"Industrial Engineering is Human Effort Engineering and System Efficiency Engineeering."
Japanese
companies used industrial engineering extensively and improved the
understanding of industrial engineering methods among their workmen and
achieved unprecedented increase in the productivity of their industrial
enterprises.
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Definitions
Industrial
engineering directs the efficient conduct of manufacturing,
construction, transportation, or even commercial enterprises of any
undertaking, indeed in which human labor is directed to accomplishing
any kind of work . Industrial engineering has drawn upon mechanical
engineering, upon economics, sociology, psychology, philosophy,
accountancy, to fuse from these older sciences a distinct body of
science of its own . It is the inclusion of the economic and the human
elements especially that differentiates industrial engineering from the
older established branches of the profession (Going, 1911) [1].
“Industrial
engineering is the engineering approach applied to all factors,
including the human factor, involved in the production and distribution
of products or services.” (Maynard, 1953) [2]
“Industrial engineering
is the design of situations for the useful coordination of men,
materials and machines in order to achieve desired results in an optimum
manner. The unique characteristics of Industrial Engineering center
about the consideration of the human factor as it is related to the
technical aspects of a situation, and the integration of all factors
that influence the overall situation.” (Lehrer, 1954) [3]
“Industrial
engineering is concerned with the design, improvement, and installation
of integrated systems of men, materials, and equipment. It draws upon
specialized knowledge and skill in the mathematical, physical, and
social sciences together with the principles and methods of engineering
analysis and design, to specify, predict, and evaluate the results to be
obtained from such systems.” (AIIE, 1955). [4]
"Industrial
engineering may be defined as the art of utilizing scientific
principles, psychological data, and physiological information for
designing, improving, and integrating industrial, management, and human
operating procedures." (Nadler, 1955) [5]
“Industrial engineering is that branch of engineering knowledge and practice which
1. Analyzes, measures, and improves the method of performing the tasks assigned to individuals,
2. Designs and installs better systems of integrating tasks assigned to a group,
3. Specifies, predicts, and evaluates the results obtained.
It
does so by applying to materials, equipment and work specialized
knowledge and skill in the mathematical and physical sciences and the
principles and methods of engineering analysis and design. Since,
however, work has to be carried out by people; engineering knowledge
needs to be supplemented by knowledge derived from the biological and
social sciences.” (Lyndall Urwick, 1963) [6]
Industrial
engineering is concerned with the design, improvement and installation
of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and
energy. It draws upon specialized knowledge and skill in the
mathematical, physical, and social sciences together with the principles
and methods of engineering analysis and design, to specify, predict,
and evaluate the results to be obtained from such systems. [7]
“Industrial
Engineering is Human Effort Engineering. It is an engineering
discipline that deals with the design of human effort in all
occupations: agricultural, manufacturing and service. The objectives of
Industrial Engineering are optimization of productivity of work-systems
and occupational comfort, health, safety and income of persons
involved.” (Narayana Rao, 2006) [8]
Definition proposed in this knol.
"Industrial
Engineering is Human Effort Engineering and System Efficiency
Engineeering. It is an engineering discipline that deals with the design
of human effort and system efficiency in all occupations: agricultural,
manufacturing and service. The objectives of Industrial Engineering are
optimization of productivity of work-systems and occupational comfort,
health, safety and income of persons involved."
References
1. Going, Charles Buxton, Principles of Industrial Engineering, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1911, Pages 1,2,3
2. Maynard, H.B., “Industrial Engineering”, Encyclopedia Americana, Americana Corporation, Vol. 15, 1953
3.
Lehrer, Robert N., “The Nature of Industrial Engineering,” The Journal
of Industrial Engineering, vol.5, No.1, January 1954, Page 4
4. Maynard, H.B., Handbook of Industrial Engineering, 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, New York, 1963.
5. Nadler, Gerald, Motion and Time Study", McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 1955
6.
Urwick, Lyndall, F., “Development of Industrial Engineering”, Chapter 1
in Handbook of Industrial Engineering, H.B. Maynard (Ed.), 2nd Edition,
McGraw Hill, New York, 1963.
7. http://www.iienet2.org/Details.aspx?id=282
8.
Narayana Rao, K.V.S.S., “Definition of Industrial Engineering:
Suggested Modification.” Udyog Pragati, October-December 2006, Pp. 1-4.
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What is Industrial Engineering?
Industrial
engineering can be better explained with the statement that the two
focus areas of industrial engineering are human effort engineering and
system efficiency engineering. These two focus areas match with Urwick’s
statement 1 and 2. Industrial engineering (i) analyzes, measures, and
improves the method of performing the tasks assigned to individuals, and
(ii) Designs and installs better systems of integrating tasks assigned
to a group (Urwick, Lyndall, F., “Development of Industrial
Engineering”, Chapter 1 in Handbook of Industrial Engineering, H.B.
