INTRODUCTION TO INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING

The design or improvement of a system of people, machines, information, and money to achieve some goal with efficiency, quality, and safety.

Certain words are show in bold face in the definition: Design – Some industrial engineering tasks involve the creation of a new facility, process, or system.

• Improvement – Most industrial engineering tasks involve the improvement of an existing facility, process, or system.

• System – Most engineers design physical objects, but most IEs design systems. Systems include physical components, but also include processes, rules, and people. Components of a system have to work together. Material and information flow between the components of a system. A change to one part of system may affect other parts of the system.

• People – Among all types of engineers, IEs think the most about people.

• Machines – An IE must select the appropriate machines – including computers.

• Information – Data can be used for immediate decision making but can also be analyzed to make improvements to the system.

• Money – An IE must weigh costs and savings now against costs and savings in the future.

• Goal – Every designed system exists for some purpose. The IE must think about different ways to accomplish that goal and select the best way.

• Efficiency – Whatever the goal of the system, the IE usually seeks to have the system achieve that goal quickly and with the least use of resources.

• Quality – The IE’s organization always has a customer and the organization must deliver goods and services to the customer with the quality that the customer wants.

• Safety – IEs have to make sure that the system is designed so that people can and will work safely.

IEs are sometimes called efficiency engineers, but some think that effectiveness engineer is more accurate. What is the difference between being efficient and being effective?

Two words in our definition of industrial engineering (efficiency and goal) relate to these two aspects of an IE’s job. A process can be effective but not efficient if the process could be done as effectively but in less time or with fewer resources; for example, the time to produce a product might be reduced without any loss of customer satisfaction with the product. A process can be efficient but not effective; for example, a department that efficiently produces reports that no one uses is not effective.

The words in bold face in the definition also indicate areas that an IE must learn about. An IE must know how to answer questions like these:

• Design and improvement – Where should a facility be located? How should all the components be laid out physically? What operating procedures should be used?

• System – How should the tasks be allocated among different parts of the system? How should material and information flow among the different components of a system?

• People – What are people good at? What types of tasks should not be assigned to people? How can jobs be designed so that people can do their jobs quickly, safely, and well?

• Machines – What types of machines are available to do different tasks, including the movement and storage of material and information?

• Information – How can data be used to determine how well the system is functioning?

• Money – How can we trade off costs and savings that occur at different times, maybe over a number of years?

• Goal – What is the goal of this system? What are the different ways a system could achieve that goal?

• Efficiency – How can we produce products and services with the least amount of time and resources?

• Quality – How can we make sure that the system is consistently producing goods and services that meet customer needs?

• Safety – How can we keep people from making mistakes? How can we protect people from hazards in the work place?

Being an IE is very satisfying because you can create an efficient and safe workplace where people are proud of the high quality products and services they produce. IEs improve efficiency, which means that we help bring prosperity. IEs improve quality, which means that we help provide good products and services. And IEs improve safety, which means that we help protect people. You should be very proud that you plan to become an IE. According to the bumper sticker version of industrial engineering, IEs make things better.

Industrial Engineering has evolved over time to adapt to the changing needs of industries. Key milestones in the development of the field include:

• Early 20th Century: The foundation of industrial engineering was laid by pioneers like Frederick Taylor, who introduced "scientific management," and Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, who worked on motion studies to improve productivity.

• Post-War Era: During and after World War II, industrial engineering gained prominence in manufacturing. The introduction of operations research, systems engineering, and quality control methodologies, such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma, further advanced the field.

• Late 20th Century to Early 21st Century: The rise of computer technologies and automation led to significant changes in industrial engineering practices. Industrial engineers began focusing on computer-aided design (CAD), automation, robotics, and simulation tools to improve manufacturing and production processes.

• Present Day: In recent years, industrial engineering has expanded into service industries like healthcare, information technology, and logistics. With the advent of Industry 4.0, industrial engineers are increasingly involved in integrating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics into operations.

Industrial engineers work in diverse industries, including manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, energy, and more. Their primary focus is on improving efficiency, productivity, and quality. Some of their key responsibilities include:

• Process Analysis and Design: Industrial engineers study and redesign workflows to eliminate inefficiencies. They create models to optimize the flow of materials, information, and people.

• Quality Control and Improvement: Ensuring that products or services meet high standards of quality is a core function. Industrial engineers use statistical methods like Six Sigma and Lean techniques to reduce defects and improve processes.

• Supply Chain Management: Industrial engineers design and manage supply chains, ensuring materials and products flow efficiently from suppliers to customers. They work to optimize inventory management, transportation, and logistics.

• Project Management: They manage projects related to process improvements, from planning and cost estimation to execution and monitoring.

• Health and Safety: Ensuring worker safety and ergonomics is another responsibility. Industrial engineers design work environments that reduce the risk of injury and improve worker comfort.

• Data Analysis and Decision-Making: Industrial engineers rely on data to make decisions. They use analytics, simulations, and models to predict outcomes and optimize processes.

• Technology Integration: With the rise of digital technologies, industrial engineers are increasingly tasked with integrating advanced systems like automation, AI, and IoT into traditional operations.

The role of an industrial engineer often varies based on the industry, but the common goal remains the same: to find ways to do things better, faster, and more efficiently.