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Industrial Engineering

Also Known As Industrial and Systems Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

Industrial engineering designs and improves the systems that turn materials, information, people and equipment into finished goods and services, rather than any single physical product. Its core methods, including time and motion study, process flow analysis, quality control and operations research, grew out of Frederick Winslow Taylor's scientific management movement of the early twentieth century and Henry Ford's moving assembly line. The discipline now covers manufacturing, logistics, healthcare delivery and other large scale operations wherever the design of the whole system matters as much as any individual machine in it.

Facts
Core Concern
Optimizing complex processes, systems and organizations that involve people, materials, information and equipment. 1
Core Principle
Industrial engineering optimizes complex processes, systems and organizations, improving the efficiency, productivity and quality of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy rather than any single machine. 2
Disputed
Origin Year
1911
1911 marks the publication of Taylor's The Principles of Scientific Management, the work most often credited with founding the discipline; its first dedicated professional society, the American Institute of Industrial Engineers, was not founded until 1948.
Industrial Engineering
Filter Results7 entries

Bill Smith

Industrial Engineering

Frederick Winslow Taylor

Industrial Engineering

John Krafcik

Industrial Engineering

Lillian Gilbreth

Industrial Engineering

Taiichi Ohno

Industrial Engineering

W. Edwards Deming

Industrial Engineering

Walter A. Shewhart

Industrial Engineering
Connections

Associated With

Barcode, Inventions
Bernard Silver, Engineers

Co-invented the barcode as a retail identification system.

Bill Smith, Engineers

Developed the Six Sigma quality methodology at Motorola.

Containerization, Methods
Frederick Winslow Taylor, Engineers
Interchangeable Parts, Methods
John Krafcik, Engineers

Applied and popularized lean manufacturing analysis of the Toyota Production System.

Lean Manufacturing, Methods
Mass Production, Methods
Norman Joseph Woodland, Engineers

Co-invented the barcode as a retail identification system.

Quality Control, Methods
Scientific Management, Methods
Six Sigma, Methods
Systems Engineering, Fields

Both coordinate complex processes and organizations rather than a single physical artifact.

Taiichi Ohno, Engineers

Principal architect of the Toyota Production System and lean manufacturing.

The Assembly Line, Methods
W. Edwards Deming, Engineers

Advanced statistical quality control methods central to industrial engineering.

Walter A. Shewhart, Engineers

Developed statistical quality control, foundational to industrial engineering practice.

Includes

3D Printer, Inventions
Source 3D Printing (Wikipedia)
Andon, Inventions
Source Andon (manufacturing) - Wikipedia
Assembly Line, Inventions
Source Assembly Line (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Automated Guided Vehicle, Inventions
Source Automated guided vehicle, Wikipedia
Automated Sortation System, Inventions
Source Sorter (logistics), Wikipedia
Automated Storage and Retrieval System, Inventions
Source Automated storage and retrieval system - Wikipedia
Bill Smith, Engineers
Control Chart, Inventions
Source Control chart, Wikipedia
Design of experiments, Methods
Source Design of experiments (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
DMAIC, Methods
Source DMAIC (Wikipedia)
Failure mode and effects analysis, Methods
Source Failure mode and effects analysis (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Fishbone Diagram, Inventions
Source Ishikawa diagram, Wikipedia
Frederick Winslow Taylor, Engineers
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Gantt Chart, Inventions
Source Gantt chart, Wikipedia
Gap analysis, Methods
Source Gap analysis (Wikipedia)
John Krafcik, Engineers
Kaizen, Methods
Source Kaizen (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Kanban System, Inventions
Source Kanban (Wikipedia)
Lean Manufacturing, Methods
Source Lean manufacturing (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Lillian Gilbreth, Engineers
Source Lillian Gilbreth (Wikipedia)
New product development, Methods
PERT Chart, Inventions
Source Program evaluation and review technique, Wikipedia
Plan-Do-Check-Act, Methods
Source PDCA (Wikipedia)
Poka-Yoke, Inventions
Source Poka-yoke - Wikipedia
Programmable Logic Controller, Inventions
Source Programmable logic controller (Wikipedia)
Quality function deployment, Methods
Source Quality function deployment (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Root cause analysis, Methods
Source Root-cause analysis (Wikipedia)
Scientific Management, Methods
Source Scientific management (Wikipedia)
Shaker Broom Vise, Inventions
Source Shaker broom vise (Wikipedia)
Six Sigma, Methods
Source Six Sigma (Wikipedia)
Statistical Process Control, Inventions
Source Statistical Process Control (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Taiichi Ohno, Engineers
Source Taiichi Ohno (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Therbligs, Inventions
Source Therblig, Wikipedia
Time and Motion Study, Inventions
Source Time and motion study, Wikipedia
Total Quality Management, Methods
Source Total quality management (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Value Engineering, Methods
Value Stream Mapping, Inventions
Source Value-stream mapping (Wikipedia)
W. Edwards Deming, Engineers
Source W. Edwards Deming (Wikipedia)
Walter A. Shewhart, Engineers
Source Walter A. Shewhart (Wikipedia)
Warehouse Management System, Inventions
Source Warehouse management system, Wikipedia

