Industrial vs Mechanical Engineering: Key Differences

Are you an engineering aspirant needing clarification about choosing industrial engineering vs mechanical engineering? Well, it’s common to get entangled in the fear of making the wrong choice and closing potential doors of opportunities. But let me tell you that both fields have their own perks and opportunities. You have to explore what suits your academic and career interests. Let’s examine both fields in depth so you can conveniently decide which field is best for you.

Industrial engineering is a sector of the engineering field that directly deals with industrial processes’ efficiency. Industrial engineers are responsible for the design, analysis, and product quality control within the industrial field. They maintain the project quality and ensure that the whole process of an industrial project proceeds seamlessly. We can say that they are involved in the management process. Due to their direct involvement in quality assurance and management, many industrial engineers prefer to specialize in various subcategories such as product safety, supply chain management, and engineering management.

Mechanical Engineering Overview

Mechanical engineering is a sector of the engineering field that deals with technological solutions. Mechanical engineers are responsible for handling mechanical parts, machines, or moving objects. They design new ideas for machinery systems, work on mechanical components, assemble them, and create new machines such as refrigerators, HVAC systems, and robots. These skilled professionals work in various sub-fields such as computer, electronics, robotics, aerospace, energy conservations, biotechnical and nuclear engineering, and many more. In short, they provide technical solutions for various industries, such as health care, energy transportation, and environmental protection.

Overview Summary

A mechanical engineer is experienced in dealing with electrical and technical components in an industry but needs to learn about the general industrial process. An industrial engineer manages a project’s quality and seamless workflow and is the best candidate for the industry’s production and management department.

What is Industrial Engineering?

Industrial Engineers are responsible for the design, analysis and control of the production and operations industry. In short, they are running the system. However, their area of expertise lies within the management of production and they tackle the technical shortcomes of production.

List of tasks they are responsible for

• They design the unit operations and control the production.
• Their job is Service system analysis and error detection, if any.
• They ensure the efficiency of physical, economic and human components.
• They are the part of production planning and control.
• Manage the inventory, warehouse equipment and materials.
• They are experts of plant layout and workstation designs.

Scope of Industrial Engineering

• Designing of plant layouts including machinery, inventory, equipment and storage facilities.
• Job installations
• Time management and production management
• Evaluation of performance and job, records of incentives and bonuses
• Mathematical and Analytical analysis of organizational methods

What does an Industrial Engineer do?

Generally Industrial Engineers responsible for different tasks at the production site. Most of their work is related to output, cost and labor. They also look after the site area and warehouses.

1. Invent New system and Equipment in the Industry

Industrial Engineers carefully analyze the production site to see if there is any improvement that can bring the change in cost and production of the company.
Then they go through those analyses to decide what type of innovation is required in the company. This can include designing and development of new production lines, manufacturing processes and layouts for industrial work.

2. Monitor the work force and resource utilization

Monitoring the workforce for their capabilities and dealing with them accordingly is another one of their tasks. At the production site it is the industrial engineer’s performance report that decides the incentives bonuses for the workers. Furthermore, the resource utilization management and regular reporting is the responsibility of the production site.

3. Finding ways to improve production.

Their expertise on technical tools and softwares enable them to enhance production rate. They know ways to assign duties, machines and their exact use, timings and cost for a specific product. They plan everything accordingly to get the maximum output.

4. Feasibility Analysis

They analyze the potential viability of new projects and see if there is any risk in taking that project. They also present the reports of changes that are required to bring in order to fulfill the task. Furthermore, the risk of bringing changes in process and workforce requirements.

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Application and principle of problem solving techniques that invloves more and movement. A combination of machines, mathematics, designs and material sciences and physics. Moreover, Usually, they design and manufacture mechanical systems. There area is environmental, mechanical and material based issues. They design equipment like medical tools, robots, car engines and many more. Now you can see there is a certain difference between Industrial Engineers and Mechanical Engineers.

List of tasks they are responsible for

1. Responsible for product development life cycle.
2. Designing of systems that meet requirements.
3. Conduct tests on design outlines and analyze the data and drive results from the product designs.
4. If any issue in the design, apply modifications according to the needs.
5. Reporting on machines, equipment and their cost, involved in budget planning.

Scope of Mechanical Engineering

Robotics
Mechanical Engineers work in different sectors of robotics, which is a combination of electrical engineering and Computer engineering. They usually design and develop the robot system. They also develop computer systems to control the robots. Well their scope is bright because the demand for robots is increasing because of the AI revolution.
Mechatronics
The designing and development of complex engineering systems. Medical equipment, automobiles and other machines that make life easier.

What does a Mechanical Engineer do?

The working of mechanical engineers is different according to the sector they are working in. Their qualification enables them to fill the different places in the industry.