Maynard (Ed.), 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, New York, 1963).
It is
interesting to note that the first representation to the teachers and
practioners of industrial engineering was given in the name of
Industrial and Efficiency Engineering Committee in 1912 in Society for
Promotion of Engineering Education (S.P.E.E.). In this committee, there
were three teachers and 8 practioners and Frank Gilbreth was among
practioners (Gerald Thusesne, History of Development of Engineering
Economic Representation in within A.S.E.E.).
System design and system
efficiency design are to be distinguished by dividing system design
into system functional design and system efficiency design. Engineers or
managers with specialization in a function do the functional design
part. An electrical power generation system is designed by electrical
engineers. Industrial engineers may take up the functional design and do
efficiency engineering work on it. Similarly a marketing system is
designed by marketing managers, and industrial engineers may do
efficiency engineering of it.
The explanation of industrial
engineering as human effort engineering and system efficiency
engineering brings out more clearly the scope of the IIE definition that
industrial engineering is concerned with the design, improvement, and
installation of integrated systems. The word engineering is associated
with design and production, fabrication or construction according to
designs. As explained above, system design in entirety cannot be the
sole preserve of industrial engineers. The functional design of
production systems in various branches of engineering can be done by
engineers of that branch only. Similarly functional design of various
management systems in a business organization can be done by managers of
that function only. Industrial engineers have a role to play in systems
design and it is of designing efficiency into the functional systems
designed by others.
Maynard stated the scope of industrial
engineering in his preface to the second edition of Hand Book of
Industrial Engineering, edited by him in 1963. Industrial engineers have
been traditionally concerned with the design of manufacturing plants,
methods improvement, work measurement, the design and administration of
wage payment systems, cost control, quality control, production control
and the like. These procedures are all directed toward the reduction of
cost. All the techniques of industrial engineering reflect the common
denominator of all industrial engineering work – an intense interest in
improving thing that is currently being planned or done. Cost reduction
or efficiency improvement is the focus of industrial engineering.
Maynard also pointed out in his preface that developments in applied
mathematics and statistics during the post world war years facilitated
industrial engineer to tackle design of much larger systems with more
predictive power.
In 1943, the Work Standardization Committee of
the Management Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
identified the following areas as the purview of industrial engineer:
Budgets and cost control, manufacturing engineering, organization
analysis, systems & procedures, and wage & salary
administration. The traditional industrial engineering methods of
operation analysis, motion study, work measurement, standardization of
the method were included in manufacturing engineering and these
techniques are relevant for hourly base wage rate determination,
incentives and administration of wage payment.
The study of
various functional areas in industrial engineering curriculums is for
the purpose of understanding the functional designs in those areas and
industrial engineering graduates should not claim expertise in those
subjects to do functional design unless they really specialize in them
through extra study and experience of efficiency design of many systems
in the same functional area.
According to M.H. Mathewson, industrial engineering is distinguished from other engineering disciplines in that it:
1. Places increased emphasis on the integration of human being into the system.
2. Is concerned with the total system.
3. Predicts and interprets the economic results.
4. Makes greater utilization of the contribution of the social sciences than do other engineering disciplines.
Industrial Engineering as practiced today can be explained by identifying three components.
1. Human Effort Engineering
2. System Efficiency Engineering
3. Systems Design, Installation and Improvement Management.
All methods and techniques of industrial engineering can be categorized under these three major components.
Visit
What is industrial engineering? Going's Answer in 1911 (Summary)
What is industrial engineering? Going's Explanation in 1911 (Full chapter)
Efficiency Improvement Techniques of Industrial engineering
1. Process Analysis
2. Operation Analysis
3. Time study
4. Value engineering
5. Statistical quality control
6. Statistical inventory control and ABC Classification Based Inventory Sytems
7. Six sigma
8. Operations research
9. Variety reduction
10. Standardization
11. Incentive schemes
12. Waste reduction or elimination
13. Activity based management
14. Business process improvement
15. Fatigue analysis and reduction
16. Engineering economy analysis
17. Learning effect capture and continuous improvement (Kaizen, Quality circles and suggestion schemes)
18. Standard costing
19. 5S
20. SMED
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Development of Industrial Engineering - History
Industrial
engineering as the application of engineering approach to factory
manufacture developed initially over a 30 year period spanning 1882 to
1912. The important mile stones in this period are:
1. The idea
that engineers have to design and fabricate products at costs, large
number of consumers can afford to pay was advocated. This idea gave
birth to the subject of Engineering Economics subsequently. H.R. Towne’s
address in 1886 to American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) “The
Engineer as an Economist” was a classic paper in this area. The papers
of Oberlin Smith also fall in this group.