Open Questions

Who deserves primary credit for founding industrial engineering as a discipline: Frederick Winslow Taylor, originator of time study, or Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, originators of motion study?, Open Questions
Source Frank Bunker Gilbreth (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Sources
1. Technology: A World History
Daniel R. Headrick, Oxford University Press, 2009View the Source
2. Industrial Engineering (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
  • Introduction section
    Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on optimizing complex processes, systems, and organizations by improving efficiency, productivity, and quality.
  • Lead section, opening definition of industrial engineering
    Industrial engineering (IE) revolves around the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy.
  • In Group: Industrial and Systems Engineering, lead sentence: revolves around the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy
View the Source
A History of Technology
Charles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors, Oxford University Press, 1954Includes: Frederick Winslow TaylorView the Source
Walter A. Shewhart (Wikipedia)
Includes: Walter A. Shewhart, Categories
Quote, Includes: Walter A. Shewhart, Categories
American industrial engineers
View the Source
Taiichi Ohno (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Taiichi Ohno, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Taiichi Ohno, Lead section
Ohno Taiichi (大野耐一, Ōno Taiichi; February 29, 1912, May 28, 1990) was a Japanese industrial engineer and businessman.
View the Source
Lillian Gilbreth (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Lillian Gilbreth, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Lillian Gilbreth, Lead section
Lillian Evelyn Gilbreth (née Moller; May 24, 1878, January 2, 1972) was an American psychologist, industrial engineer, consultant, and educator who was an early pioneer in applying psychology to time-and-motion studies.
View the Source
Six Sigma (Wikipedia)
Includes: Six Sigma, Categories
Quote, Includes: Six Sigma, Categories
Quality management
View the Source
Lean manufacturing (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Lean Manufacturing, Categories
Quote, Includes: Lean Manufacturing, Categories
Lean manufacturing
View the Source
Total quality management (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Total Quality Management, Categories
Quote, Includes: Total Quality Management, Categories
Quality management
View the Source
Kaizen (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Kaizen, Categories
Quote, Includes: Kaizen, Categories
Lean manufacturing
View the Source
Andon (manufacturing) - Wikipedia
Includes: Andon, Categories
Quote, Includes: Andon, Categories
Lean manufacturing
View the Source
Poka-yoke - Wikipedia
Includes: Poka-Yoke, Categories
Quote, Includes: Poka-Yoke, Categories
Lean manufacturing
View the Source
Kanban (Wikipedia)
Includes: Kanban System, Categories
Quote, Includes: Kanban System, Categories
Lean manufacturing
View the Source
Control chart, Wikipedia
Includes: Control Chart, Categories
Quote, Includes: Control Chart, Categories
Quality control tools
View the Source
Ishikawa diagram, Wikipedia
Includes: Fishbone Diagram, Categories
Quote, Includes: Fishbone Diagram, Categories
Quality control tools
View the Source
Time and motion study, Wikipedia
Includes: Time and Motion Study, Categories
Quote, Includes: Time and Motion Study, Categories
Industrial engineering
View the Source
Value-stream mapping (Wikipedia)
Includes: Value Stream Mapping, Categories
Quote, Includes: Value Stream Mapping, Categories
Lean manufacturing
View the Source
Design of experiments (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Design of experiments, Categories
Quote, Includes: Design of experiments, Categories
Industrial engineering
View the Source
Failure mode and effects analysis (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Failure mode and effects analysis, Categories
Quote, Includes: Failure mode and effects analysis, Categories
Lean manufacturing
View the Source
Quality function deployment (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Quality function deployment, Categories
Quote, Includes: Quality function deployment, Categories
Quality management
View the Source
PDCA (Wikipedia)
Includes: Plan-Do-Check-Act, Categories
Quote, Includes: Plan-Do-Check-Act, Categories
Quality management
View the Source
Root-cause analysis (Wikipedia)
Includes: Root cause analysis, Categories
Quote, Includes: Root cause analysis, Categories
Quality control tools
View the Source
Scientific management (Wikipedia)
Includes: Scientific Management, Categories
Quote, Includes: Scientific Management, Categories
Management theory
View the Source
Automated storage and retrieval system - Wikipedia
Includes: Automated Storage and Retrieval System, Categories
Quote, Includes: Automated Storage and Retrieval System, Categories
Warehouses
