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Industrial Engineer

Definition

Industrial engineers are the persons who determine the most effective ways to usethe basic factors of productionpeople, machines, materials, information, and

energyto make a product or a service.

They are concerned primarily with increasing productivity through the management

of people, methods of business organization, and technology.

To maximize efficiency, industrial engineers study product requirements carefully

and then design manufacturing and information systems to meet thoserequirements with the help of mathematical methods and models.

They develop management control systems to aid in financial planning and cost

analysis, and they design production planning and control systems to coordinate

activities and ensure product quality.

They also design or improve systems for the physical distribution of goods and

services and determine the most efficient plant locations. Industrial engineers

develop wage and salary administration systems and job evaluation programs.

Many industrial engineers move into management positions because the work is

closely related to the work of managers.

Industrial engineers must be good at solving problems. They must combine their

technical knowledge with a sense of human capabilities and limitations. They

should be able to organize many details into a broad view of the total operations

and organization of a company. Although much of their work is done

independently, industrial engineers must also be able to cooperate with other

engineers, technicians, and managers. They must be able to talk with production

workers and be willing to understand their concerns. Since they may present their

plans in the form of written reports or oral presentations, industrial engineers must

have good communication skills.

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time,money, materials, energy, and other commodities. This is why many

industrialengineers end up being promoted into management positions.

Many people are misled by the term industrial engineer. Its not just

aboutmanufacturing. It also encompasses service industries, with many IEs

employed inentertainment industries, shipping and logistics businesses, and health

careorganizations.

IEs make processes better in the following ways:

More efficient and more profitable business practices

Better customer service and product quality

Improved efficiency

Increased ability to do more with less

Making work safer, faster, easier, and more rewarding

Helping companies produce more products quickly

Making the world safer through better designed products

Reducing costs associated with new technologies