Effective Industrial Engineering - Some Thoughts

 

Effective industrial engineering has to satisfy management about the contribution it made to the organization.

The prime contribution of IE has to be cost reduction through productivity improvement.

Productivity improvement is achieved through time reduction of capital assets and human resources and usage reduction of consumable items.

Reduction of machine time and man time have to be made through time studies. The purpose of time study is to measure the time taken being taken currently elements and study each element to find opportunities for time reduction. The time study includes time measurement (or work measurement) and analysis for drivers of time at element level.

If the Time study is taken as  the highest level task, it will have many lower level studies.

Machine Capabilities

Manpower capabilities

Method study

Motion study

Machine Appropriateness Study

Revolution Needed in Industrial Engineering to Make It More Effective

Prabhakar Deshpande

Published in Industrial Engineering (Volume 6, Issue 2)

2022

https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/article/10.11648/10073883

One AI Summary

Effective Industrial Engineering focuses on optimizing complex processes, systems, and organizations by integrating principles from various disciplines to improve efficiency, productivity, and quality. This involves analyzing and designing systems, streamlining workflows, reducing costs, and enhancing service quality within various industries. 

Key aspects of effective industrial engineering include:

Systems Thinking:

Viewing processes as interconnected systems rather than isolated components to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. 

Data-Driven Decision Making:

Utilizing techniques like statistical analysis, operations research, and simulation modeling to make informed decisions about process optimization. 

Integration of People, Materials, Information, Equipment, and Energy:

Ensuring that all elements of a system work together efficiently to achieve optimal performance. 

Continuous Improvement:

Implementing strategies to constantly streamline workflows, reduce costs, and improve overall performance. 

Adaptability and Innovation:

Keeping up with the latest technologies and methodologies to address evolving challenges and opportunities. 

In essence, effective industrial engineering is about:

Making things work better: Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of processes and systems.

Making things work smarter: Utilizing data and analytical tools to make informed decisions and optimize performance.

Making things work together: Ensuring that all components of a system are integrated and working towards a common goal.

Making things work sustainably: Optimizing resource utilization and minimizing environmental impact.