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Industrial engineering

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Industrial engineers in a factory

Industrial engineering (IE) 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 systems.[1] Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on optimizing complex processes, systems, and organizations by improving efficiency, productivity, and quality. It combines principles from engineering, mathematics, and business to design, analyze, and manage systems that involve people, materials, information, equipment, and energy. Industrial engineers aim to reduce waste, streamline operations, and enhance overall performance across various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and service sectors.

Industrial engineers make things better in any industry – from automobile manufacturing and aerospace, to healthcare, forestry, finance, leisure, and education.[2] Industrial engineering combines the physical and social sciences together with engineering principles to improve processes and systems.[3]

Several industrial engineering principles are followed to ensure the effective flow of systems, processes, and operations. Industrial engineers work to improve quality and productivity while simultaneously cutting waste.[3] They use principles such as lean manufacturing, six sigma, information systems, process capability, and more.

These principles allow the creation of new systems, processes or situations for the useful coordination of labor, materials and machines.[4][5] Depending on the subspecialties involved, industrial engineering may also overlap with, operations research, systems engineering, manufacturing engineering, production engineering, supply chain engineering, management science, engineering management, financial engineering, ergonomics or human factors engineering, safety engineering, logistics engineering, quality engineering or other related capabilities or fields.

History

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See also: List of industrial engineers

Origins

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Industrial engineering

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There is a general consensus among historians that the roots of the industrial engineering profession date back to the Industrial Revolution. The technologies that helped mechanize traditional manual operations in the textile industry including the flying shuttle, the spinning jenny, and perhaps most importantly the steam engine generated economies of scale that made mass production in centralized locations attractive for the first time. The concept of the production system had its genesis in the factories created by these innovations.[6] It has also been suggested that perhaps Leonardo da Vinci was the first industrial engineer because there is evidence that he applied science to the analysis of human work by examining the rate at which a man could shovel dirt around the year 1500. Others also state that the industrial engineering profession grew from Charles Babbage’s study of factory operations and specifically his work on the manufacture of straight pins in 1832 . However, it has been generally argued that these early efforts, while valuable, were merely observational and did not attempt to engineer the jobs studied or increase overall output.[7]

Specialization of labor

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Watt's steam engine (Technical University of Madrid)

Adam Smith's concepts of Division of Labour and the "Invisible Hand" of capitalism introduced in his treatise The Wealth of Nations motivated many of the technological innovators of the Industrial Revolution to establish and implement factory systems. The efforts of James Watt and Matthew Boulton led to the first integrated machine manufacturing facility in the world, including the application of concepts such as cost control systems to reduce waste and increase productivity and the institution of skills training for craftsmen.[6]

Charles Babbage became associated with industrial engineering because of the concepts he introduced in his book On the Economy of Machinery and Manufacturers which he wrote as a result of his visits to factories in England and the United States in the early 1800s. The book includes subjects such as the time required to perform a specific task, the effects of subdividing tasks into smaller and less detailed elements, and the advantages to be gained from repetitive tasks.[6]

Interchangeable parts

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Eli Whitney and Simeon North proved the feasibility of the notion of interchangeable parts in the manufacture of muskets and pistols for the US Government. Under this system, individual parts were mass-produced to tolerances to enable their use in any finished product. The result was a significant reduction in the need for skill from specialized workers, which eventually led to the industrial environment to be studied later.[6]

Pioneers

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Frederick Taylor (1856–1915) is generally credited as the father of the industrial engineering discipline. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and earned several patents from his inventions. Taylor is the author of many well-known works, including a book, The Principles of Scientific Management, which became a classic of management literature. It is considered one of the most influential management books of the 20th century.[8] The book laid our three goals: to illustrate how the country loses through inefficiency, to show that the solution to inefficiency is systematic management, and to show that the best management rests on defined laws, rules, and principles that can be applied to all kinds of human activity. Taylor is remembered for developing the stopwatch time study.[6] Taylor's findings set the foundation for industrial engineering.

