Production engineering

About: Production engineering is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2657 publications have been published within this topic receiving 37409 citations.

Developing effective managers

Abstract: With the advent of the single European market and rapidly increasing international competition there has never been a more pressing time in the history of British manufacturing industry for managers to sharpen their skills. The author recently visited the GEC Management College, Dunchurch, to see how one of Britain's leading engineering companies tackles the task of initially educating and then reskilling their own and other companies' engineering managers. >

Process and Product Engineering: Achievements, Present and Future Challenges

Abstract: In this paper, present and future challenges faced by chemical engineers are discussed. To place the development of this discipline in its industrial and social context, a short history of chemical engineering in one of the major global chemical companies (BASF) is given. The ‘scientific part’ of chemical engineering consists in breaking down real complex systems into subsystems, which are then described using our understanding of fundamental chemical and physical processes. The ‘engineering part’ of chemical engineering consists in using this new-found knowledge in the design and construction of a working plant which is capable of producing the desired product, even if our understanding of the single subsystems is today incomplete. From the components that make up our discipline, process engineering has in the last several decades attained a high degree of scientific maturity. Further developments are needed and expected in the improved description of fundamental chemical and physical processes necessary particularly to model reaction systems. The other field, product engineering, is a younger, less mature area where the scientific elucidation of the structure/property relationship at molecular and microscopic levels first needs to be tackled. This knowledge is required to model disperse systems so as to design products and develop appropriate production facilities. Improving the design and evaluation of complex systems for the production of real products will require further research into methodologies, tools and strategies. Firstly, these improvements will enable us to combine various unit operations so as to obtain an optimal overall process within an optimally designed production plant. And secondly, this individual production plant should in turn be optimally integrated into the entire production site. Such procedures must take into account both the requirements of customers as well as environmental concerns. The challenges faced by the chemical engineering community can only be met if two preconditions are fulfilled: both organizations carrying out basic research and R&D departments focused on applied research within companies must be at the cutting edge of technology. And furthermore, they must work even more closely together if we are to meet the challenges described in this paper. It is also essential that young engineers and scientists as part of their education should be integrated into this research effort and become fully committed to it.

Facility layout overview: towards competitive advantage

Abstract: Facility layout is a classical industrial/production engineering problem. Good layout will help any company to improve its business performance. Presents a general overview of the facility layout problem and includes information about approaches to the solution of the problem. Discusses the role of the computer; and the contribution of facility layout to an organization’s competitive advantage. Describes experiences of organizations with facility layout.

Micro-Manufacturing Engineering and Technology

Abstract: This book presents applicable knowledge of technology, equipment and applications, and the core economic issues of micromanufacturing for anyone with a basic understanding of manufacturing, material, or product engineering.