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.

06/09/2019 Unwrapping the enigma At this year’s Siemens Digital Talks conference, TrakRap CEO Martin Leeming told the story of how the SME is disrupting the packaging industry– one sheet of plastic at a time » Read More

05/08/2019 A Swiss summit Infor held its Third Annual EAM European Summit at CERN in June. OE’s deputy editor discovered more about asset management at the research centre, while getting up close with its first accelerator, the Synchrocyclotron » Read More

03/06/2019 Doing the dirty Recent research has suggested that more than four in five Brits want robots to ‘do the dirty work’. Luckily, such technology is starting to become a reality, able to take over different tasks in various sectors of industry » Read More

08/05/2019 Comment: Give and take Over the years covering industry, I’ve written a lot about nature and the environment. Usually I channel my inner Attenborough, reiterating how we need to do more to protect our lands and oceans, help wildlife, and minimise air and waste ... » Read More

04/04/2019 They came… They thaw… They conquered Engineers and scientists have taken industry standard equipment to Antarctica and used a hot water drill to break through the ice. From there, a string of instruments has been used to understand ice flow and history » Read More

04/04/2019 Hydrophonical Water supply utility Anglian Water has begun installing thousands of leak sensors across its network, as well as trialling a new kind of pressure sensor to stop a big cause of leaks; transient surges » Read More

04/04/2019 A nuclear approach to seismic sensing This article discusses the latest trends in seismic monitoring and protection systems for nuclear plants, including technologies adopted and current best practice driven by enhanced risk management demands » Read More

04/04/2019 Facing digital Make UK (formerly EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation) held its National Manufacturing Conference in February. A panel of speakers in one workshop spoke about their own, very different digital journeys, and warned delegates not to get ... » Read More

07/03/2019 Comment: Don’t bottle it A cross-industry consortium set up in January, Alliance to End Plastic Waste, aims to reduce the amount of waste plastic that ends up in the world’s oceans, as it harms aquatic life and aquatic environments. » Read More

07/03/2019 Improvement works Following a pumping station pollution incident that led to a fine, Thames Water has made a series of improvement changes involving personnel, maintenance and data management » Read More

07/03/2019 Getting the shakes Vibration signals can identify the condition of a machine’s balance, lubrication, bearings and gears » Read More

05/02/2019 The wonders of waste United Utilities’ £200 million investment at its Davyhulme wastewater treatment works in greater Manchester has put the site right at the forefront when it comes to sewage treatment » Read More

05/02/2019 Comment: Monster of the deep A ‘monster’ fatberg, longer than six double-decker buses, has been found in Devon. South West Water says it’s the largest mass of oil, grease and wet wipes discovered in its service history. » Read More

05/02/2019 A matter of manganese Filtering out the naturally-occurring mineral from potable water in the North East is a new 37.3Mld pressure filtration plant » Read More

05/02/2019 Cleaning up Leaks and uncontrolled releases of diesel can have major impacts on nature and the environment if they aren’t dealt with properly. Luckily there are different measures, products and services available for operators and businesses in ... » Read More

05/02/2019 At sea Oil spills in the offshore oil and gas industry were put under the Health and Safety Executive’s spotlight over the past year » Read More

05/02/2019 Low-cost VOC sensors Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) perform many vital roles as fuels, solvents, feedstock and sterilants, to name a few. Monitoring their concentration is essential because of the potential health and safety risk that they pose. Alternative ... » Read More

05/02/2019 Infrared vessel inspection whatever the scale Thermal imaging is proving to be a quick and easy way of monitoring the integrity and content level of storage tanks. And now there are several infrared technologies that can be employed to sense particular gases, such as VOCs » Read More

04/01/2019 Exposed to vibration Workers that frequently use hand-held power tools can become exposed to hand-arm vibration. However, this potentially disabling problem can be reduced and eliminated through different ways of working » Read More

04/01/2019 Sensing Industry 4.0 Industry 4.0 promises improved performance and enhanced maintenance activities, but many companies are often unsure of where to start. Mike Lomax, electrification manager at Bosch Rexroth, spoke at the Maintec show at the NEC in November ... » Read More

05/12/2018 On the edge of tomorrow Sensors mounted in and around lift components provide data that can give early warning of potential problems. This speeds up the process of diagnosis and repair, helping to improve reliability and minimise downtime » Read More

17/10/2018 Playing it cool Global warming is a clear and present danger to the planet, but there are ways for engineers to help reduce its impact. Ian Vallely explains » Read More

17/10/2018 Staying skilled All forms of engineering require precision. Technological advancements are aiding employees with their measurement work, but learning and retaining practical measurement skills is also a must, as Adam Offord discovers » Read More

21/08/2018 PMS motors deliver cost-effective and greener wastewater treatment The treatment of water and wastewater is an essential task to protect water resources and reduce our impact on the environment. However, the energy consumed in carrying out such treatment processes also have an impact on the environment; ... » Read More

30/04/2018 Data-driven MRO Maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) items are used in production and plant maintenance, and include maintenance supplies, spare parts and consumables used in the production process. But, as Mark Venables explains, in the drive towards ... » Read More