Industrial engineering contributes to the management decision-making process. It is concerned with the optimal utilization of integrated systems of people, methods, materials, machines, and energy to achieve organizational goals. In the application of principles and methods of engineering analysis and design, it is distinguished from other engineering disciplines in its concern with problems which involve human effort and energy, production systems, economy in the use of money, materials and time, and a high utilization of the social sciences.
Typical duties of an industrial engineer include:
Review production schedules, engineering specifications, process flows, and other information to understand manufacturing and service methods and activities
Determine how to manufacture parts or products or deliver services with maximum efficiency
Develop management control systems to make financial planning and cost analysis more efficient
Implement quality control procedures to resolve production problems or minimize costs
Work with customers and management to develop standards for design and production
Design control systems to coordinate activities and production planning to ensure that products meet quality standards
Consult with clients about product specifications, vendors about purchases, management personnel about manufacturing capabilities, and staff about the status of projects
Industrial engineering contributes to the management decision-making process. It is concerned with the optimal utilization of integrated systems of people, methods, materials, machines, and energy to achieve organizational goals. In the application of principles and methods of engineering analysis and design, it is distinguished from other engineering disciplines in its concern with problems that involve human effort and energy, production systems, the economy in the use of money, materials, and time, and high utilization of the social sciences.
Using the scientific method, industrial engineers establish factual information from which alternatives are defined, problems recognized and solved. In their concern for the design, improvement, and control of systems, they collect, analyze, arrange, and statistically examine data. They introduce new techniques and tools into the organization and into the decision-making process.
Areas of specialty associated with industrial engineering are administrative engineering, production and inventory control, automation, plant location and layout, methods engineering, quality control, data processing, operations research, cost forecasting, and control.
