industrial engineering

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The branch of engineering that is concerned with the production of industrial goods, especially by the design of efficient plants and procedures and the management of materials, energy, and labor.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun the branch of engineering that deals with the creation and management of systems that integrate people and materials and energy in productive ways