Industrial technology
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Industrial technology is a field of study designed to prepare technical and/or management oriented professionals for employment in business, industry, education, and government. Industrial technology is primarily involved with the management, operation, and maintenance of complex technological systems, whereas engineering and engineering technology are primarily involved with the design and installation of these systems. Many two- and four-year colleges offer degrees in this field, often in electronics, safety, construction, computer systems, manufacturing, CAD/CAM, vehicle design, and graphics[1].
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[edit] Accreditation and Certification
The National Association of Industrial Technology, NAIT, accredits selected collegiate programs in Industrial Technology. Additionally, an instructor or graduate of an Industrial Technology program may choose to become a Certified Industrial Technologist by sitting for a rigorous exam administered by NAIT and covering essential topics in the field.
The NAIT accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and holds the same acknowledgement that is given to the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET). CHEA recognizes NAIT and ABET as independent fields which are equal in academic stature but have different objectives in focus and career intentions. It is fitting to conclude that an Industrial Technologist is equal in intellectual distinction to that of an engineer because of the classification of the CHEA acknowledgement.
[edit] Knowledge Base
Industrial Technology includes wide-ranging subject matter and could be viewed as an amalgamation of industrial engineering and business topics with a focus on practicality and management of technical systems with less focus on actual engineering of those systems.
Typical curriculum at a four-year university might include courses on manufacturing process, technology and impact on society, mechanical and electronic systems, quality assurance and control, materials science, packaging, production and operations management, and manufacturing facility planning and design. In addition, the Industrial Technologist may have exposure to more vocational-style education in the form of courses on CNC manufacturing, welding, and other tools-of-the-trade in manufacturing. This differentiates the field of Industrial Technology from other engineering and business disciplines. Graduates of Industrial Technology programs are seen as moderators between engineers, top management and production-line workers.
[edit] Technological development in industry
A major subject of study is technological development in industry. This has been defined as:
- the introduction of new tools and techniques for performing given tasks in production, distribution, data processing (etc.);
- the mechanization of the production process, or the achievement of a state of greater autonomy of technical production systems from human control, responsibility, or intervention;
- changes in the nature and level of integration of technical production systems, or enhanced interdependence;
- the development, utilization, and application of new scientific ideas, concepts, and information in production and other processes; and
- enhancement of technical performance capabilities, or increase in the efficiency of tools, equipment, and techniques in performing given tasks.
Studies in this area often employ a multi-disciplinary research methodology and shade off into the wider analysis of business and economic growth (development, performance). The studies are often based on a mixture of industrial field research and desk-based data analysis and aim to be of interest and use to practitioners in business management and investment (etc.) as well as academics. In engineering, construction, textiles, food and drugs, chemicals and petroleum, and other industries the focus has been not just on the nature and factors facilitating and hampering the introduction and utilization of new technologies but also on the impact of new technologies on the production organization (etc.) of firms and various social and other wider aspects of the technological development process.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ National Association of Industrial Technology
- ^ Abbott, Lewis F. Technological Development in Industry: A Business-Economic Survey and Analysis, Industrial Systems Research Publications, Manchester UK, revised second edition 2003, page 1. ISBN 978-0-906321-29-4.[1]
- ^ Technological Development In Industry: A Business-Economic Survey and Analysis, op. cit.