View the Source
Gantt chart, Wikipedia
Includes: Gantt Chart, Categories
Quote, Includes: Gantt Chart, Categories
Project management techniques
View the Source
Program evaluation and review technique, Wikipedia
Includes: PERT Chart, Categories
Quote, Includes: PERT Chart, Categories
Engineering management
View the Source
Sorter (logistics), Wikipedia
Includes: Automated Sortation System, Categories
Quote, Includes: Automated Sortation System, Categories
Logistics
View the Source
Assembly Line (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Assembly Line, Categories
Quote, Includes: Assembly Line, Categories
Mass production
View the Source
Warehouse management system, Wikipedia
Includes: Warehouse Management System, Categories
Quote, Includes: Warehouse Management System, Categories
Logistics
View the Source
Gap analysis (Wikipedia)
Includes: Gap analysis, Categories
Quote, Includes: Gap analysis, Categories
Product management
View the Source
DMAIC (Wikipedia)
Includes: DMAIC, Categories
Quote, Includes: DMAIC, Categories
Data management
View the Source
W. Edwards Deming (Wikipedia)
Includes: W. Edwards Deming, Lead section
Quote, Includes: W. Edwards Deming, Lead section
William Edwards Deming (October 14, 1900, December 20, 1993) was an American business theorist, composer, economist, industrial engineer, management consultant, statistician, and writer.
View the Source
Programmable logic controller (Wikipedia)
Includes: Programmable Logic Controller, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Programmable Logic Controller, Lead section
A programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is an industrial computer that has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, machines, robotic devices, or any activity that requires high reliability, ease of programming, and process fault diagnosis.
View the Source
3D Printing (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: 3D Printer, Lead section
Quote, Includes: 3D Printer, Lead section
3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model.
View the Source
Automated guided vehicle, Wikipedia
Includes: Automated Guided Vehicle, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Automated Guided Vehicle, Lead section
They are most often used in industrial applications to transport heavy materials around a large industrial building, such as a factory or warehouse.
View the Source
Therblig, Wikipedia
Includes: Therbligs, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Therbligs, Lead section
Therbligs are elemental motions used in the study of workplace motion economy.
View the Source
Statistical Process Control (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Statistical Process Control, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Statistical Process Control, Lead section
Statistical process control (SPC) or statistical quality control (SQC) is the application of statistical methods to monitor and control the quality of a production process.
View the Source
Shaker broom vise (Wikipedia)
Includes: Shaker Broom Vise, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Shaker Broom Vise, Lead section
The Shaker broom vise is a specialized production vise that made the normally round broom flat to make it more efficient for cleaning purposes.
View the Source
Open Questions (1 open question)
Who deserves primary credit for founding industrial engineering as a discipline: Frederick Winslow Taylor, originator of time study, or Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, originators of motion study?

Time study and motion study were developed independently and stood in philosophical tension; the disagreement between Taylor and the Gilbreths became a personal rift that, after Taylor died, turned into an open feud between the Gilbreths and the Taylor camp, and the documented record states that friction over questions of history and intellectual property still remains even after Lillian Gilbreth attempted to heal the rift.

What would resolve this A settled historical account, backed by primary correspondence or patent records, establishing whose methodological contribution founded industrial engineering as a discipline and how the intellectual property dispute between the two camps was actually resolved.
History of TechnologyWikipedia contributors, Frank Bunker Gilbreth (Wikipedia)
Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between industrial engineering and mechanical engineering?

Mechanical engineering designs individual machines and mechanical systems. Industrial engineering designs and improves the larger systems those machines operate within, including factory layouts, supply chains, staffing, scheduling and quality control, optimizing how people, equipment, materials and information work together as a whole process. An industrial engineer is less concerned with how a single machine works internally and more concerned with how a whole production or service system performs.
Community

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