Manufacturing Engineers

They are mostly related to the designing and manufacturing of the products. These products include all types of manufacturing from food to home appliances.

Processes Engineers

Observe the working, efficiency and safety of a process. They mostly work in power and water supply management industries. Moreover, they work in different food and pharmaceutical industries and tackle the process of drug formations.

Robotics Engineers

Collaborating their part in AI innovations. They deal with robotics when the product is in the manufacturing phase. They check the estimated qualities and facilities that are being expected from the robot in the real world. Either the product is efficient enough to work properly or not. They report to the electrical and Computer engineers during the manufacturing phases.

Automotive Engineers

Hands on working on production of vehicles and automobiles is involved in this field. They usually work in vehicle construction companies or with the military as Heavy vehicle manufacturers.

Construction Engineers

Manufacturing of heating, cooling and ventilation systems to make sure they save construction for living. They have efficient knowledge of how a building and home operates. Moreover, they are responsible for intense security installations in the buildings.

Industrial VS Mechanical Engineering

The main difference between industrial and mechanical engineering is that industrial engineers are more focused on production management and control. However, mechanical engineers are responsible for the designing and manufacturing of the machines such as engines. Moreover the mechanical engineers are responsible for repair and replacements of the mechanical equipment. Mechanical engineering is a more broad field than industrial engineering, it consists of a combination of math, physics, designs, Information Technology and Electrical Engineering.

Overlap and Collaboration:

Work on same basic principles:

Both work on the same principles of physics as thermodynamics, materials and mechanics. Moreover, both use Computer-Aided Tools for their work.

Problem Solving Approach

Both fields require an on site problem solving approach during the process. Because, people related to these fields work on manufacturing sites, that’s why complex problems can occur while working, so they have to be active to tackle those problems to avoid delay in production.

Improvements and optimization of production

Generally it is the duty of industrial engineering to improve production, however mechanical engineers also bring improvements in the manufacturing phase to develop efficient product results at the end.

Project Management

It is the speciality of both engineers to know how to manage a project. They have the grip on documentations and easily detect the risk of the projects if any.

Industrial Engineering Curriculum

The industrial engineering curriculum is different in all US universities. However, the core knowledge focuses on business and data analysis, production management or product design, facilities planning and layout, engineering economic analysis, system engineering, and quality control.

Mechanical Engineering Curriculum

The curriculum The curriculum for mechanical engineering varies from country to country or university to university. However, the core knowledge and main focusing concepts are the same worldwide:s, thermodynamics, hydraulic systems, and many energy components.

Summary

Mechanical engineering requires a sound knowledge and interest in the technical field, while to pursue industrial engineering, you must have strong management and planning skills.

Career Opportunities

Engineering aspirants are concerned about career opportunities when deciding on a graduation degree. They are worried about knowing that they will help them be self-sufficient and self-independent in the future. So, I will discuss the career opportunities in Detail.

Industrial Engineering Career Opportunities

Industrial engineers can work in various subcategories, but here, I will discuss only those who are more famous, in demand, and earn good salaries. So, let’s start.

Industrial Engineer

The main duties of industrial engineers are to work with manufacturing and mechanical engineers, ensuring the project’s workflow with minimal waste. Because has unique engineering and management skills, they efficiently manage machinery production staff management. The average salary of an industrial engineer is $80,816/annum.

Sales Engineers

These engineers dedicate their time to the company’scompany’s sales department. They prepare reports containing all the information about the project (technical, operational, management) and present them to clients. The average salary of sales engineers in the US is $89.628/annum.

Manufacturing Engineer

These engineers are a bridge between the production and management departments.They closely work on computers, networks, and machinery to maintain the quality of the products and workflow of the project from start to end. Manufacturing engineers collaborate with the company’scompany’s mechanical engineers and prime industrial engineers. The average salary is $84,454/annum.

Process Engineer

These engineers are responsible for keeping a keen eye on the overall process of product manufacturing in the company. From product design to product delivery, they review the designs, materials, equipment, quality, and management and improve the process with their knowledge, ideas, and suggestions. The salaries for the process are $88,975/annum.

Engineering Manager

As the name suggests, they oversee the engineering department, which involves checking the designs, manufacturing, quality assurance, dealing with the repiRepairingcess, and the process, quality of equipment,t, m, and products. In short, they supervise the entire company engineering team. The average salary is $120,818/annum.

Mechanical Engineer Career Opportunities

Mechanical Engineers also have many opportunities to explore. Let’s discuss the main subfield categories of mechanical engineering.

Mechanical Designer

Mechanical designers are responsible for overseeing the whole process of product manufacturing, from designing to developing and testing products. The average salary of a mechanical designer is $79,018/annum.

