Would it be good to study a bachelor of Industrial Eng. then a Master of automation and robotics ?

[koe1234]

Hi,
Since I have a good background knowledge in electrical systems, I feel that, even if I'm actually studying Industrial Engineering, I can follow up a Master of automation and robotics or something completely technical.
But do you thing that an industrial engineer would be fine to have studied industrial engineering first and then moved to something completely technical ?
Thanks in advance.

 

[MikeHalloran]

The way I see it, the BSEE equips you to deal with problems _within_ automation and robotics, whereas the BSIE equips you to deal with the process flows that you will be trying to automate or streamline. So, one equips you to _build_ automation, and the other equips you to _apply_ it.

... but I _am_ guessing, and I don't know you or your capabilities.


Some people, particularly PhD EEs, think that an EE degree equips you to do absolutely anything, because it's so intensive in math that is also used in other disciplines. As an ME, I'd have to say that an EE who thinks that way can get in a _lot_ of trouble masquerading as an ME.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[koe1234]

Thank you for the answer, but I need to know something : I always notice that IEs always go
for an MBA or a Master that has to do with Management in general. For me, I want to keep up
with the technical stuff and would like to study a Master of Robotics, Automotive ... something technical.
Do you think that I would have a great profile having done IE and then moved to stuff that MEs or EEs do?

 

[tygerdawg]

Mike makes a good point. I'll add to it.

I don't intend to be in any way disparaging to IE's. IE is certainly a valid branch of engineering and can be applied to many areas with great success. Rightly or wrongly, I have many times describes IE's as "Industrial Accountants" in that their training is in determining optimal solutions to operations problems through data analysis. The skills needed for robotics & automation just aren't in the typical IE curriculum.

My background was ME (with interest in automation/robotics/controls) and I picked up one of those multi-disciplinary MfgE master's degrees that was in vogue in the 80's. That program gave me additional training in ME, IE, EE, CS, & business topics. I've been doing manufacturing engineering / automation / robotics ever since.

The ME/EE conflict regarding automation is real, especially with regards to robotics. IMHO industry wrongly focuses on EE's for robotics because they are the default candidates for the Controls Engineer positions. Many, many times I've had to clean up train wrecks caused be well-intentioned EE's who were stronger in EE skills (circuits, signals, elect design) than ME skills (inertias, dynamics issues, mechanical design, strength, vibrations) when it came to robotics project implementations.

The total package requires all the pieces of the puzzle.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[koe1234]

Then, if I'm really interested to EE, do I have to study a master or two that EEs do in order to "recover"?

 

[MikeHalloran]

If you want to be an EE you should be studying EE, not IE.

To answer your latter question, an MBA should teach you to work within a political system. Politics is the process by which other people's money is spent.

With an MBA or other business cert, you'd likely be engaged in implementing stuff that other people thought up, not thinking stuff up yourself.

With a strictly technical degree, you'd be thinking stuff up, and wondering where they get the MBAs who so thoroughly screw up the execution thereof.

Note carefully that MBA holders are closer to the money streams, so are in a position to grab more of that money for themselves. You will come to appreciate this insight more as you age.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[koe1234]

"If you want to be an EE you should be studying EE, not IE."

Yes, but for me I've been studying stuff that EEs study "long ago" before doing the IE. "Assuming" that I have this capacity to fully understand what is taught in a strictly technical Master that relates to EE, can I my profile become similar to one of an EE thanks to this Master ?


Student Industrial Engineer

 

[MikeHalloran]

"Yes, but for me I've been studying stuff that EEs study "long ago...."

We get a fair number of electricians in here who think that.
I have no way to assess your actual capabilities.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA