Victoria’s largest energy producer, Loy Yang Power, recently embarked on an upgrade of its four-level open-cut coal mine facility, Loy Yang Mine. The ‘in progress’ upgrade includes the redesign and progressive changeover of the mine’s existing coal transfer conveyor drive systems. With a combined length in excess of 25 km, the mine’s conveying system transfers the freshly mined coal from the mine floor to the surface.

Melbourne-based automation and robotics specialist Andrew Donald Design Engineers is reaping great benefits from its work with Australian manufacturers. The company works with its customers to design automated processes to improve efficiency and productivity, and with its strong focus on research and development, has claimed the Australian Government’s R&D Tax Concession since 1998.

It is critical that plant managers and engineers choose the right level detection switches as they can prevent the accidental discharge of toxic products into the environment. A well-selected, correctly installed level switch will save companies the expense associated with treating and disposing of spilt material. Moreover, it will safeguard companies against punitive fines in the event of an unavoidable accident.

Melbourne-based automation and robotics specialist Andrew Donald Design Engineers is reaping great benefits from its work with Australian manufacturers. The company works with its customers to design automated processes to improve efficiency and productivity, and with its strong focus on research and development, has claimed the Australian Government’s R&D Tax Concession since 1998.

Environmental regulations and responsibilities are stimulating industrial process operators to minimise particulate emissions from fabric filter and electrostatic precipitator dust arrestment plant by optimised maintenance and operation programs. The online monitoring of particulate emissions plays a fundamental role in this optimisation, providing the evidence and feedback of any improvements.

Dissolved air flotation (DAF) remains one of the most popular processes used for separation of solids from liquids.

As one of the world’s leading suppliers of products, services and solutions to the process industries, Emerson Process Management has begun to take a serious look at the future of the industry in terms of sustainability. In a recent interview with ProcessOnline, the many ways the company is adapting to the global changes that are forcing companies to become more environmentally aware were discussed.

Specialised corporate knowledge loss is a significant business risk in the 21st century with a large number of ‘baby boomers’ now approaching retirement. The University of Wollongong and the Navy have committed themselves to a project that plans to maximise retention of irreplaceable knowledge before it ‘walks out the door’. The research project will be directly applied to Navy’s maritime engineering community and the knowledge gained could also provide benefits for other Australian organisations.

Engineers and scientists around the world are looking for ways to harness the sun’s thermal energy to replace the diminishing global supplies of fossil fuel with a ‘clean’, carbon-neutral energy source. Australia is particularly well placed to do this, since it has the highest average amount of solar radiation per square metre per year on Earth.

The maintenance manager of any facility has as first priority the efficient and reliable operation of the organisation. But sometimes the individual employee assigned to a maintenance activity may not be equal to the task at hand.

The Shell oil refinery at Clyde — nestled among the mangroves on the banks of the Parramatta River — is a well-known Sydney landmark. With encroaching suburbia and the surrounding fragile ecology of the Parramatta River on its doorstep, there is a need to maintain high safety and environmental standards. With the safety systems at Clyde due for an upgrade, Shell wanted to maximise the safety and operational requirements of the plant.

Design, Operate, Maintain (DOM), the term coined by industry analysts ARC Advisory Group, gives us a vocabulary to talk about some of the key concepts in asset management and in industrial maintenance, repair and operation. Industrial facility designers and those that operate and maintain those facilities need to work together closely if plant efficiency and business profitability are to improve over time.

The Shell oil refinery at Clyde — nestled among the mangroves on the banks of the Parramatta River — is a well-known Sydney landmark. With encroaching suburbia and the surrounding fragile ecology of the Parramatta River on its doorstep, there is a need to maintain high safety and environmental standards. With the safety systems at Clyde due for an upgrade, Shell wanted to maximise the safety and operational requirements of the plant.

Engineers and scientists around the world are looking for ways to harness the sun’s thermal energy to replace the diminishing global supplies of fossil fuel with a ‘clean’, carbon-neutral energy source. Australia is particularly well placed to do this, since it has the highest average amount of solar radiation per square metre per year on Earth.

Irrespective of whether you are a professional service provider, a manufacturer, an educator or a retailer, technology-based equipment plays a significant role in your ability to produce and supply services or goods to your customer. It logically follows, therefore, that failure of technology, plant or equipment in your business will impact upon your ability to supply — either in absolute terms, or by impacting on quality — with a consequent increase in costs to your business, erosion of profitability and loss of credibility with your customer.