The UK’s lockdown response to COVID-19 has affected most industries, and in the case of utilities companies, a reduction in the workforce will add stress to a network of systems and devices that require regular maintenance. For many, this has been a stark wake-up call emphasising the need to build greater resiliency into operations.

As the use of premium efficiency (IE3) motors has increased, due in part to strengthened regulation, the question of maintaining motor efficiency after a rewind process has reappeared. The most recent study, conducted in 2019, by AEMT and EASA has again used independent testing facilities and revealed that even these higher efficiency units are unaffected by a repair using good practice procedures.

The advantages of applying vibration condition monitoring to rotating equipment is well established but this technique can only provide the maximum benefit when applying the correct measurement technique. So what is the correct measurement and how do I implement this?

The offshore wind industry has become one of the UK’s success stories. In the past decade, the industry went from a capacity of 0.3 Gigawatts (GW) of power to 9.7 GW — and also generated almost ten per cent of the UK’s total energy in 2019. However, this success brings similarly high expectations for the future, with a Government target of a 400% increase in capacity by 2030. To achieve this, the sector must accelerate its adoption of digitalisation, explains PWE reports.

Harnessing the power of water is one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways to produce electricity. For a hydropower installation of any size, it is imperative to keep turbines and generators running to maximise output and return on investment. PWE reports.

Power generation plants rely on boiler feed pumps to deliver a reliable and consistent flow of water to the boilers, which create the steam that powers the turbine, which creates electricity. After 45 years in service the boiler feed pumps needed to be replaced and Sulzer says it managed to achieve a return on investment of just over two years.

SICK has released advanced variants of its AHS36 and AHM36 IO-Link absolute encoders that can harness valuable diagnostic insights for better machine control and availability. With versatile programming options, they make it easy to integrate data from encoders into localised and ‘edge computing’ configurations to improve the efficiency of automated plant.

David Bean, solutions manager at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at how digitalisation – through the rise of the Industrial Internet of Things and technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence – is delivering new insights about plant assets, so boosting the potential for predictive maintenance and heralding the arrival of prescriptive maintenance.

David Bean, solutions manager at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at how digitalisation – through the rise of the Industrial Internet of Things and technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence – is delivering new insights about plant assets, so boosting the potential for predictive maintenance and heralding the arrival of prescriptive maintenance.

Plug-and-play condition monitoring can help companies quickly deploy predictive equipment maintenance within an overall digital-transformation strategy. PWE reports.

Maintenance processes are changing, and with them the skillsets needed by maintenance personnel. PWE consultant editor Andy Pye, tracks the march towards advanced technologies, with a nod towards some innovations, which would have been shown at the ill-fated 2020 Hanover Fair.

The main spindle is crucial to the performance capability of the complete machine tool. It is at the heart of the machine and largely defines the achievable cutting capacity, surface quality, and precision.

RS Components (RS) has introduced the Q2V series of compact inverter AC drives from Omron. The new Q2V drive controls the frequency of power supplied to AC motors that control the rotational speed and acceleration of pumps, fans and various other industrial machines. The series offers high flexibility and energy-efficient motor control for almost any type of motor, including induction, permanent magnet and synchronous-reluctance types.

E & JW Glendinning, a leading supplier of concrete, asphalt and aggregate products, has selected Spidex’s Mainsaver CMMS to support improvements in the auditability of its engineering operations.

Plant & Works Engineering looks at how dairy manufacturers can use AR to augment plant maintenance.

Q; What beacon colour should I use for my industrial signaling?

Effective plant isolation is key to ensuring maintenance and engineering managers working in UK industry can continue to improve safety and increase competitiveness, according to a new guide published.

Vivek Shah, Syncron, takes a look at how machine learning and predictive analytics are reshaping manufacturing.

Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director at obsolete parts supplier, EU Automation looks at how to effectively funnel big data for use in operational risk management.

PWE takes a look at how Fetch Data Collector software from MAC Solutions has allowed a water treatment company to view critical assets data in real-time.

Thomas Marks, Secretary at AEMT (Association of Electrical & Mechanical Trades), looks at what considerations should be made when it comes to repairing or replacing electric motors.

SICK offers a fascinating glimpse through the doors of its own Industry 4.0 factory – and proves it pays to practice what you preach. PWE reports.

Leading companies, who use assets intensively, know that effective asset maintenance is a foundation stone for long-term competitiveness.

A sealing solution provided by FPE Seals has helped Jackweld with the design of a welding method for joining rail tracks.

There is frequent confusion over what constitutes a ‘Competent Person’ in the context of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000. It is important to understand this term correctly in order to comply with what the law states. BCAS reports.

Technological innovation, such as the development of industrial IoT (Internet of Things) has made it possible to use machine data to improve operational performance and process efficiency. The availability of IoT has made it possible to optimise the remote monitoring and maintenance capabilities it offers to minimise the costs and consequences of both planned and unplanned downtime. This is a process commonly referred to as predictive maintenance. But even with these benefits, some manufacturers have yet to adopt it. PWE reports.

Maintec, the dedicated UK maintenance and reliability event returns to the NEC in October. PWE takes a closer look.

