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.

09/01/2025 Stable and wireless Louise Davis speaks with leading industry specialists to discover the latest technical trends in condition monitoring and how they tie into maintenance strategies, the drive for greater automation, and everything else that combines to keep ... » Read More

09/01/2025 Deterring corrosion with FRP Strainers constructed of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) are designed to resist corrosion at a fraction of the cost of special stainless steels » Read More

09/04/2024 Information providers Harnessing the power of Industry 4.0 dashboards means more data for technicians to give them a better insight when problem-solving » Read More

08/03/2024 AI and condition monitoring systems Could AI be used to improve the performance of conventional condition monitoring systems? Dr Jody Muelaner finds out » Read More

08/01/2024 New methods for pothole repairs New machines, methodologies and materials are emerging that enhance the productivity and quality of pothole repairs » Read More

05/12/2023 All about bolts New technology and techniques can directly monitor the stresses and strains experienced by bolts, with the purpose of checking they remain tightly connected, as well as monitoring the health of the surrounding machine, reports Will ... » Read More

02/11/2023 Making maintenance safer According to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, 6% of helicopter accidents between 2007 and 2015 were caused by error in maintenance operations (excluding military helicopters). As a result, Airbus Helicopters has carried out an ... » Read More

11/05/2023 Making a change I am writing this on my way to work on an FPSO in the south Atlantic off the coast of Africa. It’s an older, but not old, facility; 15 years into a 25-year life. » Read More

01/06/2022 Now showing Maintec returns to the NEC 8-9 June, with two days of conference presentations in two theatres, and more than 50 exhibitors. Products, organised alphabetically by selected exhibitors, are profiled below » 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

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

21/01/2021 The uses of ultrasound inspection Ultrasound is especially good at early detection of bearing faults, lubricant condition, leaks, discharge in electrical systems and steam trap monitoring. Unlike vibration analysis, it generally doesn’t require detailed knowledge of the ... » Read More

07/01/2021 Condition monitoring and vibration analysis best practice guide Vibration analysis is not condition monitoring, and condition monitoring is not vibration analysis. Their similarities and differences, their uses and technicalities are explored here. By Colin Pickett, independent consultant, formerly ... » Read More

10/12/2020 Step change at Blackpool Tower Blackpool Tower’s 126-year-old external staircase is to be removed as part of a wider renovation project. A decision on how the staircase will be replaced is being evaluated. By Brian Wall » Read More

01/10/2020 Tracking asset standards What do railway tracks and brand reputation have in common? Both are defined as assets within the ISO 55000 family of standards, driving asset management to be a multi-functional discipline. Laura Cork reports » Read More

06/09/2019 Comment: Tick tock There are just 20 Fridays until Christmas. That is the post that popped up on my social media newsfeed during August thanks to my mother-in-law. (Shakes head in despair). I jest of course, but knowing that Christmas is just around the ... » Read More

04/07/2019 Protect and serve A smart condition monitoring (SCM) system from Mitsubishi Electric is being utilised by malted barley producer Muntons to protect vital parts of its production process against unscheduled downtime » Read More

04/04/2019 Current advice Eddy current testing locates flaws in metal structures. But how does it work? » Read More

02/11/2018 Smarter CM Condition monitoring (CM) of bearings goes back to the birth of rotating machinery. But the rise of low cost digital sensors, the industrial internet and cloud computing has launched condition monitoring into a whole new era of ... » Read More

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 ... » Read More

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 ... » Read More

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 » Read More

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? » Read More

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. » Read More

11/02/2013 Maintenance expo With Maintec 2013 just a few short weeks away, Brian Tinham previews this show, specifically designed for maintenance technicians and engineering managers » Read More