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.

01/03/2010 Steelworks saves thousands on bearings Savings of a staggering _372,558 per annum are being reported on an annealing process line accumulator sheave at a major UK steelworks, following bespoke redesign of the bearing assembly. » Read More

01/03/2010 Dry ice cuts machine maintenance by 60% By turning to cryogenic (dry ice) cleaning, fruit pre-packer Turners PPL reckons it has cut the time to strip down, clean, refurbish and reassemble its weighing and packing machines from five days to two - an amazing 60%. » Read More

01/01/2010 When old meets new When it comes to refurbishing plant, it makes a lot of sense to consider its operating conditions today, not just those when it was installed. Brian Tinham takes sound engineering advice from David Bates » Read More

01/01/2010 Seeing is preventing An ability to anticipate mechanical breakdowns before they impact plant performance can be invaluable in minimising unplanned downtime. Dr Tom Shelley reports » Read More

01/01/2010 Maintec 2010 show Getting maintenance right, and squeezing that bit extra out of existing and new plant, is the name of the game for 2010. Brian Wall suggests taking a day at Maintec 2010 » Read More

01/01/2010 Asset improver Plant condition monitoring equipment is more accessible than ever. But where should you be thinking about using it? Brian Tinham takes expert advice » Read More

01/12/2009 Reaching the parts Environmentally friendly and synthetic lubricants are creeping into mainstream plant applications as alternatives to conventional mineral oils – and for good, solid economic reasons, as Brian Wall reports » Read More

01/12/2009 Boiler breakthrough While innovative energy- and emissions-saving add-ons are gaining in popularity for steam-raising plant, technology trialled on marine boilers is tackling water treatment. Brian Tinham examines the final piece of the jigsaw » Read More

01/10/2009 Take cover Whether you're protecting materials, components or assemblies against corrosion, heat or fatigue, there are specialist coating choices to be considered. Steed Webzell reports » Read More

01/10/2009 Saving the earth In the rush to save energy and reduce emissions, it's easy to forget the sheer range of potential solutions. Dr Tom Shelley reviews some of today's most powerful options » Read More

01/10/2009 It’s a (dangerous) gas Gas detection is critical on a wide range of plants, in a wide range of industries. Brian Tinham looks at the issues with installation and particularly maintenance » Read More

01/08/2009 Mending maintenance Right tools, right parts and engineering team competence are all keys to getting maintenance slick and effective. But alone, they're not enough, as Brian Tinham discovers » Read More

01/08/2009 May the force be with you Would hydraulics and pneumatics feature in a futuristic Star Wars setting? Either way, innovations are ensuring that more of the force is with you, as Dr Tom Shelley explains » Read More

01/08/2009 Life in the old dog yet? Will plant that is specified to run for 20 years do so quite comfortably? Brian Tinham talks to Allianz Engineering's Glyn Amphlett about the real world of plant ageing » Read More

01/08/2009 ICL Plastics disaster With the publication last month of Lord Gill's inquiry report into the ICL Plastics Glasgow disaster, Brian Tinham reviews the lessons to be learned for plant engineers everywhere. » Read More

01/06/2009 Better crystal balls With a breakdown in plant sometimes so catastrophic (failures of lubrication pumps have resulted in shutdowns of more than a year before new parts could be made), it is astonishing that so few plant engineers make use of increasingly ... » Read More

01/04/2009 Protection collection Much more comfortable safety gloves and shoes, ultra lightweight eye glasses and overalls, an ingenious plastic drum barrow and clearer warnings on gas detectors were among highlights at the Health and Safety 09 show at Sandown race course. » Read More

01/04/2009 Cut the energy hype Although oil prices have come down, the recession is forcing organisations of all kinds to keep on cutting energy costs. One consequence is increasing numbers of companies seeing energy saving as a business opportunity - and hence the ... » Read More

01/04/2009 Belt and braces Can you recall some of the more extreme reactions from the general public when the idea of compulsory seat belts was first mooted? They ranged from: 'No one can make me put one of those things on' to 'No [expletive deleted] way!' In short, ... » Read More

01/02/2009 Maintaining a balance Why is it that, when plant can fail so completely and expensively, many organisations still turn their backs on preventive maintenance tools? Brian Wall looks at some options » Read More

01/02/2009 Maintec show What - Maintec exhibition and conference Where - NEC, Birmingham When - 17-19 March 2009 » Read More

01/02/2009 Lift ropes and lubrication When it comes to steel wire ropes for lifts and elevators, getting lubrication and maintenance right couldn't be much more critical. At the most basic level, all such ropes must be periodically checked for equal tensions, as well as for ... » Read More

01/02/2009 Electric Engineers It's often said that one of the biggest differences between plants in, say, the chemical or pharmaceutical industries, as opposed to those in power generation, is that the former are developed in a laboratory pilot (where the learning is ... » Read More

01/12/2008 Plant life matters Although the cost of components - such as rolling element bearings, rotors and fasteners - in hydraulic pumps is usually very small, compared to the list price of the pumps themselves, the cost of stopped production and any consequential ... » Read More

01/12/2008 Greased lightning So-called environmentally friendly and synthetic lubricants have been available for some time now in ever growing ranges, tuned to the sheer diversity of industrial requirements. But, while the latter are now in widespread use, ... » Read More