, this country simply cannot now raise the investment to build the low carbon future to which it is already committed. » Read More

06/10/2011 ABB controls cut Tata Steel’s oxygen costs ABB control systems are helping Tata Steel cut the cost of iron production at its Scunthorpe plant, by allowing it to use medium pressure oxygen in its blast furnaces. » Read More

06/10/2011 Weg variable speed drive pays back for Rittal-CSM Plymouth-based Rittal-CSM reports completion of the latest stage of its energy saving carbon reduction programme; with Drew & Co installing more efficient pump controls at its paint plant. » Read More

06/10/2011 Gorgon’s Ex-lighting saves local sea turtle population Cooper Crouse-Hinds reports that it has engineered an explosion-proof fluorescent light fitting for the Chevron-operated Gorgon project, at Barrow Island, that specifically minimises disturbance of the local sea turtle population. » Read More

06/10/2011 Swedish tank farm stays safe with Emerson wireless FH Tank Storage is using Emerson Process Management's Rosemount wireless level and pressure transmitters to provide overspill protection at its 13,000m3 68-tank Kalmar storage terminal, in Sweden. » Read More

06/10/2011 On a hire plane When it comes to obtaining new equipment, plant engineers might want to consider renting before – or even instead of – committing to that cost. Brian Wall looks at the cost benefits » Read More

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