Most important activities of industrial engineering are:
· Development of time standards, costing and performance standards.
· Selection of processes and assembling methods.
· Selection and design of tools and equipment.
· Design of facilities including plant location, layout of building, machines and equipment, material handling system raw materials and finished goods storage facilities.
· Design and improvement of planning and control systems for production, inventory, quality and plant maintenance and distribution systems.
· Cost control systems.
· Development and installation of job evaluation systems.
· Installation of wage incentive schemes.
· Design and installation of value engineering and analysis system.
· Operation research.
· Mathematical and statistical analysis.
· Performance evaluation.
· Organization and methods.
· Supplier selection and evaluation.
Nowadays economic scenario is marked by increasing competition in almost every sector of economy. The expectations of customers are on rise and manufacturers have to design and products in order to satisfy them. Thus, there is a challenge before the industries to manufacture goods of right quantity and quality and at the right time and at minimum cost for their survival and growth. This demands an increase in productive efficiency of organizations. Industrial engineering plays a vital role in increasing the productivity. Industrial engineering techniques are used to analyze and improve the work methods in order to eliminate waste and proper allocation and utilization of resources.
How can industrial engineering be defined?
Industrial engineering can be defined as a profession in which a knowledge of mathematical and natural sciences gained by study, experience and practice is applied with judgment to develop the ways to utilize economically the materials and other natural resources and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind.
The American Institute of Industrial Engineers define industrial engineering as:
Industrial engineering is concerned with the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of men, material and equipment. It draws upon specialized knowledge and skills in the mathematical, physical 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.
The prime objective of industrial engineering is to increase the productivity by eliminating waste and non-value adding (unproductive) operations and improving the effective utilization of resources.