1. Introduction to Industrial Engineering
Z. Max Shen
Dept. of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
University of California
Good afternoon. Thanks for coming to my talk. It must be difficult to sit in a classroom and listen to a 90-minute non-entertaining talk, especially at 3:30 on Friday afternoon…to make you feel better, this week is the spring break week at Florida, many of my friends are either lying on the beach or happy partying…in fact, I just received a phone message from one of my friends, telling me not to be late for his big party at 6:30…

3. What is IE?
There you are, standing at the cheese-and-cracker tray during a cocktail party, when someone asks, “What do you do?”
“I’m an industrial engineer,” you reply.
“An industrial engineer?” and a blank smile is all you get in response.
What next? You need a concise, clever — or at least interesting description of what an industrial engineer does. Can youexplain it in one sentence?

4. What is IE?
An industrial engineer is a combination of 50 percent engineer and 50 percent administrator.
An industrial engineer maximizes the utilization of scarce resources — namely, time and money.
“If a chemical engineer designs a system, it will be chemically and thermodynamically efficient; if a mechanical engineer designs a system, it will be mechanically and energy efficient; and if an industrial engineer designs a system, it will make a profit

5. What is IE?
Any fool can devise a process that works, but it takes an industrial engineer to design one that barely works.
Industrial engineers are the duct tape of industry because they are expected to fix anything for almost nothing.
If you mixed together a computer expert, a production manager, and a financial guru, threw in a heaping portion of salesmanship and a dash of investigative reporter, marinated it in a rich solution of leadership and the ability to impact change, and topped it off with a desire to learn and do whatever it takes, you’d have the recipe for an outstanding industrial engineer.

6. History
Early history really did not distinguish between science and engineering. Advancements involved application of knowledge.
Engineering schools appeared in France in the 18th century
Principles of early engineering were first taught in military academies and were concerned primarily with road and bridge construction and with fortifications – military engineering

7. Modern Disciplines
Civil engineering emerging from military engineering
Mechanical engineering emerging from growth of mechanical devices after steam engine
Electrical engineering after the telegraph (and other products) appeared
Chemical engineering (lubricants, etc)

8. Post WWII Disciplines Nuclear engineering Electronic engineering
Aeronautical engineering
Astronautical engineering
Computer engineering
Environmental engineering
Bioengineering

9. Before Cal

10. Definition
Industrial Engineering is concerned with the design, improvement, and installation of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment, and energy.
It draws upon specialized knowledge and skill in the mathematical, physical, and social sciences together with the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design to specify, predict, and evaluate the results to be obtained from such system.

11. Industrial Engineering
Usually with objectives such as
increasing profits and/or productivity,
improving quality, or
reducing costs.
Alternatively,
IE’s improve organized work.

12. Chronology of IE
As industrial organizations emerged to capitalize on the rapidly developing array of technological innovations, the size and complexity of manufacturing units increases dramatically.
IE emerged as a profession as a result of the industrial revolution and the accompanying need for technically trained people who could plan, organize, and direct the operations of large complex systems.

13. Chronology of IE (cont.)
Babbage thought to specialize labor by skill required (early 1800’s)
Taylor really started IE
Analyze and improve the work method
Reduce the times required for the work
Set standards for the times required
Gilbreth extended work of Taylor to consider the human aspects of work to include motion involved in work
Henry Gantt developed his chart to preplan, schedule, and monitor work activity
Shewhart developed the fundamental principles of statistical process control
Disciples became big names in quality

14. Design Impacts IE engineers design systems at two levels
The first level is called the human activity level and is concerned with how work gets accomplished
The second level is called the management control system level and addresses the planning, measurement, and control of organizational activities

15. Level One Elements Processes within the organization
Layout of facilities and machines
Design of the workplace
Storage space and location
Work methods

16. Level Two Elements Planning systems Forecasting systems
Material and inventory planning and control
Scheduling activities
Cost control and analysis
Quality control system

17. IE and Systems
Industrial engineering really takes a system-level perspective
The tools and techniques of the IE allow the IE to examine the system, the interactions among the components of the system, all while keeping in mind the objective or purpose of the system
An IE seeks to optimize systems

18. IE Coverage Simulation Optimization Human Factors Ergonomics
Production Systems
Statistical and stochastic modeling
Design of experiments
Modeling of human decision makers

19. IEOR Activities
The actual activities performed by IEOR personnel will vary by firm
Traditionally, activities were focused on the operational level of the organization
Recent trends involve the IE getting involved in the design of the management systems as well as getting more involved in systems design

20. Where Can Industrial Engineers Work?
Just about anywhere a process needs to be designed or improved. Industrial engineers can work in the obvious places like...
Manufacturing, such as Microelectronics, Aerospace or Automotive
Research and Development
or the not-so-obvious places like...
Service Industries, such as Banking, Health Care, Insurance, Transportation, and even Theme Parks

21. In What Capacity Can Industrial Engineers Work?
On the factory floor or in the executive suite: Many IE graduates zero in on analyzing their company's technology and production systems, and very quickly find themselves catapulted to positions of management responsibility. IE's can work as...
Consultants
Project Managers
Company Presidents or CEOs.
According to Jobs-Rated Almanac, industrial engineering has the highest level of career satisfaction among traditional engineering disciplines.
If you are looking for a technically challenging major, one with great career satisfaction that also gives excellent opportunities for management, IE may be for you.

22. We improve organized work.
In Ten Years
We improve organized work.