Relationship between Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering - Speech or Presentation Example

A problem arises when a role is at the middle of the overlap of the two disciplines making it difficult to make a correct term of defining the job. This together with continuous improvement in engineering, production, and increase in company size, calls for use of more descriptive terms. This is because there is a shift of focus on an individual which necessitates the use of concise terms.
A manufacturing engineer role rotates around reporting production data to management and working together with the supervisors. They are only concerned about the day-to-day activities where the industrial focus is on the long-term ones. An industrial engineer on the other hand is connected to the continuous process associated with unstructured products contrary to the production of distinct products with a specific shape. If the company produces goods in bulk then manufacturing engineer is the most appropriate term to use. Nevertheless one should not confuse industrial engineering with industrial design. Unlike Industrial engineering industrial designers require more artistic and human skills.
Industrial engineering is a branch that is involved in myriad activities. This includes designing, developing, and implementing systems of machines, humans, and information to provide services and goods to consumers. Engineers in this field have specialized skills and expertise in management science, IT, manufacturing processes research in operations, automation, and production. Manufacturing engineering on the other hand deals with the designing of the physical pieces, technology, and production processes. There is an overwrap in function between these two branches of engineering with industrial engineering being a broader field compared to the other. This, therefore, implies that engineers from these fields sometimes share functions and one can work in the place of the other. Industrial engineering is a broad branch dealing with many factors most of which come from the manufacturing department. This includes analysis of work method, work evaluation, the establishment of performance standards, job improvement. Manufacturing engineers deal within a limited field that involves the technical part of production whereas industrial engineering incorporates people in designing. To effectively do this, industrial engineers have to understand physiological, physical, and psychological factors that affect persons and groups in performance. They have to come up with the best management systems that bring out the best from the workers by promoting teamwork and properly motivating them (Zhou, 2010). They are therefore required to have adequate information in management and human cognitive science. In hiring new workers, they have the role of determining the human resource and skills needed by the company. They have the responsibility of planning training programs, establishing performance standards, and evaluating salaries and incentive programs. They also carry out investigations aimed at improving industrial health and eliminating fire and other hazards that may face workers. They also investigate facilities to ensure that they are safe for use. They do this by supervising technicians, analysts, administrative staff, technologists, and other engineers.