Industrial Engineering
Industrial engineering is a specialized branch of engineering that focuses on improving and optimizing complex systems, processes, and organizations, primarily in manufacturing and production. It emerged during the Industrial Revolution, driven by the need for increased production efficiency and the adoption of new technologies like the steam engine. Key figures in the field, such as Frederick Taylor and Henry Ford, pioneered techniques like scientific management and assembly-line production, which revolutionized manufacturing practices.
Industrial engineers analyze both physical components, such as machinery and facilities, and human factors to enhance productivity while ensuring safety and quality. Their work involves tasks like designing efficient production systems, solving logistics challenges, and maximizing resource utilization. They often employ tools like computer-aided design (CAD) to model systems and simulate workflows before implementation. As of 2021, industrial engineers earned a median salary of approximately $95,300 annually, with a projected job growth rate of 10% from 2021 to 2031, indicating a robust demand for their expertise in various sectors.
Industrial Engineering
Engineering is a branch of science and technology that uses math and science to solve problems. Industrial engineering seeks to find ways to do and make things better or more efficiently. It may involve building, designing, and using devices, including engines and machines, and solving inventory control and logistics problems. This branch of engineering works to reduce the cost of making goods, protect workers and the environment, and produce quality goods efficiently while following laws and regulations pertaining to the work.
History
Industrial engineering developed during the Industrial Revolution (1760–1840), a period of increased production due to new manufacturing processes. The invention of the steam engine, for example, was important to the growing industrialization of manufacturing. Factories were built, and many people moved from farms and villages to cities for work. As demand for goods grew, manufacturers looked for ways to increase output by making production more efficient. This involved a number of factors, including the development of better machines and the training of workers.
Inventor Samuel Colt (1814–1862) was a pioneer of assembly-line production. Colt created and patented a pistol with a revolving chamber, which allowed the user to fire several rounds without having to reload. It was not immediately successful, but the US government was impressed with its performance during conflicts in Texas and Florida. Colt's manufacturing relied on creating interchangeable parts, which meant the pieces could be manufactured in large quantities and assembled quickly into weapons. This led others to interchangeable parts manufacturing and the development of assembly-line production, which is a highly efficient method of producing goods. Increasing production efficiency helps manufacturers maximize profitability.
Engineers Henry Ford (1863–1947) and Frederick Taylor (1856–1915) were pioneers in industrial engineering. Taylor was famous for his time and motion studies. He broke down each aspect of production into its basic actions and timed them to understand the most efficient way to perform the work. Taylor then created manuals explaining the best way to do each job. He believed in finding the jobs that best suited workers. His studies, which he called scientific management, revolutionized manufacturing.
Ford became synonymous with assembly-line production when he created the Ford Motor Company in 1903. Within several years, he was mass-producing automobiles but could not keep up with demand. Ford called on Taylor to analyze worker and task efficiency and used the information to make changes in the factory. By 1913 Ford had designed and built the first moving assembly line, which kept costs low and made production more efficient.
The Work of Industrial Engineers
Though the work of different branches of engineering often overlaps, industrial engineering is chiefly focused on production issues. While physical components such as facilities and machinery are an important part of this work, industrial engineers must also consider the human element and the quality of the final product in designing systems and processes.
Industrial engineers must understand how things work. They may work with electrical and electronic devices and machinery, as well as complex systems that range in size from microscopic to enormous power generators and even projects for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Industrial engineers may design devices and components to efficiently solve technical problems. They may work in a variety of areas, including testing designs or solving production problems. For example, industrial engineers may design packaging for products that protects them during shipping but at the same time maximizes the space within shipping cartons, allowing the manufacturer to safely ship the largest amount of the product for the least cost.
Many industrial engineering projects involve finding a way to use an existing facility for a new purpose. This may involve laying out a new production line, upgrading a facility, or designing new tools for a project.
Industrial engineers may work with manufacturers to evaluate a location prior to locating a facility there. For example, the engineer may look at the local infrastructure to determine the cost of shipping materials and products in the region. The engineer may weigh the cost of shipping by truck versus railways. The proximity of a location to the raw materials, workforce, and customers are all factors the engineer must consider.
This branch of engineering may also involve such logistics as developing systems to move materials into production facilities and shift finished products out. For example, large pallets of raw materials may need to be lifted off trucks or from train cars and carried into a factory, or extremely large items or shipments might require overhead cranes. The materials must have easy access to the area in which production begins, while the manufacturing process should conclude in an area where the finished products can easily be removed from the facility for shipment to customers. Efficiency, quality control, and safety all must be considered in making these design decisions.
Industrial engineers often use computer-aided design (CAD) systems. Computer modeling is also important and can help engineers avoid costly mistakes by simulating work flow and aspects of production.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay in this field in 2021 was $95,300 a year (or $45.82 an hour). The job outlook from 2021 through 2031 was projected to grow 10 percent, which is faster than average job growth.
Bibliography
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