HNC Mechatronics Engineering - Level 4 Higher National Certificate : YEAR 1 Enrolment

Our HNC includes:

• Face-to-face tutorials
• Flexible day delivery to minimise effect on employer
• Opportunities to develop workplace projects within employers

What you'll learn: Core Mandatory Units

Engineering Design

The aim of this unit is to introduce students to the methodical steps that engineers use in creating functional products and processes as an individual or part of a design team; from a design brief to the work, and the stages involved in identifying and justifying a solution to a given engineering need. Among the topics included in this unit are: Gantt charts and critical path analysis, stakeholder requirements, market analysis, design process management, technical drawing, modelling and prototyping, manufacturability, sustainability and environmental impact, reliability, safety and risk analyses, and ergonomics. On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to prepare an engineering design specification that satisfies stakeholders’ requirements, implement best practices when analysing and evaluating possible design solutions, prepare a written technical design report, and present their finalised design to a customer or audience.

Engineering Mathematics

The aim of this unit is to develop students’ skills in the mathematical principles and theories that underpin the engineering curriculum. Students will be introduced to mathematical methods and statistical techniques in order to analyse and solve problems within an engineering and manufacturing context. On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to employ mathematical methods within a variety of contextualised examples, interpret data using statistical techniques, and use analytical and computational methods to evaluate and solve engineering and manufacturing sector problems.

Managing a Professional Engineering Project

This unit introduces students to the techniques and best practices required to successfully create and manage an engineering/manufacturing project designed to identify a solution to an engineering need. While carrying out this project students will consider the role and function of engineering in our society, the professional duties and responsibilities expected of engineers together with the behaviours that accompany their actions. Among the topics covered in this unit are: roles, responsibilities, and behaviours of a professional engineer, planning a project, project management stages, devising solutions, theories and calculations, management using a Gantt chart, evaluation techniques, communication skills, and the creation and presentation of a project report. On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to conceive, plan, develop, and execute a successful engineering project, and produce and present a project report outlining and reflecting on the outcomes of each of the project processes and stages. As a result, they will develop skills such as critical thinking, analysis, reasoning, interpretation, decision-making, information literacy, and information and communication technology, and skills in professional and confident self-presentation.

Production Engineering for Manufacture

This unit introduces students to the production process for key material types; the various types of machinery used to manufacture products and the different ways of organising production systems to optimise the production process; consideration of how to measure the effectiveness of a production system within the overall context of the manufacturing system; and an examination of how production engineering contributes to ensuring safe and reliable operation of manufacturing. On successful completion of this unit students will be able to learn about the role and purpose of production engineering and its relationship with the other elements of a manufacturing system; most appropriate production processes and associated facility arrangements for manufacturing products of different material types; and designing a production system incorporating a number of different production processes. 

Quality and Process Improvement

This unit introduces students to the importance of quality assurance processes in a manufacturing or service environment and the principles and theories that underpin them. Topics included in this unit are: tools and techniques used to support quality control, attributes and variables, testing processes, costing modules, the importance of qualifying the costs related to quality, international standards for management (ISO 9000, 14000, 18000), European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), principles, tools and techniques of Total Quality Management (TQM) and implementation of Six Sigma. On successful completion of this unit students will be able to illustrate the processes and applications of statistical process, explain the quality control tools used to apply costing techniques, identify the standards expected in the engineering environment to improve efficiency and examine how the concept of Total Quality Management and continuous improvement underpins modern manufacturing and service environments.

What you'll learn: Mechatronics (Operations) Units

Engineering Mechanics and Materials
Every aspect of engineering depends upon the use and manipulation of materials. Whether naturally occurring or man-made, it is the properties of these materials that are fundamental to their creation, processing and application.
This unit explores the fundamental structure of common engineering materials, their principal mechanical, chemical and electrical properties, and how these properties affect manufacture, application, service life and end-of-life management and recycling. Systems for categorising and ranking materials are also covered.
Finally, the service life performance of these materials is studied through calculations that measure their performance in static and dynamic applications, building on the work started in the associated level 4 unit, Engineering Science.
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to identify the underlying structural properties of engineering materials and how these properties relate to their application and performance. They will also be confident in completing calculations relating to the static performance of these materials when in service.

Analogue and Digital Electronics
Analogue and digital electronic systems are widely used for a variety of applications. These systems provide the building blocks for modern living; for example, smart devices/homes, Industry 4.0 and autonomous systems. Digital electronics are used to implement circuits such as the microcontroller-based systems found in mobile phones, computers, televisions, microwaves and many other devices. Analogue electronic circuits are commonly used alongside such systems. A smart speaker uses digital systems to perform ‘smart’ functions and analogue circuits are used to drive the voice interface and speaker response systems. This unit explores some of the specialist applications of these systems.
The overall aim of the unit is to introduce students to the fundamental building blocks of analogue and digital systems. Engineers from the craft technician to the Chartered Engineer should have an understanding and working knowledge of these technologies because they underpin all of our electronic devices, both domestic and industrial.
The unit’s learning outcomes promote the development of skills and knowledge in the areas of digital and analogue electronics: digital electronics – developing an understanding of the basic logic components and how they are constructed, tested and used in circuit design; analogue electronics – developing an understanding of common transistors and transistor circuit design. Transistor and operational amplifier systems are another focus of the unit; these types of circuits are essential for signal processing and reproduction.
On successful completion of the unit, students will have developed skills and knowledge in analogue and digital electronics, which are the basis of all electronic systems and device, including the understanding and practice of the theory of logic circuits and how to construct and test such systems, and the understanding and measurement of analogue circuits.

Mechatronic Systems in Manufacturing

Mechatronic systems are a fusion of different engineering disciplines including electrical, electronic and mechanical engineering, and control and computer systems engineering. This integration of technologies enables greater automation in manufacturing, leading to time saving, increased output and cost savings. Examples of mechatronic systems include integrated automated production lines; measuring, testing and calibration systems for quality control; and closed-loop control systems for process optimisation.
Topics within this unit include the evolution, design and characteristics of mechatronic systems; sensors, transducers and actuators; closed-loop feedback systems; programmable control devices; interfacing; system integration design; and functional safety requirements.
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to explain the design and operational characteristics of a mechatronic system, identify and apply a range of sensors, transducers and actuators, evaluate programmable control devices and design an integrated mechatronic system for a manufacturing specification.

How you will be assessed:

All units are internally assessed. Each unit within the qualification has specified pass assessment and grading criteria, in addition to this there are generic merit and distinction grading descriptors that describe performance over and above a pass grade. These allow grades of pass, merit or distinction to be awarded for all units.

Next Step:

On completion of this course you may want to consider the following options to further your career.

Level 5 HND in General Engineering 

Made up of one-to-one tutorials, flexible day delivery to minimise effect on employer and work-based projects.

Level 6/7 Engineering Degree Apprenticeships

UCLan’s range of Higher and Degree apprenticeships allow you to gain a degree whilst you continue to work 

Operations / Departmental Manager

Manages teams and/or projects, achieving operational or departmental goals and objectives, as part of the delivery of the organisation’s strategy

Ideally you will have completed a Level 3 qualification in engineering or equivalent.