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.
28/10/2017
Protecting the protective equipment
Everyone knows the importance of wearing the correct PPE at all times. However, Chris Beck discovers there is a worrying knowledge gap when it comes to caring for this vital equipment
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28/10/2017
From local to cloud-based condition monitoring
Condition Monitoring (CM) no longer needs to be restricted to highly skilled, experienced engineers. With the advent of cloud-based CM systems, users can now share data with experts via the cloud, enabling improved fault diagnosis, faster ...
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28/10/2017
Planning for the unknown
Accidents will happen. It is a fact of life. When they do, it is best to be prepared. Knowing how to respond can make a big difference in mitigating the impact on a business and its most precious asset – the people who work for it. Mark ...
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26/08/2017
Factories get smarter
Many companies are now harnessing the benefits of digitalisation and will rely on smart factories in the future. However, the required budget is not always available or, due to short production cycles, complete machinery replacement is ...
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26/08/2017
Banishing unplanned downtime
Predictive maintenance is the best answer to minimising the risks of equipment failure. However, monitoring practices in the past have been expensive, problematic and, at worst, unreliable. The solution is to switch to smart condition ...
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26/08/2017
Sound advice (in association with Casella)
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is a growing concern for many manufacturers, but more can be done to raise awareness of the risks amongst workers – particularly the youth. Chris Beck reports on the latest Works Management roundtable event
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23/01/2015
Value adding
Managers turning to the belief that maintenance may be non-core need to consider the implications of that notion before they outsource key engineering functions.
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09/12/2014
How do you shape up?
A quarter of factory management teams lack a formal maintenance strategy, while a third are oblivious to the costs of downtime, according to research. Time for a wake-up call, says Max Gosney
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23/10/2014
Age concern
A sharp focus on maintenance can result in significant improvements in factory operations, but too many managers struggle to take seriously the upkeep of their plant and equipment, says Ian Vallely
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09/07/2014
Changing maintenance safety for the better
It may come as a surprise to many to learn that some 25–30% of work-based fatalities in manufacturing industry (which for the last five years has recorded around 30 deaths annually) are related to maintenance activity.
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14/06/2014
Unsafe maintenance
Sadly, maintenance engineers and technicians are still being seriously injured and even killed as they carry out their tasks. Brian Tinham asks HSE chair Judith Hackitt, why?
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19/05/2014
Heat of the moment
Thermal cameras have grown in popularity as fast as prices have fallen. But, while their inspection power is immense, there are issues for the unwary, warns Brian Tinham
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30/04/2014
Spinning a yarn
Maintenance outsourcing is steeped in myths around cost, convenience and levels of commitment. Max Gosney meets two innovative manufacturers to discover the home truths
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21/03/2014
Secrets of success
Although computerised maintenance management systems can deliver a significant boost to maintenance efficiency and beyond, that's not always the case. Brian Tinham looks at what goes wrong and how to avoid the pitfalls.
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14/12/2013
Top 10 steps to world class
Zero breakdowns and impeccable plant reliability don't have to be the preserve of those with six figure budgets. Max Gosney gets some inexpensive tips on achieving maintenance nirvana from former Nissan maintenance engineer and Sora ...
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14/12/2013
Crystal ball gazing
Techniques such as vibration monitoring, acoustic emissions sensing and thermography are more accessible than ever, but what should you use where?
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19/10/2013
The golden oldies
WM's in-depth survey takes the temperature of the UK's maintenance operations. Annie Gregory reports on the refusal to give in to the challenges of ageing equipment and a shrinking skills base.
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26/09/2013
Do you feel lucky?
As CS Forrester's Lord Hornblower said: "The lucky man is he who knows how much to leave to chance." That's true of making maintenance sustainable, too.
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14/05/2013
Camera ready?
With the plethora of thermal imaging cameras available today, users could be forgiven for believing training was a non-issue. As Brian Tinham explains, nothing could be further from the truth.
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24/04/2013
In or out?
Can outsourcing give you anything more than you can get from your own maintenance department?
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15/04/2013
Education and innovation
The forthcoming Safety & Health Expo promises to deliver a broad educational content, as well as a showcase of the latest products and services. We look ahead to the event and find out what visitors can expect to see and hear.
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10/04/2013
Check, act, plan, do
Deming's 'plan, do, check, act' is best revised as 'check, act, plan, do' for maintenance professionals. Brian Tinham looks at the role of CMMS/EAM systems in making that happen.
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