Test and Measurement 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.

24/06/2022 Monster keeps major infrastructure project on track A Sulzer Channel Monster has been a lifeline for a large-scale wastewater treatment project in Vác, Hungary. Faced with the need to keep a municipal wastewater treatment plant in operation during a EUR 14.5 million upgrade, Hungarian ... » Read More

24/06/2022 Delivering high-quality solids – without any mix-up Ever present in the chemical processing industry, solid mixing and blending are among the most crucial operations that influence end product quality. By avoiding under- and over-processing, manufacturers can deliver superior chemicals ... » Read More

14/06/2022 Identifying equipment issues in gas flaring Flaring is used to manage the associated gas produced as a co-product during oil extraction, routinely or as the result of an unscheduled event. Routine flaring can be a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Non-routine flaring ... » Read More

14/06/2022 Offshore, off carbon To reduce their carbon footprint, many offshore operators are converting their drilling rigs to run on electricity. We look at the whys and wherefores, and how this might work in practice. By Brian Wall » Read More

17/05/2022 The carbon footprint of heating and cooling Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, and a very significant share of all human-induced climate change. Its carbon footprint is largely a result of the ... » Read More

19/04/2022 Inspection: screening for danger Simulants and an array of training devices are helping to prepare operatives in the battle to detect explosives, drugs, IEDs and other threats, such as the radioactive materials still inside the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear reactors. » Read More

19/04/2022 Risk FACtor Flow-accelerated corrosion is an important effect that can result in catastrophic failures in high-pressure and high-temperature pipe systems. It is therefore critical that it is properly managed. This involves feedwater chemistry control, ... » Read More

19/04/2022 Digital together: project profiles Two projects supported by the UK Digital Catapult both involve reconfiguring a slow manual measurement process, recording the results digitally, and inserting that information into other digital systems. It’s a template for digitalisation ... » Read More

19/04/2022 Inside vibration sensors Condition monitoring of mechanical equipment – anything with rotating, oscillating or otherwise moving components – relies on vibration measurement. The sensors that pick up vibration have their own requirements. By Toby Clark » Read More

30/03/2022 A guide to improved gas feeding in water treatment Accurate gas dosing and the ability to control the feed to match changing conditions are vital for water treatment applications such as pH control using CO2 or removing iron with oxidation. From the outset, the system requires accurate ... » Read More

28/03/2022 Getting under the skin of sausage manufacturing efficiency As the popularity of sausages continues to grow, manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to improve speed, efficiency and quality by utilizing artificial casings. Markus Huuhtanen from Vaisala (Finland) explains how these ... » Read More

14/03/2022 The greening of steel Has the UK blown its chance to be a main player in the ‘green steel’ economy? As Europe forges ahead, the government’s £250m Clean Steel Fund is still ‘on hold’ – with no clear future strategy emerging. By Brian Wall » Read More

14/03/2022 Leading the way in digital transformation The UK’s first Schneider Electric smart factory, in Flint, Wales, provides a model for revolutionising ageing infrastructure to deliver operational effectiveness and sustainability, reports Will Dalrymple » Read More

14/03/2022 Condition monitoring for wind turbines In any application, condition monitoring makes maintenance more efficient by preventing catastrophic failures and unplanned downtime, enabling efficient scheduling of maintenance operations with parts ordered in advance, and performing ... » Read More

14/02/2022 Taming the overflow storm Regulation governing sewer storm overflows has been markedly stepped up. As a result, monitoring devices are being installed across all water authorities to combat the soaring number of discharges. By Brian Wall » Read More

14/02/2022 Water industry responds to climate change A critical report by the government’s water regulator Ofwat found that climate change was the biggest threat to the water sector’s asset management plans. By Tom Austin-Morgan » Read More

14/02/2022 NDE 4.0 - a new dawn for evaluation As well as developing and adopting new technologies, the transition to NDE 4.0 will demand new ways of working for inspection personnel. By Steed Webzell » Read More

14/02/2022 Saving the planet? The COP26 climate conference in November 2021 featured many pronouncements to ‘save the planet’ through addressing climate change, although how to actually reduce concentrations of carbon-based greenhouse gases in the atmosphere was far ... » Read More

14/02/2022 Spill response training Core skills, competencies and providers: setting out the importance of environmental spillage and incident management training. By Steed Webzell » Read More

19/01/2022 Concrete goes green Health risks from acid rain, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide are often attributed to concrete production, while CO2 emissions and climate change impact are also cited. But is the industry’s image now on the up as it ... » Read More

19/01/2022 Rise of the plug-and-play CM system ‘Plug and play’ condition monitoring offerings over the past year claim to do away with the need for expert analysis (at a certain low level, anyway), thanks to automation, cloud computing and standardised hardware. By Jody Muelaner » Read More

07/12/2021 Guidance for maintaining ageing electrical assets EEMUA 227, Management of ageing electrical assets, is new guidance from the Engineering Equipment and Materials Users Association aimed at providing electrical engineers with a coherent, proactive system for managing ageing electrical ... » Read More

07/12/2021 Leak testing of tubes and pipes Huntingdon Fusion Techniques offers an introduction to tube and pipe stoppers. The oil, gas, water, food and beverage, aerospace, power generation, construction and pharmaceutical industries all fabricate many thousands of metres of tubes ... » Read More

04/11/2021 Four steps to better electrical resilience Manufacturing sites depend on a reliable, failsafe power supply. Too many businesses use outdated and potentially unsafe electrical assets for their critical power needs, putting people, operations and their bottom line at risk. When it ... » Read More

22/10/2021 Who does what? A SAFed guide to lift testing Revision of the SAFed LG01 Guidelines on the supplementary tests of in-service lifts prompted a joint webinar with LEIA on 19 March 2021 for lift managers and duty holders » Read More