Given the scope, complexity and dynamic nature of the regulations behind safety systems for automated production equipment, enlightened manufacturers are increasingly seeking help. Brian Tinham talks to Rockwell about some of the issues.
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British industry's love affair with sweating assets can only sensibly go so far. Where electric motors and variable speed drives are concerned, staying with old, inefficient technology means the assets are probably sweating you.
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For engineering managers that are all out of love with their HVAC and BEMS systems, it may be time for a serious review.
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With the plethora of thermal imaging cameras available today, users could be forgiven for believing training was a non-issue. As Brian Tinham explains, nothing could be further from the truth.
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Automated storage and retrieval systems were once the preserve of automotive and pharma distribution centres, but the technology is now being deployed – and, indeed, driven – by other manufacturing customers and can be found in factories and warehouses of all sizes and sectors.
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Can outsourcing give you anything more than you can get from your own maintenance department?
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Often overlooked – and that includes in terms of maintenance – steam generation and distribution systems are ripe for some serious energy and cost saving.
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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.
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Badly-sized compressors, leaky pipes and lackadaisical practice mean profits are vanishing into thin air on many a factory floor. Max Gosney delivers a giant sticking plaster in the form of a 10-step guide to cutting compressed air loss
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Machine-to-machine communication has seen a rapid development in recent years. Brian Tinham examines some of the changing technologies and their implications.
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With Maintec 2013 just a few short weeks away, Brian Tinham previews this show, specifically designed for maintenance technicians and engineering managers
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Is your kaizen board buried beneath a thick layer of dust? Do your employees cling to the 'but we've always done it that way' excuse? Time to reinvigorate your CI with the best tips from the WM Manufacturing Conference.
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Production managers quite rightly insist on high equipment reliability and availability. But while many believe this rules out wireless plant and factory communications, Brian Tinham finds that concerns are largely unfounded
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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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It's not that many years since industry was being pushed from pillar to post over the power of PLCs versus PCs, but all that has changed.
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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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As compressors and associated plant continue to see engineering updates, Steed Webzell examines the cost/benefits for manufacturers seeking to improve operations
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An exclusive WM survey reveals some honest and eye-opening facts about maintenance practices and trends out there in UK manufacturing plc. Steed Webzell reports
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Every manufacturer wants to achieve maintenance best practice. But with so many priorities all jostling for attention, how do you strike the right balance?
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With the right asset management strategy, you could be on a path to exceed your productivity targets and sustain continued growth and competitiveness, says Mark Crawford
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The right data can not only boost productivity, but can be used to pinpoint and reduce energy use, says John Roberts
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The statistics don't lie when it comes to loading and unloading of goods – this is one of the most dangerous tasks in the workplace. So how do those in the know go about improving safety in this critical area? Laura Cork finds out
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Four WM readers try out the latest in personal protection equipment
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What do the uninitiated need to know about managed MRO and how it can benefit manufacturers today? Steed Webzell gets the inside view from the providers
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When a number of local transport firms come together under the umbrella of a national pallet network, their combined muscle can offer a highly cost-effective means of moving goods for manufacturing customers, as Laura Cork discovers
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