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.

04/04/2005 SED Preview - The great outdoors If you want to see construction plant and machinery demonstrated in as near as possible realistic working conditions, as opposed to simply static displays, Site Equipment Demonstration (SED) is the show for you. It has the largest assembly ... » Read More

04/04/2005 Professional Development - Registering the benefits When it comes to professional engineering registrations, the SOE is punching above its weight. In 2004 there were 189,406 Chartered Engineers (CEng), 42,905 Incorporated Engineers (IEng) and 12,554 Engineering Technicians (Eng Tech) ... » Read More

04/04/2005 Maintenance - What do you know? Most maintenance improvement philosophies work on the basis that if more time is spent on predictive and preventive maintenance work, equipment will become more reliable: breakdowns will become less frequent, making more time available for ... » Read More

04/04/2005 Licensed to skill Keeping Biffa's massive UK waste management operations on the move is a man with a mission. Shaun Stephenson has watched the skills levels within both industry as a whole, and the engineering profession in particular, go through a serious ... » Read More

04/04/2005 Energy Efficiency - Technology advances make for energy saving There are many ways in which plant and factory operators can improve energy efficiency. Some are simple, but many rely on taking advantage of the latest advances in technology. » Read More

01/02/2005 Space Heating - The heat is on Heating large premises is a major challenge for employers seeking to ensure comfortable working conditions for employees, as well as the protection of the building's contents (such as stock or equipment) and fabric. » Read More

01/02/2005 Risk Management - Taking the pressure Before 1989, the Factories Act 1961 detailed the requirements for the examination of, and reporting on, steam and air plant within the power industry by the Competent Person (often the insurance company). Where water tube boilers were ... » Read More

01/02/2005 Pollution Control - Don't get caught by COP According to the Environment Agency there are more than 5,000 oil incidents reported every year. In 2000, one sixth of all pollution incidents affecting the environment involved oil: most incidents were caused by oil leaking from tanks ... » Read More

01/02/2005 Dust and Fume Control: Clearing the Air Implementing dust and fume control measures is key to providing a safe working environment, with current legislation and best practice extending the scope of control well beyond the factory. Where activity is undertaken that gives rise to ... » Read More

01/02/2005 Compressed Air - Maintaining a safe system Regulation 12 of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) is very short and simple, as these things go: "The user of an installed system and the owner of a mobile system shall ensure that the system is properly maintained in good ... » Read More

01/02/2005 The key to 'greener' energy - advanced plant It is increasingly obvious that only a combination of engineering technologies is likely to be able to meet the world's growing energy needs in the near term without totally destroying its climate and environment. » Read More

07/12/2004 Paints and Protective Coatings - Extensive coverage Just about everything we see is surfaces. And just about every manufactured product has had its surface coated or treated in some way to improve its performance. The benefits can be immense. For instance, the world's shipping fleets would ... » Read More

06/12/2004 Water Treatment - Scale solution means cash back for supermarket The Waitrose supermarket chain is generating savings on the maintenance, replacement and running costs of its water system, thanks to electronic treatment units which negate the effects of hard water. » Read More

06/12/2004 Water and Effluent Treatment - Where there's sludge, there's money A new sewage treatment works sets new standards for reduction of pollutants in its effluents, its odour-free operation, easy and safe access for maintenance operators, and attentions to the requirements of new regulations such as ATEX. » Read More

06/12/2004 Renewable Energy - Out of the shadows Green energy is high on the UK agenda. Announcements are spawned on a seemingly daily basis about the government's commitment to renewable energy - and the Prime Minister has said that he will try to use Britain's forthcoming pole ... » Read More

06/12/2004 Renewable Energy - Cast your fortune to the winds Search the internet for the keywords 'wind power', 'manufacturing', 'process' and 'industry' and see what you find. After a little delving in relation to business, the sector you might come across most is farming and 'wind farms', but not ... » Read More

06/12/2004 Motors - Evolution in design, revolution in efficiency Managing your motors for efficiency and reliability can be a headache at the best of times. And with discounted energy for industry perhaps set to disappear, against a backdrop of emissions regulations, then clearly it's not becoming any ... » Read More

06/12/2004 Hot water systems - Better tanks give quick and clean hot water Hot water tanks made by a small German company use a patented system to ensure that they deliver hot water soon after heat has been applied to the water. This makes them especially suited to systems fuelled by solar energy. » Read More

01/10/2004 Pumps & Valves - Process Machinery - a troubleshooting guide Every piece of process machinery is purchased to be installed, operated, and play its part in making a profit for the plant operator. When a problem arises with a piece of equipment that causes concern to the operator and starts to affect ... » Read More

01/10/2004 Process Heating - Steaming into first place There are many viable ways to provide heat for processing: these can be divided into direct and indirect systems. A direct heating system is one where heat is released directly into the product - for example a gas flame heating a small ... » Read More

01/10/2004 Lifiting and Handling - The LOLER lowdown Wherever there is lifting equipment there will be safety issues. In December 1998 the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) came into force to help reduce the risk and occurrence of accidents through the continuing ... » Read More

01/10/2004 Filtration - Graded bed catches bugs more efficiently By very carefully selecting the layers of material in a graded bed filter, it is said to be possible to catch 99.7% of bacteria and other micro-organisms down to 0.2 µm in diameter. A newly constructed filter, which is being piloted for ... » Read More

01/10/2004 Condition Monitoring - Bearing down on stoppages A machine tool spindle condition monitoring unit (CMU) at car manufacturer BMW's plant at Steyr, Austria, has reduced the number of bearing failures from 21 per year to zero. The Multilog CMU, supplied by bearings manufacturer SKF, is an ... » Read More

01/10/2004 Compressed Air Systems - Technology gives a clearer picture Standard air compressors are often linked in banks to accommodate varying base loads throughout the working week, with a speed-regulated compressor making up the module to cope with peak and variable loads. And modular makes sense. It is ... » Read More

01/08/2004 What lies beneath Temperature changes, static requirements, liquids, impact, abrasion and chemicals can all affect a floor's performance. Add static electricity to the mix and the result can be potentially explosive. » Read More