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.

07/04/2011 Risk-based changes Get it right and the savings can be huge, but get it wrong and the cost is unimaginable. Brian Tinham talks to John Wintle about changing best practice for hazardous plant inspections » Read More

09/02/2011 Maintec 2011 preview This year's tightly focused maintenance technologies event is aimed at engineers, technicians and managers specialising in plant assets. Brian Tinham reports » Read More

09/02/2011 No Crystal Ball A wide range of tools and techniques is now available to ease the task of predicting when and what maintenance is required on machines and plant units. Steed Webzell reports » Read More

09/12/2010 Safe maintenance Following publication of Lord Young's report into improving health and safety, plant engineers need to get back to basics. Brian Tinham talks to Geoff Cox, HSE's head of manufacturing » Read More

09/12/2010 Brammer makes cross-channel dash to keep Crown Bevcan running Manufacturing group Crown Bevcan reports that Brammer came to its rescue recently, transporting equipment via taxi from France to its Leicester plant overnight, to keep production running. » Read More

06/10/2010 Predicting problems Using condition monitoring technologies to anticipate a requirement for critical plant maintenance isn't new, but novel systems are improving the potential, reports Dr Tom Shelley » Read More

01/03/2010 Fixing maintenance Properly implemented, maintenance management systems can help transform the efficiency of plant engineering departments. Steed Webzell reports on what makes best practice » 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

01/08/2009 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 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

01/02/2009 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

01/08/2008 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

01/08/2008 Cost versus risk Here's a thing. Suppose you've got condition monitoring in place on plant: if you find some equipment trending towards failure, what should you do? Or suppose you haven't gone the condition monitoring route, so you're running planned ... » Read More

01/06/2008 Magic bullets Maintenance of the all-new Hitachi trains for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link - the first consignment of which is now in the UK - is going to be a challenge. It's not that this fleet, which is based on the iconic Japanese Shinkansen bullet ... » Read More

01/06/2007 New view on rail maintenance Maintaining the UK's rail network involves thousands of engineers looking after hundreds of miles of lines, switches and crossings. It's a serious management and communications challenge, but Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services ... » Read More

01/04/2007 Seeing is believing Plant maintenance has always been seen as a necessary evil. So the idea of investing cash in technologies to predict when and what might be necessary doesn't cut much ice with many managers. They understand the basics of break/fix, where ... » Read More

04/04/2005 SED Preview - The great outdoors If you want to see construction plant and machinery demonstrated in as near as possible realistic working conditions, as opposed to simply static displays, Site Equipment Demonstration (SED) is the show for you. It has the largest assembly ... » Read More

01/10/2004 Pumps & Valves - Process Machinery - a troubleshooting guide Every piece of process machinery is purchased to be installed, operated, and play its part in making a profit for the plant operator. When a problem arises with a piece of equipment that causes concern to the operator and starts to affect ... » Read More

01/03/2004 Keeping it simple saves cash Factory services like compressed air and steam systems are classic examples of functions that are only noticed when they go wrong. Nowadays, like - thankfully - modern cars, these systems can be relied upon to work consistently. But - also ... » Read More