Manufacturing Process Improvements - Ignored by Industrial Engineers?

Industrial engineering focused on manufacturing processes as well as planning and control systems right from the Taylor's days.

But in the recent days, manufacturing processes were ignored and more attention was given to postions and profiles in direct management jobs in IE programs.

There is a need to refocus on application of IE techniques in manufacturing processes and also on improving planning and control processes in the area of efficiency. The emphasis by IE has to be on improving the processes rather than on managing the planning and control processes.

It is a fact that Industrial engineering emerged out of managerial activities of engineers but as it has evolved it became a staff service that focuses on efficiency improvement of systems with the involvement of operating managers, supervisors and operators.

I am collecting information related to design and production of crankshafts to develop the topic as a basis for introducing various industrial engineering techniques in the subject Introduction to Industrial Engineering.

http://knol.google.com/k/narayana-rao-k-v-s-s/crank-shaft-machining-for-reference-in/2utb2lsm2k7a/2319#

Any suggestions for further references are welcome