The April, 2007, issue of Industrial Engineer, the monthly magazine of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, has a brief article by Kazuo Takeda in its Ask the Expert feature. The article answers a question about the major differences between industrial engineering (IE) and mechanical engineering (ME). Takeda's answer hits all of the stereotypes of both fields: "the main difference has to do with math versus presentation and communication skills." ME is presented as a math-oriented field ("MEs take math very seriously"), and IE is the more holistic field that requires soft skills ("IEs must be able to understand a problem, identify a process, quantify the options, and present a recommendation.") Moreover, ME is a poor career choice (their focus on a specific area "can limit their careers") while "IEs' are often called into project leadership, supervisory positions, management, and executive roles."
This is really discouraging, and it insults both fields. First by implying that MEs are not well-rounded, which doesn't describe our graduates; second, by implying the IEs aren't as mathematically sophisticated as MEs, which is simply untrue. As one who has a degree in industrial engineering and has taught mechanical engineering for 12 years, I'd like to offer my own answer.
All engineers design things. MEs design mechanical components and systems, based on their knowledge of physical phenomena and using mathematics related to continuous variable dynamic systems. IEs design manufacturing systems, for which I use Hopp and Spearman's broad definition: "an objective-oriented network of processes through which entities flow." This includes everything from factories to banks to hospitals. IEs use mathematics related to discrete event systems. Both have to listen to the customer, define requirements, generate and evaluate solutions, select the best one, verify that it will work, and present their results. The major differences are the types of problems and the type of mathematics and analysis tools used. There are few industries that don't employ both MEs and IEs. Either one can be the start of a successful career in management, if that is what one wants to do.
3 comments:
According to me the speciality of industrial engineers is their knowledge of abilities and disabilities of humans at work. A fully automated factory can be designed by mechanical engineers alone.
A factory which employs people is better designed by industrial engineers. But industrial engineers designing work systems in engineering industries are also mechanical engineers basically and they acquire the design skills and production skills along with mechanical engineers. In an undergraduate program, they may not study many subjects relating to understanding machinery. In stead they study subjects dealing with human factors and design and improvement of man-machine systems.
I agree with the statement that mathematics is not the issue that differentiates industrial engineers and mechanical engineers.
KVSSNRao
www.kvssnrao.blogspot.com
I have to admit, I fell into the stereotypes as an undergraduate, and places like Tech don't help where IE is seen as a last-chance E for those who can't handle ME or AE.
But as I get older and become more big-picture oriented, my respect for IE has grown immensely, and I've seen a lot of ME/AE types who flounder when they can't get their head around systems-level engineering, which IEs seem to know much more instinctively.
And in the Air Force at least, it's the ones who can think at the systems level who advance.
I have come to this post once again. In the last one month I came out with a curriculum for Industrial Engineering that has more emphasis on human sciences. I also came out with an idea of Handbook of Industrial Engineering with an emphasis on Human sciences and design of complete work systems from scratch. I posted the proposed contents in www.nrao-ie-handbook.blogspot.com. I invite articles from research scholars, faculty and practioners for including in this handbook blog.
KVSSNrao
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