Overview:

Improve your odds of passing the most important test of your career with this popular review course. Licensure for professional engineers opens the door to a world of opportunity and career development. But first you must pass two exams: the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and the PE exam. The course instructors will cover all major elements of the PE exam, refreshing your knowledge of IE topics, terminology and formulas; working through practice problems; and identifying areas you need to focus on during your exam prep.

The course reviews the key concepts from the industrial engineering body of knowledge as well as presenting sample exam questions. Since the exam changes from year to year there is no guarantee that all possible example questions will be covered. 

Participants in the review course will receive a specially developed set of review notes available only to registrants for the class.

PE Exam Study Guide

Click here to download the order form for the IISE PE Exam Study Guide.

The PE exam is now computer based. NCEES has provided the following information regarding the testing format.

CBT exams include traditional multiple-choice questions as well as alternative item types (AITs). AITs provide opportunities to assess the technical knowledge of examinees using methods not available through paper-based testing. AITs include but are not limited to the following:

• Multiple correct—allow examinees to select multiple answers
• Point and click—require examinees to click on part of a graphic to answer
• Drag and drop—require examinees to click on and drag items to match, sort, rank, or label
• Fill in the blank—provide a space for examinees to enter a response to the question

All questions, including AITs, are scored as either correct or incorrect. There is no partial credit.

AITs are incorporated into the practice exams for CBT exams. You can also review the general format of AITs in the Pearson VUE computer-based testing demo.

NCEES currently has a set of practice FE exam questions available for purchase at: https://account.ncees.org/exam-prep/

Testimonial

"I wanted to inform you that I passed the industrial engineering-specific PE exam in October! We took the PE Review class in August and it was definitely a huge help. I thought I would reach out and tell you 'thanks.'" 

- Ryan Johnson, GDS Associates Inc. 

What You Will Learn:

• Identify individual strengths and weaknesses in the IE body of knowledge
• Prepare to sit for the NCEES* principles and practices exam
• Comprehend the requirements for the NCEES IE principles exam 
• Demonstrate professional industrial engineering methods
  *National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying

Course Content

I.    Systems Definition, Analysis, and Design

Approximate percentage of examination - 20 percent

1. System analysis and design tools (e.g., flowcharts, Pareto charts, affinity diagrams, nominal group technique, input/output analysis)
2. Requirements analysis (e.g., value stream mapping)
3. Performance measures and applications (e.g., leading, lagging, structure)
4. Modeling techniques (e.g., simulations, queuing, linear programming, Markov chains)
5. Process types (e.g., discrete versus continuous, manufacturing, service)
6. Model interpretation (e.g., sensitivity analysis)
7. Model verification
8. Model validation
9. Bottleneck analysis (e.g., theory of constraints)
10. Value analysis and engineering (e.g., risk analysis)
11. Project management and planning (e.g., PERT/CPM; balancing risk, cost, scope, and time; Gantt charts)

II.    Facilities Engineering and Planning

Approximate percentage of examination - 20 percent

1. Process flow
2. Network optimization
3. Layout design techniques (e.g., systematic layout planning [SLP], affinity diagram, relationship diagrams, center of gravity rule)
4. Space analysis (e.g., equipment needs, demand, location, footprint of the equipment/WIP sizing)
5. Capacity analysis (e.g., calculation of personnel requirements, calculation of machine requirements)
6. Cost-benefit analysis
7. Site selection factors
8. Site selection methods (e.g., prioritization, factor weighting)
9. Unit load analysis
10. Life cycle cost analysis (e.g., acquisition, implementation, sustainment, retirement)
11. Material handling techniques and equipment (e.g., conveyors, industrial trucks, manual, overhead crane)

III.    Supply Chain and Logistics

Approximate percentage of examination - 20 percent

1. Forecasting methods (e.g., exponential smoothing, moving averages, seasonal)
2. Production planning methods (e.g., aggregate, MRP, MRPII, ERP, JIT, Kanban, lean manufacturing)
3. Engineering economics (e.g., break-even analysis, technical capability assessment, ROI)
4. Costing systems (e.g., activity-based costing including cost drivers, guidelines for overhead)
5. Production scheduling methods (e.g., shortest processing time first, due date order)
6. Inventory management and control
7. Distribution methods (e.g., transshipment, routing)
8. Storage and warehousing methods
9. Transportation modes (e.g., truckload [TL], less than truckload [LTL], air, rail, ship, special requirements)

IV.    Work Design

Approximate percentage of examination - 20 percent

1. Motion economy rules (e.g., therbligs)
2. Line balancing
3. Work measurement systems techniques (e.g., stopwatch, predetermined time systems, proprietary process determined time system)
4. Time-study techniques (e.g., motion study, man-machine charts, predetermined time systems)
5. Time-standard tools (e.g., learning curve, training program)
6. Sample size calculations
7. Observation frequency methods
8. Work sampling analysis
9. Safety codes, standards, and voluntary guidelines (e.g., ANSI, OSHA, MIL STD, NIOSH)
10. Methods for quantifying risk factors (e.g., NIOSH lifting equation, OSHA limits for noise)
11. Coefficient of friction (slip resistance)
12. Rapid upper limb assessment (RULA)
13. Limits of human capacity
14. Lifting aids (e.g., gait belts, cranes)
15. Link analysis and associated criteria (e.g., importance, frequency of use)
16. P. Workplace design/human–computer interaction (e.g., use of anthropometric data)
17. Days Away, Restricted, and Transferred (DART) rate calculations (e.g., injury/illness incident rate and/or the management of the information required to calculate this rate)

V.    Quality Engineering

Approximate percentage of examination - 20 percent

1. Statistical process control (e.g., control chart construction and interpretation)
2. Process capability analysis (e.g., Cpk, Cp)
3. Acceptance sampling (e.g., single sampling, double sampling, MIL STD 105E, Dodge Romig, OC-curves)
4. Continuous improvement methods (e.g., Deming, Kaizen, TQM, Six Sigma)
5. Techniques for process improvement (e.g., design of experiments [DOE], Taguchi, FMEA)
6. Reliability analysis
7. Maintenance procedures (e.g., reactive, preventive, predictive)
8. Quality management system (e.g., ISO9000, benchmarking)
9. Root cause analysis

More Testimonials

"This course has been extremely helpful. I appreciate the way the topics are broken down in an easy-to-follow way. I have already used a plethora of the methods I "forgot" in my day-to-day role. I have recommended this course to some fellow colleagues who are sitting for PE IE Exam." 

- Justin Fischgrund 

"I just wanted to thank you for all your support in my preparation for the Industrial PE. Your course and support were instrumental in my ability to successfully pass the exam! I could not have done it without the tools and preparation that I was provided so thank you very, very much." 

- Sandy Parker 

"I am the electrical engineer who was just learning the IE material. Your "PE Exam" review class really helped me get focused on what I needed to study and was well worth the money." 

- Laura Hinton 

"I received notification that I passed the PE exam, and I owe it in no small portion to the PE Review Course you led last August." 

- Dean Creed 
 

“Oklahoma results were just released and I am proud to say I passed. I feel the review course was very instrumental in my ability to pass this test. I appreciate the review and discussions we had.“    

- Jeff Johnson, operations manager, Tilley NDT Services