How much do you know about CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management Software) or EAM (Enterprise Asset Management)? Maybe you have an existing system which nobody likes or possibly you are working with spreadsheets and paper and feel there must be a better way to manage maintenance within your company. Whatever your situation, you are likely to be working in one of the many maintenance departments that doesn’t have a clear picture of how to ensure CMMS/EAM software use is deployed and developed to maximise its potential benefit. Phil Taylor, associate consultant, MCP Consulting Group, reports.

Airborne and structure-borne ultrasound is a technology that has been around for more than 50 years. In the technology’s early days, the main application was compressed air leak detection. Even today, that is still the most widely used application for airborne ultrasound. Advancements in leak detection using ultrasound have come by way of reporting and documenting the air leaks that are found. The reports quantify the air leaks by showing the cost and CFM loss related with the air leak. UE Systems’ Adrian Messer, CMRP, reports.

Heiko Noll, product manager devices at industrial communication solutions provider INSYS icom, explores what manufacturers should do to prepare their machines and plants for the 5G roll out.

A waste to energy incineration plant in the Netherlands has seen the working life of the chains on its bottom ash conveyor double, thanks to bespoke chains developed by Tsubaki. PWE reports.

5G has been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons. But beyond the media controversy, the technology has the potential to bring about a fundamental change in the way manufacturers operate. Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director at EU Automation, explains how 5G can benefit manufacturers.

Spidex Software has announced that IMI Truflo Marine has selected Mainsaver CMMS to support improved maintenance management processes at its factory in Birmingham, UK. PWE reports.

Clare Darlison, director of Idhammar Systems explains why manufacturers must take digital maturity seriously and how they can work towards achieving it.

When a damaged steam turbine rotor needed to be repaired, a power generation plant in Indonesia turned to Sulzer. Rather than wait for at least a year for a new rotor from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the plant opted for a repair that took only sixteen weeks. This quick and effective repair also managed to achieve an 8% improvement in efficiency.

Richard Chamberlain of Bosch Rexroth discusses, taking a proactive approach to maintenance is key to maximising uptime – something that can be supported by digital solutions in today’s Industry 4.0 landscape.

Mitsubishi Electric has introduced a new app for iOS tablets and smartphones that provides convenient commissioning, maintenance, troubleshooting, parameterisation and monitoring support for the company’s FR-F800E and FR-A800E inverters. Available from the Apple App Store, the Inverter StartApp addresses modern requirements to glean more information from manufacturing processes, with easier accessibility, and to be able to act on that information in a timely and convenient manner.

Thomas Boswell, ERIKS’ reliability engineering manager, examines how digital industrialisation is transforming MRO and underpinning proactive asset management strategies.

Bonded shrink fit assemblies not only enhance the service life of an assembly but pave the way for new design concepts and cost savings. Higher load transmission can be obtained from existing designs and geometries and there’s the potential for equal performance with relaxed tolerances and the reduction in size and weight of the assembly. Bob Orme, senior technology specialist, reports.

A family owned precision engineering company in Coventry has achieved a 10% increase in its forward order book and has made double-digit productivity gains with the help of experts from the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).

Threaded assemblies are the most important detachable parts used in machinery construction, installation and repair. Relaxation of tension and self-loosening is common for any machine but when it is operating in harsh environments, the need to minimise this deterioration with effective thread locking is even more important. Various methods are available but what are their respective strengths and failings?

Standard components specialist norelem has launched a new range of oil level gauges that can help engineers and manufacturers steer clear of dangerous situations involving oil.

Gernut van Laak, group automation solutions leader of ABB's Food and Beverage Programme, explains how plant managers can budget for maintenance and ensure optimum efficiency for all processes.

Ensuring rubber compounder mills capable of operating with bulk weighing up to three tons could stop within 1/6th of a revolution and reverse to meet European EN safety standards was going to be a challenge for materials specialist Clwyd Compounders.

PWE provides some insight into how preventative and actual maintenance is done with smart VSDs.

At Swedish pulp mill Södra Cell Värö, condition monitoring has long been a well-integrated and successful part of preventive maintenance. The mill is now making further investments in condition monitoring and has chosen the high-performance and highly flexible online system Intellinova Parallel EN to maximize the availability of the pulp drying machine.

It's a simple fact that data makes the modern economy turn. Being the first business to act on insights gained from pivotal pieces of information gives businesses a distinct competitive advantage. However, it's also quickly becoming a fact that the same data is being targeted by skilled cybercriminals intent on causing damage to infrastructure. Robin Whitehead (pictured), managing director of systems integrator Boulting Technology, explains how this is impacting the role of the chief information security officer (CISO) and resulting in the need for end-to-end digitalisation.

Companies have become increasingly reliant on the security and continuity of their power supply. Simone Bruckner, managing director of power resistor and load bank manufacturer Cressall Resistors, explains why regular load bank testing should be a crucial part of any company’s standby strategy.

Muntons Malt, one of the UK’s largest producers of malted barley has chosen the Smart Condition Monitoring (SCM) system from Mitsubishi Electric to protect fans and motors vital to its large-scale and sensitive production process. PWE reports.

Zip World turned to Turck Banner for its system requirements. The company’s range of products, designed to last in harsh environments, matched its client’s needs where safety is paramount.