Industrial engineering is a segment of the engineering profession that focuses on process improvement. This includes processes that rely on interaction between people, materials, machines, and manufacturing systems.
The discipline covers a wide range of activities from ergonomics and quality engineering to process management and operations research. Industrial engineering is interdisciplinary, touching on resources in manufacturing, mechanical engineering, management, and even psychology. Industrial engineering techniques and processes are also applied in virtually every industry.
Branches of Industrial Engineering
Some of the primary branches of the industrial engineering discipline include:
- Operations Research – Operations research uses mathematics to solve complex management and manufacturing processes. The goal of operations research activities is generally to maximize or minimize specific factors, such as cost, time, resources, etc.
- Human Factors and Ergonomics – Human factors and ergonomics include the study of how human beings interact with processes or systems. This can include task or environment design, meant to optimize human performance.
- Manufacturing System Design – This branch focuses on the design and development of complex manufacturing systems, including individual manufacturing lines or complete plant design. This also includes the use of computer-aided manufacturing processes and techniques.
- Process Management – Process management deals with the design and optimization of processes used in manufacturing or other systems. This can also include defining quality assessment processes.
- Materials Management – Materials management is the portion of logistical operations that is concerned with the movement of physical materials through a manufacturing process.
- System Simulation and Analysis – This branch includes the use of computer models to simulate and analyze complex systems, including manufacturing lines and facilities. This can include time and motion studies, systems simulation, and stochastic systems.
While some of these branches may seem unrelated to many of the other branches, all of these factors are important in ensuring optimum process flow through manufacturing and other processes.
Industrial Engineering Education
Unlike many of the other engineering disciplines, industrial engineering curricula are highly variable, depending on the specific branch of interest. In many institutions, industrial engineering is included within the management department, and students often begin with basic courses in finance and management topics.
Branches that focus on system and facility management will continue with this vein, with courses such as logistics and corporate planning. Some branches, such as manufacturing system design and human factors require more of a hard engineering background, including mechanics, robotic systems, computer-aided manufacturing, and experimental methods.
Industrial Engineering Professional Societies
The primary professional society for the industrial engineering discipline is the Institute for Industrial Engineering (IIE). IIE was founded in 1948, and today has over 15,000 members around the world.
The Society for Manufacturing Engineers (SME) also supports many activities and interests related to the industrial engineering profession.
Sources
Institute for Industrial Engineering website
Society for Manufacturing Engineers website
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