Plant Equipment 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.
12/10/2023
Reducing harmonics from AC drives
Generally speaking, a harmonic is a sinusoidal wave with a frequency that is a whole number multiple of the fundamental frequency of a periodic signal. In an electrical system, a harmonic is voltage or current disturbance with a sinusoidal ...
» Read More
12/10/2023
Hypoid gearboxes
Hypoid gearboxes have become increasingly popular, providing exceptional performance in the transfer of power and torque between components, writes supplier Apex Dynamics UK. Recent research by industrial automation market specialist ...
» Read More
31/08/2023
AI sorts waste
When it comes to sorting waste on a conveyor ready for recycling operations, AI-based robotic technologies are setting the tone for a step-change in this challenging process, reports Steed Webzell
» Read More
31/08/2023
Parts storage: the vital links
Establishing efficient ways to store small components at small and large scales – from bins, racks to vertical conveyors – is the gateway to achieving the highest levels of productivity… and profit, reports Brian Wall
» Read More
31/08/2023
The potential of water reuse
Rising concerns over water scarcity and environmental impacts mean industries are increasingly recognising the importance of water reuse as a critical strategy for sustainable resource management. Tom Austin-Morgan reports
» Read More
08/08/2023
Hydraulic motors
Rotating assemblies apply the movement of incompressible fluids to mechanical advantage in many different ways, reports Toby Clark
» Read More
21/06/2023
The vertical farming solution
How we feed eight billion people – and growing – is a challenge the world is now grappling with. Could vertical farming be part of the solution, asks Brian Wall
» Read More
21/06/2023
Growing with technology
%20and%20RHTemp%20sensor%20(below).jpg?width=100&height=75&scale=canvas)
Sensor supplier Vaisala explains why measurement and control technology will be key to the success of this rapidly growing sector
» Read More
21/06/2023
PFAS restriction impossible - BPMA
Wayne Rose of the marketing commission Secretariat of trade association Europump, and newly-appointed CEO of the BPMA, offers insight into the pump sector’s position in relation to the restrictions on using per- and polyfluoroalkyl ...
» Read More
31/05/2023
Wider use for AMRs
While autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) superficially resemble automated guided vehicles (AGVs), AMRs can navigate anywhere across the factory floor using vision systems and other sensors.
» Read More
31/05/2023
Cobots for palletising
The most visible application for collaborative robots is in palletising – picking and stacking boxed items on to a pallet, ready for transport. This boring, potentially injurious work is ideal for a robot, but does, crucially, sometimes ...
» Read More
16/05/2023
How to calculate outrigger mat sizes
Crane stability is the prerequisite of safety, and in an increasingly litigious society it is now highly cost-effective to set crane outriggers and mats for maximum stability first time, every time, explains Mike Ponsonby
» Read More
16/05/2023
The networker
If society could be described as a network of connections between individual people, industry is defined as connections between companies and organisations. Facilitating relationships with government and information exchange at a higher ...
» Read More
31/03/2023
Making digital twins a reality in the water sector
The adoption of digital technologies by the water sector has already led to a huge increase in the availability of data to provide the foundation for future decision-making. However, a greater challenge is integrating differing data ...
» Read More
29/03/2023
Hard target
What can be done to increase the number of heat pump installations to meet the government’s challenging net zero targets, asks Tom Austin-Morgan
» Read More
29/03/2023
Down the drain
The UK government is pushing for sustainable drainage systems in new developments. Ben Spencer finds out how users of commercial buildings stand to benefit
» Read More
29/03/2023
Measuring liquid levels
Liquid level measurement sensors are being installed throughout the sewage network to reduce stormwater sewer discharges, reports Jody Muelaner
» Read More
20/03/2023
Making power networks greener
Now there are several approaches to reducing or eliminating global warming gas SF6 in electrical installations led by switchgear manufacturers and high-profile customers such as National Grid
» Read More
20/03/2023
Pumps and the circular economy
Europump, the European Association of Pump Manufacturers, explains how the European pump industry interprets the requirements of the EC Circular Economy Action Plan, introduced in March 2020
» Read More
20/03/2023
Motors: the long and winding road
When National Grid faced maintenance issues with two motors installed at critical gas booster station sites in England, it approached Sulzer. Delivering turnkey redesigns and rewinds for the complex 16 MW units, Sulzer has helped National ...
» Read More