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.
16/01/2013
Human shield
Keeping employees safe from workplace risks or hazards is a daily challenge for manufacturing employers. That's where personal protective equipment comes in, as Laura Cork reports.
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16/01/2013
Joined-up thinking
Why waste the skills and first-hand knowledge of operators? Annie Gregory explores simpler strategies for involving them in asset care
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06/12/2012
Get your bearings
Selecting the right bearings for plant and equipment is a nicety that plant engineers under pressure often sidestep in favour of personal preference. Steed Webzell provides advice
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06/12/2012
Making MRO matter
Surprising as it may seem, some plants and factories may be expending too much of their maintenance effort in the wrong direction. Brian Wall reports
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05/10/2012
Good acoustics?
It's a poor workman that blames his tools, goes the proverb. But on machinery condition monitoring, it's been understandable. However, all of that is about to change, writes Brian Tinham
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01/08/2012
Accidents waiting to happen?
Although blessed with one of the best industrial health and safety records on the planet, statistics reveal that the UK cannot afford to become complacent. Brian Tinham examines problems and solutions
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01/08/2012
To protect and serve
Personal protective equipment is clearly a must in all sorts of plant and factory environments, yet problems with adoption are still reported. Brian Wall advises that PPE needs to be carefully monitored and regulated
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08/06/2012
Science of decommissioning
Difficult economic conditions are impacting process plants, leading to redundant assets and a requirement for decommissioning. Richard Vann looks at the issues
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08/06/2012
Camera call
Infrared cameras are getting a lot of air time, as among the most valuable tools for technicians concerned with plant and process condition monitoring. Brian Tinham reviews developments and issues
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05/04/2012
Is your boiler house safe?
As de-manning on steam and hot water boiler plant continues to gain momentum, operators need to consider best practice and their legal duties in respect of operational safety, warns S Moore Holmes
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05/04/2012
Managing maintenance
Anything that can help maintenance managers to realise cost and time-savings, while simultaneously improving plant uptime and product quality outcomes, has to be worth considering. Brian Wall looks at modern CMMs in action
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05/04/2012
Testing times
The power of sensing systems today is to be found less in the range of techniques, technologies and hardware designs, and more in their on-board software. Brian Tinham reports
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06/02/2012
Maintec 2012
With this year's Maintec show just a few short weeks away, Brian Tinham takes a lok at what engineers, technicians and mangers can expect to find
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06/02/2012
Plant & Asset Management 2012
Does the industrial maintenance sector need another exhibition? The organisers of MACH, Drives & Controls, Air-Tech and IFPEX clearly think so. Brian Tinham looks at the line-up
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07/12/2011
Bearing the brunt
Long-term performance of plant and machinery owes a great deal to using the right lubricants in the right quantities at the right time. Get it wrong and it could prove very costly, warns Brian Wall
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07/12/2011
Adding value
Talk to Lean specialists and, surprisingly, they'll tell you the real deal in equipment service is not planned, nor even preventive maintenance. Brian Tinham talks to Dennis McCarthy about how transform engineering
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06/10/2011
On a hire plane
When it comes to obtaining new equipment, plant engineers might want to consider renting before – or even instead of – committing to that cost. Brian Wall looks at the cost benefits
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06/10/2011
Tip top condition?
Predictive maintenance is an important route to cutting costs and improving plant performance. And, says Brian Tinham, the condition monitoring technologies upon which it relies are ripe for the picking
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08/08/2011
The master forgers
Employee safety remains paramount and the legislation around personal protective equipment reflect that. But how do you tell counterfeit goods from the authentic? Brian Wall reports
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