BTEC National, Engineering Unit 1 Business Systems for Technicians Lecture 3, Engineering Functions
Engineering Functions Overall view of the departments & their functions within an engineering company • Management • Planning • Control
Management • Leadership & direction – Visible leadership – Motivation – Considerate
• Allocation & supervision of work – Ensure all departments & people work together effectively – Co-ordinate work
Finance & Accounting • Finance Director – Manage cash flow – Short & long term investments – Supervision of accounts & budgets
• Financial Accountant – Records financial transactions – Double entry accounts & balance sheets
• Management accountant – Admin of budgets & costings
Finance & Accounting • Cashier – Bank & cash transactions
• Credit Controller – Authorises credits – Preventing bad debts
Marketing • • • • •
Market research Monitoring trends Tracking competitors Product promotion Sales forecasts
Marketing • Sales – – – – –
Advertising Sales Technical support After sales & servicing Customer records
• Distribution – Wholesale – Retail – Industrial
Research & Development • Driven by: – Marketing – Technology – Co-ordinated
• Product Development – – – – – –
Ideas Selection Preliminary design Prototype Test Design modification
Manufacturing Operations Process & Facilities Planning • Line Flow – Continuous – Expensive set up – Committed to technology
• Intermittent Flow (Batch, Job Shop) – Batches produced – Increased WIP – Skilled operators
• Project Based – One off production – High level of control & supervision
Manufacturing Operations Capacity Planning • Delivery dates • Smooth work loading • Production start times
Inventory Control • Minimise stock, minimise costs
Workforce Management • • • •
Work & method study Work measurement Job design Health & Safety
Quality Control • Quality is fitness for purpose – Design quality • Does the design meet the customers needs
– Conformance quality • Does the product match the design spec
– Reliability • MTBF
– Service/ maintenance • Ease of, or reduced maintenance • Warranty