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.

08/01/2024 Fighting rogue suppliers As non-compliant and dangerous products flood into the UK, when the government doesn’t act, industry can, reports Brian Wall » Read More

16/05/2023 Solid as a rock What are solid lubricants, how do they compare to standard bearings, and how are they used in various industries? Tom Austin-Morgan finds out » Read More

19/12/2022 Fire-resistant hydraulic fluids When lubricants operate under pressure, there is a risk of small leaks and a fine spray of lubricant being atomised into the air. If such leaks occur with mineral oil-based lubricants in an area where there is an ignition source or near ... » Read More

29/04/2021 Constant top-up Although automatic lubrication systems don’t do away with servicing requirements altogether – they still need to be checked and replenished – such systems do offer plants greater confidence that rotating equipment will not run dry. By ... » Read More

29/04/2021 Green lubrication Technological developments are breaking down the traditional division between eco-friendly and high-performance industrial lubricants. The developments are being pushed by consumer demand. By Jody Muelaner » Read More

11/05/2020 Don’t slip up on lubrication Operatives and engineers must have the relevant knowledge and skills to perform lubrication. That is why comprehensive training is so vital » Read More

04/07/2019 Spare the headache Operators and maintenance engineers will have a variety of tools, stock and spare components available to hand. Storing them correctly can save everyone a major headache » Read More

03/06/2019 Clean and green Driven by regulatory, financial and business needs, a new generation of more environmentally-friendly industrial degreasants is emerging that matches the performance of traditional hydrocarbon products. It is giving operators a greener, ... » Read More

08/05/2019 Correct lubrication = longevity Industrial equipment can fail because of inadequate lubrication maintenance and incorrect lubrication. Getting it right, first time, every time, is therefore vital » Read More

08/05/2019 Asking AI about lube The complex chore of choosing the right lubrication is getting easier. With artificial intelligence (AI), a new generation of online, smart and mobile platforms could smooth the path to efficient lube procurement » Read More

02/07/2018 Developing an effective lubrication strategy It is predicted that the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) would eventually lead to the end of unplanned downtime in factories. While we’ve not yet reached this point, plant managers can improve their maintenance systems by following ... » Read More

30/04/2018 Keeping the ball rolling Plant Engineer explores how to keep the ball rolling when standard bearing lubrication lets you down. » Read More

28/10/2017 Industrial vending – vote or veto Industrial vending machines can be used to stock a range of items and tools, but would they work on your site? Adam Offord explores the options » Read More

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 » Read More

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 » Read More

09/02/2011 Chains need the right lubricant Tests by leaf chain manufacturer FB Chain reveal that the choice of lubricant, not just the frequency of greasing, has a dramatic impact on forklift truck chain performance. » Read More

09/12/2010 Oiling the wheels Lubricants and lubrication systems re advancing more than many realise – for static and mobile plant. Dr Tom Shelley reports » 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

01/10/2009 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

01/04/2009 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

01/12/2008 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

01/10/2008 Sound of silence Ultrasonic tools are invaluable in detecting bearing failure, mostly because warnings appear well before any temperature rise or low frequency vibration can be seen. In fact, the technology recognises everything from early fatigue failure, ... » Read More

01/08/2008 Greener world Most plants have already implemented a wide range of energy-related programmes - from switch-off campaigns to intelligent production scheduling at lower time-tariffs; and from installing energy-efficient equipment to improving maintenance ... » Read More

01/12/2007 Lubricate the parts Just a decade ago, outside the automotive industry, synthetic lubricants were in low volume production. PTFE-based lubes, for example, were expensive problem solvers, aimed only at applications where mineral oils just couldn't handle the ... » Read More