First Diploma in Engineering Level 2 - Manufacturing Engineering
Course Code:330FET21A
Course Type:Full-time
Qualification: First Diploma in Engineering
Duration: 1 Year
Venue:
Crawley Campus, College Road,
Crawley West Sussex, RH10 1NR
Start Date: September
Suitable For: This course is suitable for someone who wants to become an engineer, whether in design, manufacture or maintenance.
Entry By: Interview and assessment
Entry Requirements:
You must be at least 16 years old and have four GCSE's grade D-G or above, or relevant work experience, or other related level 1 qualifications plus a College assessment and interview.
Course Content:
Working practices in Engineering
The ability to work safely in an engineering environment is essential for the well-being of self and others. The aim of this unit is to deal with the essential working practices of engineering to ensure that learners appreciate potential hazards. This way, learners can enjoy all the challenges that an engineering profession can offer without undue fear for their own safety or for that of others.
The unit starts by considering how materials and equipment should be handled and the most appropriate personal protective equipment (for example eye or hand protection) to use when undertaking particular engineering activities. Learners will examine the hazards and risks associated with an engineering activity including the working environment (for example working at height), the use of tools and equipment and working with materials and substances that may cause harm. A key focus of the unit is learners acquiring an awareness of the dangers of not working within appropriate legislation and procedures. In the event of an incident it is essential that learners know how to respond. The unit will take learners through typical incidents that they may have to deal with at some point in their career (for example contacting the first aider, sounding alarms, stopping machinery).
The unit will enable learners to develop the skills and understanding required to carry out a range of engineering tasks. Because most work in engineering requires the co-operation of others, the unit also develops the skill of maintaining good working relationships with colleagues and other relevant people who will support learners in their tasks.
The unit is an essential tool kit for a learner entering into an engineering environment. The skills
and knowledge gained through studying this unit will be put to good use in other areas of study and everyday working life.
Using and Interpreting Engineering Information
The ability to access and use information is probably one of the most critical skills required in engineering. This unit will enable learners to understand how to make effective use of textual, numeric and graphical information when working with engineering drawings, technical manuals, reference tables, specifications, charts or electronic displays, in accordance with approved procedures. Learners will consider how best to extract information from engineering drawings and related documents and also how to use drawings and related documentation to establish the work that needs to be done, carry out the work requirements and check their own work output.
It is intended that the unit will enable learners to identify, work within and comply with organisational policies and procedures for obtaining and using the documentation that applies to given activities. It is expected that learners will be able do this with minimum supervision, taking responsibility for their own actions and the quality and accuracy of the work that they undertake.
Applied Electrical and Mechanical Science
The aim of this unit is to provide a foundation of the scientific concepts and principles associated with electrical and mechanical engineering. The usefulness of these concepts and principles can then be seen by applying them to real engineering situations and problems.
Definitions of many electrical and mechanical engineering units such as charge, current,
voltage, resistance and power; mass, weight, force, density, velocity and acceleration will be explained and their mathematical interrelationships investigated. These mathematical relationships can be investigated experimentally and the learners will be able to experience how
slight experimental error and other factors can cause differences between actual and expected values. A capable engineer is one who knows what level of error is acceptable in different given
circumstances.
Mathematics for Engineering Technicians
Engineers solve problems, many of which require the use of mathematical formulae and equations. This unit is designed to provide the learner with the underpinning knowledge to solve such problems. Scientific principles such as Ohm's Law and Newton's Laws of Motion can all be described by algebraic equations such as V = IR and f = ma.
This unit will help learners understand how to work with equations and for example, find the value of V in the equation V = IR, given values of I and R and, more importantly, to find the value of I given values of V and R.
Another aspect of engineering problems is how one quantity varies in relation to another. For example, what happens to the current in a circuit if the voltage changes, how does the distance of a moving object vary with time? These problems can be visualised by first plotting a graph of the relationships and then interpretation of the graph to find the solution to the question. The unit will provide understanding of how to draw graphs and then how to use them to solve linear and non-linear problems.
Trigonometry is another powerful problem-solving tool for the engineer and this unit provides understanding of techniques to solve problems such as the resolution of forces.
