INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH PAPER

An Analysis of The Function of Industrial Engineering in Equipment

Manufacturing Industry

Abstract: Industrial engineering is a subject dealing with the optimization of processes or systems. The equipment manufacturing industry is the core of manufacturing. Its development influences the comprehensive competitiveness of a country. This article analyses the current status of equipment manufacturing industry of China and points out its problems. At the same time, the article combines the practical situation of the enterprise that the author works in,

discussing how to apply industrial engineering to optimize the layout of plant, the  rrangement of equipment, the productivity and the economy of man-hour. The application

of industrial engineering in the enterprise makes delightful progress.

Keyword_ __ Economy, equipment fixation, equipment manufacturing industry, industrial engineering, man-hour measurement, productivity

I. INTRODUCTION

Industrial Engineering is a subject about designing, improving and setting up the integrated system consisting of personnel, materials, equipment, energy and information. It verifies, calculates and evaluates the outcomes of the integrated system by systematically using

the knowledge of math, physics and social science and the principle of engineering analysis. Industrial engineering is typically used in the equipment manufacturing industry. The production activity of the equipment manufacturing industry includes management and techniques: On one hand, it studies the techniques and equipment about processing materials; On the other hand, it controls and manages the integrated system. The equipment manufacturing industry can be of competitiveness by combining the techniques and management to improve working efficiency and productivity, to lower the cost and to achieve lean management.

II. THE STATUS OF THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Equipment manufacturing industry is the core of manufacturing. It offers the equipment for every field of national economy and the national defense construction. Its level not only determines the competitiveness of other fields, but also the quality and effectiveness of the wholenational economy (Hong-yan Yao, 2006, Dan Tian, 2008). A nation with a shortage of natural resources but a powerful equipment manufacturing industry can still be in a superior status in the international competiveness. But a developing country without the supporting of a powerful equipment manufacturing industry can only sell its natural resources in a low price. Modernization and national competitiveness cannot be bought by money. We can be

independent only by mastering the important equipment techniques which can influence the national safety and enhance the one-piece competitiveness of the industry. The development of the modern economy indicates that equipment manufacturing industry plays the leading role in industrialization and modernization and its level represents the comprehensive strength of a country or region. 

III. THE STATUS OF THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN CHINA

The rapid development of our economy since the reform and opening-up depends to a large degree on the huge input of resources and energy, marked by high pollution, high expending and low benefit. Our GDP is 4% of the world’s total but we consume 50% of cement and

30% of steel products of the world. The low level of the equipment manufacturing industry is the dominant results of such extensive growth. It is shown by the following aspects.

A. The important techniques and equipment come mainly from import. At present, 100% of optical fiber manufacturing equipment, 80% of integrated circuit manufacturing equipment and 70% of digital control machine-tool depend on import. The number of homemade major equipment is less than 50%. The equipment manufacturing and its competitive ability in China are lagged behind the global advanced level. The equipment manufacturing industry in the country faces the challenge from the imported equipment.

B. The numerical controls system, the engine and the pivotal components become the evident weaknesses. The numerical controls system is the nervous system of the equipment. The lagged electronic component and software technique severely limit the automation level of the equipment. Take the machine tool manufacturing industry as an example. In this industry the control system mainly depends on import. Although above 95% of the weight is made by us, the value of them only takes up 10% of the total value. The poor technique directly limits the development of aircraft industry, shipbuilding industry and automotive industry. The poor level of critical and basic components is the bottleneck of the development of equipment manufacturing industry

C. The ability of independent innovation is weak. Because our self-development capacity is weak and we lack the core technique with independent intellectual property rights, we rely heavily on introducing technology from abroad. But we can hardly jump out of the strange

circle---- introducing technology from abroad, falling behind, and introducing technology from abroad again. Now the contribution rate of new products in mechanical industry is only about 5.9%, which is only 10% of the highly developed countries’. The life circle of the new

mechanical products of a country with a developed engineering industry is about three to five years, but ours is ten years. Moreover, we lack the products with well-known brands, with independent intellectual property rights and with high international competitiveness.

D. Lack a contractor with the comprehensive function. After rescinding the administration department of the equipment manufacturing industry, there is no administrative coordination. But a contractor with the comprehensive ability hasn’t formed. The research institutes, designing institutes and manufacturing enterprises are mutually independent. Until now, no

enterprise can offer systematical services like GE, IBM or SIEMENS. An inevitable result is that the original comprehensive equipment system is broken down by multinational corporation.

