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.

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09/01/2025 Safety systems

Automatic intervention systems, where plants stop automatically when hazards are detected, could be a future game-changer » Read More

09/01/2023 Construction: levelling up

National Highways has found a standardised way to measure the autonomous capabilities of construction equipment, but the technology needs to be accompanied with immediate action » Read More

06/12/2022 Determining SIL in accordance with IEC 62061

Sector-specific standard IEC 62061 considers the entire life cycle of a machine or plant from conception to dismantling. International safety integrity level (SIL) describes the safety-related performance capability. This article explains ... » Read More

19/01/2022 Diesel alternatives

Plant operators are moving away from conventional diesel-powered equipment and into alternatives; but the reasons for this change are varied. Some want to reduce their carbon footprint for reasons of corporate social responsibility (CSR), ... » Read More

17/06/2021 SPMTs: trailers that lead the way

Deployed linked together in ranks and files, SPMTs can meet the scale of huge structural components, unlike other types of construction equipment. That means that they are the solution to shift and lift just about anything large, awkward ... » Read More

10/06/2021 Railway retrofit

An emissions treatment system adapted from commercial vehicles provides a possible way to improve air quality in the rail network. By James Thorpe, senior sales manager, Eminox » Read More

08/04/2021 How Agile Vehicle Technology developed an all-terrain vehicle

Five years ago, Agile Vehicle Technology spotted a gap in the market for an industrial-grade, hydrostatic vehicle that could operate on any terrain while maintaining manoeuvrability, speed, robustness, value for money and a heavy load ... » Read More

14/01/2021 Measuring access platform safety

A new report from a trade association brings together, for the first time, reports of incidents and accidents involving powered access platforms. The data pinpoints the key safety risks of these ever-more essential site machines » Read More

14/01/2021 Engineering the world’s fastest tractor

British agricultural and construction equipment manufacturer JCB markets a brand of fast tractors called Fastrac that can travel up to 43mph. While at that speed even a large field will whip by, it was still not fast enough for a young ... » Read More

27/10/2020 Reviewing the new MOD maintenance contracts for mobile plant

While the MOD buys special-purpose vehicles for warfare, such as tanks, the civil and transport works that create its supply chain tend to use commercial off-the-shelf industrial machinery. Three different contracts for the maintenance of ... » Read More

22/10/2020 Robotank

Remotely-piloted autonomous drone aircraft have changed the face of warfare in the last decade or so, by removing human pilots altogether. Now, a new generation of autonomous vehicles are being developed that do the donkey work of ground ... » Read More

22/10/2020 Should military aircraft technicians be licenced to a common European standard?

Defence cuts are nothing new. The UK’s armed forces’ role changes as frequently as the Guard. But now the UK government has announced it doesn’t want its military aircraft technicians licenced to a common European standard. What are its ... » Read More

10/09/2020 Sensing safety: helping protect the public around rubbish collection vehicles

Waste collectors take to the streets on a daily basis – picking up and disposing of household and industrial waste. Operating such large vehicles when pedestrians, cyclists and other motor users are around requires the utmost attention. ... » Read More

15/06/2020 Driver not required

Prototypes and concept designs are demonstrating the potential of commercial vehicles that are operated without one component traditionally thought to be operationally important: the driver. Although not all necessarily ready to go to ... » Read More

20/04/2020 Ride along

The complex task of designing and specifying mobile plant can be simplified by using an online configurator. These systems vary in sophistication and detail, but ultimately allow users to design and customise to individual need. OE takes a ... » Read More

10/03/2020 Safe cleaning with gas

A series of vehicle explosions has prompted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to issue guidance for mobile oven cleaning businesses that use LPG to heat dip tanks. While much of the advisory may be considered common sense, raising ... » Read More

08/01/2020 Earth movers

Tunnel boring machines are anything but boring, having been responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious construction projects. OE investigates these ubiquitous, but largely unseen, underground monsters » Read More

08/01/2020 Tipping the balance

A consortium of construction organisations has developed a seven-point strategy on the proper and safe use of forward tipping dumpers » Read More

08/01/2020 Electric Avenue

Global warming concerns have been reignited across the world. In the mobile plant sector, companies are starting to rock down to Electric Avenue to help tackle such problems, among others. Highlights of some latest efforts follows » Read More

12/12/2019 End of life

Electric vehicle (EV) use is soaring and with it the growing issue of how to dispose of a large volume of expensive batteries. There are two major strands of thought – repurposing or recycling. Both offer an opportunity to recover residual ... » Read More

07/10/2019 Fighting a lost cause

How do you keep track of assets that could be easily lost or pilfered on a large or complex site: too big to sit on a shelf, but too small to be permanently installed. OE examines the technological options » Read More

07/10/2019 Gently does it

Bringing together information from sensors has significantly reduced unwanted movement in extended booms and crane jibs when lifting materials » Read More

07/10/2019 Defence snapshot

The Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition aimed to connect governments, national armed forces, industry and the global defence & security supply chain. Highlights are below » Read More

06/09/2019 The wheel deal

Bucket wheel reclaimers/excavators are among the largest machines ever built, shifting vast amounts of stored solid material – and all at remarkable speed. Operations Engineer gets up close to these Leviathans to find out more » 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

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