Selecting Engineering Materials
Engineering technicians need to be able to identify the materials that are specified on engineering drawings, production plans and servicing schedules. Some materials such as copper and lead have a distinctive appearance but others are not so easy to tell apart. This is particularly true of the different grades of steel, brass and aluminium alloys. Very often, a technician has to select raw materials in the form of wire, bars, sheet metal and plate from stores and also components such as rivets, nuts and bolts. It is essential to select the correct material if a product or a replaced component is to be fit for its intended purpose.
The aim of this unit is to provide the learner with an understanding of a range of common materials encountered in engineering, their properties, uses and availability.
To achieve this unit the learner will be expected to identify a range of ferrous, non-ferrous and non-metallic materials and know about the form in which they are obtained. Learners will also need to understand the properties that make individual materials suitable for particular tasks. Learners will need to know about the way in which materials are colour coded when stored and other material identification standards used such as the British and European Standard classifications. With this knowledge, and using information, abbreviations and symbols supplied on engineering drawings, the learner will then be able to select the correct form and size of the material specified for a particular application.
Engineering Marking Out
The manufacture of a product always starts from raw materials that have to be formed and shaped into the components that go to make up the product. The aim of this unit is to give learners the understanding and skills needed for the measurement and marking out of components in preparation for machining operations. This first step in the manufacture or development of a product is critical to all the processes that follow.
This unit gives learners an opportunity to consider how to care for and use measuring and marking out equipment. It also introduces learners to work planning skills to enable them to carry out a range of marking out exercises including the selection of appropriate measuring, marking out and work-holding equipment. Learners will work with square, rectangular, circular and irregular shaped workpieces.
An important aspect of this unit is the consideration of safe working practices and good housekeeping in an engineering workplace environment.
Using Computer Aided Drawing Techniques in Engineering
Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) is now used extensively throughout the engineering industry as a means of communicating drawing data to required standards. Two- and three-dimensional representations of components can be drawn and modified allowing the sharing of data from designer to customer. CAD data can be shared with CNC machines and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software, which may then assist in improving productivity, flexibility and quality of the final product.
The aim of this unit is to provide the learner with an introduction to CAD and to enable them to produce engineering drawings to given industry standards. The unit will provide the necessary foundation to study CAD at a higher level.
To achieve this unit the learner will be expected to produce engineering and assembly drawings and electrical/electronic, pneumatic or hydraulic circuit diagrams. Learners will also be expected to understand and apply the basic procedures of starting up and closing down a CAD system and the storage, retrieval, modification and printing/plotting of data.
Selecting and Using Secondary Machining Techniques to Remove Material
This unit aims to provide a detailed understanding of the manufacturing processes mainly associated with generating and forming shapes through machining techniques. The unit introduces the learner to secondary techniques, giving a deeper understanding of the practical processes involved.
Learners will develop skills and understanding in selecting, investigating and using secondary manufacturing techniques involving shaping with loss of volume. They will be able to appreciate the fundamental and safety requirements of these techniques.
Programming CNC Machines
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) is used extensively throughout the engineering industry as a means of producing precisely controlled movements. Its main application in engineering manufacturing is in the production of components using machine tools for material removal. Turning and milling centres, grinding, Electronic Discharge Machining (EDM) die and wiring and fabrication are some examples of these machine tools. In addition to the manufacturing processes, CNC is also used to aid the quality control process by providing the movement of probes (for in-line inspection) and on Co-ordinate Measuring Machines (CMM). CNC has revolutionised the engineering manufacturing environment in many ways. In particular, it has helped to improve productivity, design, flexibility and quality.
The aim of this unit is to give learners an introduction to CNC part programming, and to enable them to interpret part programs in terms of storage, transferability and flexibility.
Learners will need to construct planning sequences based on a given product specification and be able to store, retrieve, transfer and load programs into a machine tool for verification and dry running before final execution of the program.
Outcome of Course and Progression:
Progression to Level 3 Certificate or National Certificate/Diploma
Cost:
An additional Fee of £150.00
Notes:
Candidates will be supplied with Personal Protective equipment of Boiler Suit and steel toe capped shoes.