E. The equipment manufacturing industry cluster is relatively under-developed. Cluster means the economic connection based on one or several specific industry

(Shi-jie Li, 2005).If we calculate the degree of centralization of the mechanical industry based on the share of market, the result is 58.4% in USA, 53.4% in Japan but 7.5% in China, indicating that the equipment manufacturing in China hasn’t formed a cluster. Compared with the highly developed cluster in other countries, there is a gap in the aspects such as power

structure, horizontal relationship, vertical dimension, external relationship and the ability of technical renovation.

  

IV. THE APPLICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING IN EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIAL

Our enterprise is a state-owned enterprise with a history of several decades, located in the middle of China where the economy lacks prosperity. It has the problems other enterprises in the same trade faced with. An enterprise needs to turn from an extensive management

model which seeks speed and output to a scientific management model that focuses on efficiency, quality and service. It needs to reduce pollution and save resources by applying industrial engineering in order to develop.

A. Fixation Management

Fixation management is a scientific method to analyze the relation among personnel, articles and sites in the field of production and then optimize the relationship (Liang Qi, 2006).

1. The Work Flow of Fixation Management

2. Implement and Assessment

1) The Criterion for the Fixation of Shop

a) Have the customized graph designed following the standard for branch factories/ shops.

b) Use marks with different colors to distinguish producing sites, ways, toolboxes, store regions and so on. The information should be obvious and the labels should be clear.

c) Fix the responsibility region of shops, workshop sections and teams. Set up the information plates and clearly define the responsibility of relative staffs.

d) Fix the inflammable substance, explosive and fire fighting device according to the company’s rule. Arrange the responsible person and evident warning board. There should be measures to deal with the emergencies and telephone number.

e) Fix the store of semi-manufactured goods, equipment uninstalled and materials for repairing. Reduce the store as much as possible.

f) Fix the place for recycling the rubbish and waster products and classify them.

g) Clear away the stuff unrelated with the region.

2) The Criterion for the Fixation of Working Procedure, Station and the Position of Machine

a) The fixation should be efficient and reasonable.

b) Place the technological documentation and drawing frame orderly.

c) Place the small tools like measuring tool and meter on them by standard.

d) Fix the number and method of semi-manufactured goods and appliances by standard

3) The Fixation of Storeroom

a) Design the storeroom in a three-dimensional way. A comprehensive customized graph is needed.

b) Introduce information management system. Achieve management by synchronization among storing, storeroom and each branch factories.

c) Set the goal of zero stock on the premise of satisfying the turnover of materials.

d) Take stock periodically. Speed up the rate of turnover. Minimize the cycle of turnover.

4) Inspection and Assessment

We need to continually keep improving and assessing. The index is the rate of fixation.

Table I is about the result of the rate of fixation in a shop making couplers; its calculation formula is asfollows:

k =A/B  ×100%

Where

K represents the rate of fixation; A represents the species and number of articles actually fixed; B represents the species and number of articles based on fixation chart. B. Put up Productivity Efficiently

            The purpose of Industrial engineering is to pursue a better efficiency and productivity. In order to achieve the purpose of an enterprise, we need to analyse and quantify each link and the whole system of the production using industrial engineering.

1)      The Management Model of Productivity

The management of productivity is also one way of modern management, just like quality control. It is an index to measure the operation condition. It is a procedure

to design, measure, assess, control and improve a production system.

2)       The Influential Factors of Productivity and The Method for Improving

            The macroscopic condition of a country and the microscopic condition of an enterprise can both influence the productivity. We can analyze the factors from the aspects of manpower, machinery, material, method, and mother-nature. And then take the corresponding measures.

C.  The Date Envelopment Analysis of Labour-hour

            After equipment fixation, product designing and process flow redesigning, we need to manage the operating steps by standard to shorten hours. This industry uses piece-work-wage, so the economy of labour-hour which can also enhance the productivity is important and is the basis for quota.

V. CONCLUSION

The equipment manufactory industry offers the equipment for every industry of the national economy. It has a wide influence. Its level not only determines the competitiveness of every industry but also the future profit. Using the method of industrial engineering to reform the

equipment manufacturing industry is the basic way to upgrade the structure of industry and improve the ability of competitiveness. 

REFERENCES

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