2. Engineers got
interested in wage incentive methods. Papers by Towne, F.R. Halsey and
H.L.Gantt between 1880 ad 1895 addressed this issue.
3. Engineers
got involved in factory accounting issues. An English engineer and
accountant, Emile Garcke and J.M. Fells published a book on factory
accounts in 1889.
4. Engineers recognized the importance of
production control and paid attention to improve the procedures of
production control. H.C. Metcalfe’s “ A Shop Order System of Accounts”
was an early paper in this regard.
5. F.W. Taylor addressed issues
related to shop management in a more comprehensive manner in his paper
“Shop Management” (1903).
6. Frank Gilbreth developed the motion study technique.
7. H.L. Gantt advocated training of operators.
8. Harrington Emerson came out with a book that emphasized efficiency of business organizations and systems.
9. Lillian Moller Gilbreth work along with Frank Gilbreth and applied psychology to industrial work.
10. Hugo Diemer authored book on Factory Management emphasizing industrial engineering (1910).
11. Charles Going authored the book, Principles of Industrial Engineering (1911).
What is industrial engineering? Going's Answer in 1911
Among
the pioneers, F.W. Taylor is hailed as the father of scientific
management as he was the first person to perceive the interconnection
between these initiatives and integrated them into a philosophy of
management “Scientific Management.”
The earliest reference to
Industrial Engineering was the address delivered by Henry R. Towne[1]
at the Purdue University on February 24th, 1905. According to him,” the
Engineer is one who, in the world of physics and applied sciences,
begets new things, or adapts old things to new and better uses; above
all, one who, in that field, attains new results in the best way and at
lowest cost.” Towne explained that Industrial Engineering is the
practice of one or more branches of engineering in connection with some
organized establishment of a productive character, in which are
conducted the operations required in the production of some article, or
series of articles, of commerce or consumption. Nearly all industrial
work of this kind, especially if it be conducted on a large scale,
involves technical, physical, and engineering questions, varying with
the kind of industry but usually of wide scope.
Industrial
engineers have to do both technical and administrative work; that is,
they have to take responsibility both for the design and character of
the product, and for the economy of its production. According to Towne,
the industrial engineer as the man responsible for the daily operation
and, still more, for the vitality and growth of a large industrial
plant, must be a many-sided Engineer. He has to consider the planning
and, construction of new buildings. He has also to deal with the
question of power and its distribution, with steam engines and boilers,
with electric generation and transmission, with shafting and belting, in
many cases with pumping and the use of compressed air for many
purposes, in all cases with heating, ventilating, plumbing and
sanitation, and in large plants with questions of internal
transportation he has to select the right men for the various
positions to be filled, and inspire them with ambition and the right
spirit in their work. He has to coordinate their work so as to produce
the best final result and understand and direct the technical operations
and appreciate quickly and surely whether or not they are properly
performed. Industrial engineer combines in one personality two
functions of technical knowledge and executive ability, and a person
who has aptitude for both the fields has open to him unlimited
opportunities in the field of industrial engineering.
According to
Urwick, persons who liked Taylors ideas called themselves as industrial
engineers, when both big business companies and trade union disliked
"scientific management."[2]
References
- Towne, Henry R., “Industrial Engineering” An Address Delivered At
the Purdue University, Friday, February 24th, 1905, downloaded from
http://www.cslib.org/stamford/towne1905.htm
- Urwick, Lyndall, F., “Development of Industrial Engineering”,
Chapter 1 in Handbook of Industrial Engineering, H.B. Maynard (Ed.), 2nd
Edition, McGraw Hill, New York, 1963.
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs in Industrial Engineering
F.W.Taylor is credited with instigating the first undergraduate
curriculum in Industrial Engineering by recommending to Beaver,
President of the Board of Trustees of Pennsylvania State University that
Mechanical Engineering be taught from the vantage point of view of
manufacturing rather than from the perspective of power plants and
higher mathematics.
In 1908, the first course was offered as an option in Mechanical Engineering.
In
1909, the first baccalaureate program in Industrial Engineering was
offered at Pennsylvania University. Hugo Diemer, a young professor from
the University of Kansas, recruited by Penn state University on the
recommendation of Frederick Taylor, developed and coordinated the
program. Diemer is credited with offering the first paper/course in
industrial engineering to be taught in the United States – “Machinery
and Millwork” – at University of Kansas School of Engineering in 1899.
Professor Diemer described industrial engineers as persons "who are
thoroughly familiar with the productive processes, with broad interests,
and who are at the same time thorough accountants and businessmen."
Accounting as an area of importance to industrial engineers was
mentioned by Towne also.
Diemer wrote his most famous book "Factory Organization and Administration" published by McGraw-Hill in 1910.
http://www.managers-net.co.uk/Biography/diemer.html
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