Frank Gilbreth (1868-1924), along with his wife Lillian Gilbreth (1878-1972), also had a significant influence on the development of Industrial Engineering. Their work is housed at Purdue University. In 1907, Frank Gilbreth met Frederick Taylor, and he learned tremendously from Taylor’s work.[9] Frank and Lillian created 18 kinds of elemental motions that make up a set of fundamental motions required for a worker to perform a manual operation or task. They named the elements therbligs, which are used in the study of motion in the workplace.[10] These developments were the beginning of a much broader field known as human factors or ergonomics.

Through the efforts of Hugo Diemer, the first course on industrial engineering was offered as an elective at Pennsylvania State University in 1908.[11] The first doctoral degree in industrial engineering was awarded in 1933 by Cornell University.[12]

Henry Gantt (1861-1919) immersed himself in the growing movement of Taylorism. Gantt is best known for creating a management tool, the Gantt chart. Gantt charts display dependencies pictorially, which allows project managers to keep everything organized. They are studied in colleges and used by project managers around the world. In addition to the creation of the Gannt chart, Gantt had many other significant contributions to scientific management. He cared about worker incentives and the impact businesses had on society. Today, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers awards a Gantt Medal for “distinguished achievement in management and for service to the community.”[13]

Henry Ford (1863-1947) further revolutionized factory production with the first installation of a moving assembly line. This innovation reduced the time it took to build a car from more than 12 hours to one hour and 33 minutes.[14] This continuous-flow inspired production method introduced a new way of automobile manufacturing. Ford is also known for transforming the workweek schedule. He cut the typical six-day workweek to five and doubled the daily pay. Thus, creating the typical 40-hour workweek.[15]

Total quality management (TQM) emerged in the 1940s and gained momentum after World War II. The term was coined to describe its Japanese-style management approach to quality improvement. Total quality management can be described as a management system for a customer-focused organization that engages all employees in continual improvement of the organization. Joseph Juran is credited with being a pioneer of TQM by teaching the concepts of controlling quality and managerial breakthrough.[16]

The American Institute of Industrial Engineering was formed in 1948. The early work by F. W. Taylor and the Gilbreths was documented in papers presented to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as interest grew from merely improving machine performance to the performance of the overall manufacturing process, most notably starting with the presentation by Henry R. Towne (1844–1924) of his paper The Engineer as An Economist (1886).[17]

Modern practice

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From 1960 to 1975, with the development of decision support systems in supply such as material requirements planning (MRP), one can emphasize the timing issue (inventory, production, compounding, transportation, etc.) of industrial organization. Israeli scientist Dr. Jacob Rubinovitz installed the CMMS program developed in IAI and Control-Data (Israel) in 1976 in South Africa and worldwide.

In the 1970s, with the penetration of Japanese management theories such as Kaizen and Kanban, Japan realized very high levels of quality and productivity. These theories improved issues of quality, delivery time, and flexibility. Companies in the west realized the great impact of Kaizen and started implementing their own continuous improvement programs. W. Edwards Deming made significant contributions in the minimization of variance starting in the 1950s and continuing to the end of his life.

In the 1990s, following the global industry globalization process, the emphasis was on supply chain management and customer-oriented business process design. The theory of constraints, developed by Israeli scientist Eliyahu M. Goldratt (1985), is also a significant milestone in the field.

In recent years (late 2000s to 2025), the traditional skills of industrial engineering, such as system optimization, process improvement, and efficiency management, remain essential. However, these foundational abilities are increasingly complemented by a deeper understanding of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and IoT (Internet of Things). Proficiency in data analytics has become crucial, as it allows engineers to harness big data and derive insights that inform decision-making and innovation. Additionally, knowledge in fields such as cybersecurity, software development, and sustainable practices is becoming integral to the industrial engineering scope.[18]

As we navigate beyond 2025, it is imperative for professionals across various industries to stay abreast of these advancements. The ongoing evolution of industrial engineering will undoubtedly open new career pathways and reshape existing roles. Companies and individuals must be proactive in adapting to these changes to harness the full potential of this dynamic field.[18]


Etymology

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While originally applied to manufacturing, the use of industrial in industrial engineering can be somewhat misleading, since it has grown to encompass any methodical or quantitative approach to optimizing how a process, system, or organization operates. In fact, the industrial in industrial engineering means the industry in its broadest sense.[19] People have changed the term industrial to broader terms such as industrial and manufacturing engineering, industrial and systems engineering, industrial engineering and operations research, or industrial engineering and management.

