ESE ME Prelims study materials
ESE ME Prelims study resources

ESE ME Prelims: Industrial Engineering

ESE ME Prelims · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

Industrial Engineering

Industrial Engineering

This domain tests work study, inventory control, project management, quality control, and plant layout. The exam expects formula recognition and correct units.

Core rules

  • Economic order quantity: EOQ = √(2DS/H), where D is annual demand, S is ordering cost per order, and H is holding cost per unit per year. Reorder point = demand during lead time + safety stock.
  • Work measurement: standard time = observed time × rating factor × (1 + allowance). Allowances cover personal needs, fatigue, and delay; do not add them to the rating.
  • Project management: CPM is deterministic; PERT uses t_e = (a + 4m + b)/6. Total float = LS − ES = LF − EF; the critical path has zero total float. Crash cost slope = (crash cost − normal cost)/(normal time − crash time).
  • Quality: C_p = (USL − LSL)/(6σ); C_pk = min[(USL − μ), (μ − LSL)]/(3σ). C_pk accounts for centering.

Worked example

Annual demand is 10,000 units, ordering cost is ₹200 per order, and holding cost is ₹10 per unit per year. EOQ = √(2 × 10,000 × 200/10) = √400,000 = 632.5 units. Ordering and holding costs are equal at EOQ: at 632.5 units, the annual ordering cost is about ₹3,163 and the annual holding cost is about ₹3,163, confirming the balance.

Traps

Using monthly demand with an annual holding cost; treating safety stock as cycle stock; confusing free float with total float; adding allowances before applying the rating; and using C_p as if it measured centering.