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical engineers develop various projects, such as gas turbines, electrical generators, HVAC systems, and air conditioners. The average salary of a mechanical engineer is $89,424/annum.

Equipment Engineers

These engineers are responsible for the machinery equipment’s design, evaluation, inspection, and improvement. Not only this, but they also overlook repairing the old equipment. The average salary of these engineers is $97,261/annum.

Aeronautical Engineers

They design flight mechanics and work on aerodynamics and thermodynamics to develop the latest aircraft that efficiently work in modern air flights. The average salary is $103,595/annum.

Mechanical Engineer vs Industrial Engineer: Career Overview

Both engineering fields offer several opportunities and a good range of salaries. One thing to remember is that mechanical engineering subfields can only be joined by candidates who have specialization in the field, but industrial engineering subfields can be joined by manufacturing engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or general engineering specialists.

Similarities Between Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering

• Both fields require an on-site problem-solving approach during the process. People related to these fields work on manufacturing sites, and complex problems can occur while working. They have to be active in tackling those problems to avoid production delays.
• Both engineers are responsible for improving projects. Mechanical engineers enhance product efficiency, while industrial engineers improve the project’s overall efficiency.

Scope of the Industrial and Mechanical Engineering

Scope Overview

Both fields will have endless opportunities in the coming future. You can not stand one above the other.

Industrial or mechanical engineering: Which has the most scope range,? Let’s clarify.

Scope of Industrial Engineering

The field of industrial engineering is continuously evolving. These engineer’s skills help them achieve their goals by working in various sectors. They are considered an integral part of society’s reshaping. It is estimated that the demand for industrial engineers will rise to 10 percent by 2029, which means more job opportunities will be available.

Scope of Mechanical Engineering

The field of mechanical engineering has a bright future and endless opportunities. As the world modernizes daily and technological devices replace traditional gadgets, the rise of mechanical engineering jobs has created. The new trends of AI, robotics, and 3D technology have a sparking future ahead.

Process of Becoming a Mechanical/Industrial Engineer

The process of becoming a mechanical and industrial engineer is the same. Let’s discuss the process:

• The first and foremost step is to discover your personality and explore your interests. Are you good in subjects related to industrial engineering or mechanical engineering?
• After that, take admissions in the graduation (four years) industrial/mechanical engineering degree.
• After graduation, you can work as an intern in a firm under the supervision of experienced engineers, improve your skills, and gain practical experience.
• After that, improve your resume by implementing the latest experience, skills, and learnings.
• Apply for the job or serve as a freelance engineer.

Challenges of Becoming Industrial And Mechanical Engineers

Mechanical and industrial engineers face many challenges to achieve their goals. Let’s discuss them in Detail.

Strong Educational Skills

Both fields require a strong understanding of science, physics, and computer science. Therefore, if you want to pursue a career in either, you must be an all-rounder and have a good educational understanding of all subjects.

Problem-Solving Skills

Mechanical engineers have to deal with equipment problems, and industrial engineers have to find solutions for overall project management. Both fields require strong problem-solving skills.

Complexed Labs

Both fields have combined labs with actual world project assignments. So, you must study hard to get good grades and complete the tasks and lab work on time.

Getting Engineering Certification

After graduation, you must get a professional engineering certificate (PE). This requires a lot of effort and experience through internships.

Competitive Environment

Both fields have a highly competitive environment. So, you have to work hard to get internships and jobs and make your name in the industry.

Maintaining Work-Life Balance

After securing a good engineering firm job, you must work on many projects. So, you have to balance your professional and personal life.

Benefits of Becoming Mechanical/Industrial Engineers

Although mechanical and industrial engineers have to work hard and face many challenges to achieve their goals, their efforts and struggles are worth it. The following are the perks of becoming a mechanical/industrial engineer.

High Salaries

The average salaries of Mechanical engineers are market competitive, and they can maintain a good lifestyle.

Proud Citizens

Both mechanical and industrial engineers play a positive role in the development of society, so they feel proud to contribute to this effort.

Conclusion

Both Industrial Engineering and Mechanical engineering have their perks. Both fields require standard science, physics, math, and computer knowledge and open diverse career paths. You can choose anyone according to your interests.

I have prepared a concluded comparison paragraph for easy understanding.

Factors	Industrial Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Educational Skills	Physics, math, CS	CS, technology, physics, math
Program Duration	4 years	4 years
Career Opportunities	Industrial, sales, manufacturing, process engineering	Aeronautical Engineers, mechanical engineer, design engineer, equipment Engineer
Salary	80,816$- 120,818$ per annum	79,018$- 103,595$ per annum
Challenges	Work-life balance, hard uni life, real world projects and assignments, labs	Work-life balance, hard uni life, real world projects and assignments, labs
Benefits	Competitive salary and good life style	Competitive salary and good life style

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