Sub-disciplines

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There are numerous sub-disciplines associated with industrial engineering. Below is a non-exhaustive list. While some industrial engineers focus exclusively on one of these sub-disciplines, many deal with a combination of sub-disciplines. The first 14 of these sub-disciplines come from the IISE Body of Knowledge.[1] These are considered knowledge areas, and many of them contain an overlap of content.

Sub-discipline Additional Resources
Work Design & Measurement Main articles: Work design and Measurement
Operations Research & Analysis Main article: Operations research
Engineering Economic Analysis Main article: Engineering economics
Facilities Engineering & Energy Management Main articles: Facilities engineering and Energy management
Quality & Reliability Engineering Main articles: Quality engineering and Reliability engineering
Ergonomics & Human Factors Main articles: Ergonomics and Human Factors in Engineering and Design
Operations Engineering & Management Main article: Operations engineering and Operations management
Supply Chain Management Main articles: Supply chain management and Supply chain
Engineering Management Main article: Engineering management
Safety Main article: Safety
Information Engineering Main article: Information engineering
Design & Manufacturing Engineering Main article: Manufacturing engineering
Product Design & Development Main articles: Product design and Product development
System Design & Engineering Main articles: Systems design and Systems engineering
Facilities Engineering Main article: Facilities engineering
Logistics Main article: Logistics
Systems Engineering Main article: Systems engineering
Healthcare Engineering Main article: Healthcare engineering
Project Management Main article: Project management
Financial Engineering Main article: Financial engineering

Education

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Industrial engineering students take courses in work analysis and design, process design, human factors, facilities planning and layout, engineering economic analysis, production planning and control, systems engineering, computer utilization and simulation, operations research, quality control, automation, robotics, and productivity engineering. [20]

Various universities offer Industrial Engineering degrees across the world. The Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at NC State University, the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University, and the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology are all named industrial engineering departments in the United States. Other universities include: Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the University of Southern California.

It is important to attend accredited universities because ABET accreditation ensures that graduates have met the educational requirements necessary to enter the profession.[21] This quality of education is recognized internationally and prepares students for successful careers.

Internationally, industrial engineering degrees accredited within any member country of the Washington Accord enjoy equal accreditation within all other signatory countries, thus allowing engineers from one country to practice engineering professionally in any other.

Universities offer degrees at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels.

Undergraduate curriculum

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2025 U.S. News undergraduate rankings [22]
University Rank
Georgia Institute of Technology 1
Purdue University 2
University of Michigan 3
Virginia Tech 3
University of California, Berkeley 5
Northwestern University 6
Stanford University 7
Cornell University 8
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 8
Texas A&M University 10

In the United States, the undergraduate degree earned is either a bachelor of science (BS) or a bachelor of science and engineering (BSE) in industrial engineering (IE). In South Africa, the undergraduate degree is a bachelor of engineering (BEng). Variations of the title include Industrial & Operations Engineering (IOE), and Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISE or ISyE).

The typical curriculum includes a broad math and science foundation spanning chemistry, physics, mechanics (i.e., statics, kinematics, and dynamics), materials science, computer science, electronics/circuits, engineering design, and the standard range of engineering mathematics (i.e., calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, statistics). For any engineering undergraduate program to be accredited, regardless of concentration, it must cover a largely similar span of such foundational work, which also overlaps heavily with the content tested on one or more engineering licensure exams in most jurisdictions.

The coursework specific to IE entails specialized courses in areas such as optimization, applied probability, stochastic modeling, design of experiments, statistical process control, simulation, manufacturing engineering, ergonomics/safety engineering, and engineering economics. Industrial engineering elective courses typically cover more specialized topics in areas such as manufacturing, supply chains and logistics, analytics and machine learning, production systems, human factors and industrial design, and service systems.[23][24][25][26][27][28]

Certain business schools may offer programs with some overlapping relevance to IE, but the engineering programs are distinguished by a much more intensely quantitative focus, required engineering science electives, and the core math and science courses required of all engineering programs.

Graduate curriculum

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2024 U.S. News graduate rankings [29]
University Rank
Georgia Institute of Technology 1
University of Michigan 2
University of California, Berkeley 3
Northwestern University 4
Virginia Tech 5
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 6
Purdue University 6
Stanford University 6
University of Wisconsin, Madison 6
Cornell University 10

The usual graduate degree earned is the master of science (MS), master of science and engineering (MSE) or master of engineering (MEng) in industrial engineering or various alternative related concentration titles.

Typical MS curricula may cover:


See also

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Notable Associations and Professional Organizations

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Notable Universities

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Notable Conferences

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Industrial and Systems Engineering BoK". www.iise.org. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  2. ^ "About IISE". www.iise.org. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "What is Industrial Engineering? | NC State ISE". Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  4. ^ "What ISEs Do". www.iise.org. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c d e Maynard & Zandin. Maynard's Industrial Engineering Handbook. McGraw Hill Professional 5th Edition. June 5, 2001. p. 1.4-1.6
  7. ^ "History of IE". J.B. Speed School of Engineering - University of Louisville. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  8. ^ Terrell, Ellen (July 29, 2024). "Frederick Winslow Taylor and the Birth of Scientific Management | Inside Adams". The Library of Congress. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  9. ^ "Gilbreth, Frank B. (Frank Bunker), 1868-1924 | Archives and Special Collections". archives.lib.purdue.edu. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  10. ^ lssdefinition (October 23, 2019). "Therbligs - Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma Definitions". Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  11. ^ "Industrial Engineering - Definition, Explanation, History, and Programs". April 8, 2012.
  12. ^ "History of Graduate Study at Cornell". Graduate School. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  13. ^ "Henry Gantt | The Engines of Our Ingenuity". engines.egr.uh.edu. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  14. ^ "How Henry Ford's engineering genius drove an industrial revolution". Autodesk. March 27, 2025.
  15. ^ "Ford's assembly line starts rolling | December 1, 1913". HISTORY. November 13, 2009. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  16. ^ "Total Quality Management (TQM): What is TQM? | ASQ". asq.org. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  17. ^ "Transactions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers". New York City : The Society. March 31, 1880 – via Internet Archive.
  18. ^ a b "How Industrial Engineering is Changing the World in 2025". July 31, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  19. ^ Darwish, H; van Dyk, L (2016). "The industrial engineering identity: from historic skills to modern values, duties, and roles". The South African Journal of Industrial Engineering. 27 (3): 50–63. doi:10.7166/27-3-1638. hdl:10394/24043.
  20. ^ "Program: Industrial Engineering, B.S.: 127 units - Cal Poly Pomona - Modern Campus Catalog™". catalog.cpp.edu.
  21. ^ "Why ABET Accreditation Matters". ABET. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  22. ^ "U.S. News & World Report Best Undergraduate Industrial / Manufacturing Programs". 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  23. ^ "ISyE Undergraduate Courses". Georgia Institute of Technology. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  24. ^ "Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IND ENG)". University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  25. ^ "Courses". University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  26. ^ "Courses". Northwestern University. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  27. ^ "ISE Electives". University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  28. ^ "12130001 | Yearbooks 2022 | University of Pretoria". www.up.ac.za. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  29. ^ "U.S. News & World Report Best Industrial Engineering Programs". 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2025.

Further reading

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