HNC in Operations Engineering (Pearson)

U4001 Engineering Design

The tremendous possibilities of the techniques and processes developed by engineers can only be realised by great design. Design turns an idea into a useful artefact, the problem into a solution, or something ugly and inefficient into an elegant, desirable, and cost-effective everyday object. Without a sound understanding of the design process, the engineer works in isolation without the links between theory and the needs of the end user.

The aim of this unit is to introduce learners 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, learners 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.

If you only want to study this unit or up to four units for Continuous Professional Development purposes, you can do this with Pearson's accredited programme HN Flex.

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U4002 Engineering Maths

The mathematics that is delivered in this unit is directly applicable to the engineering and manufacturing industry, and it will help to increase learners’ knowledge of the broad underlying principles within this discipline.

The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ 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, learners 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.

If you only want to study this unit or up to four units for Continuous Professional Development purposes, you can do this with Pearson's accredited programme HN Flex.

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U4004 Managing a Professional Engineering Project

The responsibilities of the engineer go far beyond completing the task in hand. Reflecting on their role in a wider ethical, environmental, and sustainability context starts the process of becoming a professional engineer – a vital requirement for career progression.

Engineers seldom work in isolation and most tasks they undertake require a range of expertise, designing, developing, manufacturing, constructing, operating, and maintaining the physical infrastructure and content of our world. The bringing together of these skills, expertise, and experience is often managed through the creation of a project.

This unit introduces learners 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 learners 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, learners 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.

If you only want to study this unit or up to four units for Continuous Professional Development purposes, you can do this with Pearson's accredited programme HN Flex.

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U4014 Production Engineering for Manufacture

All of the manufactured products we use in our daily lives, from processed food to clothing and cars, are the result of production engineering. Production engineers need to have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of all the possible production technologies available, their advantages and disadvantages, the requirements of the production system operation and the interaction between the various components of the production system.

This unit introduces learners 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 learners 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.

If you only want to study this unit or up to four units for Continuous Professional Development purposes, you can do this with Pearson's accredited programme HN Flex.

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U4017 Quality and Process Improvement

Quality has always been the key to business success and survivability, but it requires organisations to allocate a lot of effort and resources to achieve it. The key to providing quality services and designing top quality products lies in the strength and effectiveness of the processes used in their development; processes which must be constantly reviewed to ensure they operate as efficiently, economically and as safely as possible.

This unit introduces learners 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 learners 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.

If you only want to study this unit or up to four units for Continuous Professional Development purposes, you can do this with Pearson's accredited programme HN Flex.

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U4024 Electro, Pneumatic and Hydraulic Systems

Hydraulics and pneumatics incorporate the importance of fluid power theory in modern industry. This is the technology that deals with the generation, control, and movement of mechanical elements or systems with the use of pressurised fluids in a confined system. In respect of hydraulics and pneumatics, both liquids and gases are considered fluids. Oil hydraulics employs pressurised liquid petroleum oils and synthetic oils, whilst pneumatic systems employ an everyday recognisable process of releasing compressed air to the atmosphere after performing the work.

The aim of this module is to develop learners’ knowledge and appreciation of the applications of fluid power systems in modern industry. Students will investigate and design pneumatic, hydraulic, electro-pneumatic and electro-hydraulic systems. This unit offers the opportunity for learners to examine the characteristics of fluid power components and evaluate work-related practices and applications of these systems.

On successful completion of this unit learners will be able to learn about applications of hydraulic and pneumatic systems in the production industry, fundamental principles and practical techniques for obtaining solutions to problems, real-life applications of pneumatic and hydraulic systems, and the importance of structured maintenance techniques.

If you only want to study this unit or up to four units for Continuous Professional Development purposes, you can do this with Pearson's accredited programme HN Flex.

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U4025 Operations and Plant Management

The challenges of modern manufacturing industries require today’s operations engineers to adopt a multi-skilled methodology when dealing with the array of complex engineering problems they are faced with. Long gone are the days of ‘pure’ mechanical or electrical maintenance staff; operations engineers may well specialise within one discipline, but they must have the knowledge and ability to safely tackle problems that could encompass many varied engineering fields if they are to keep the wheels of industry in motion.

The underlying aims of this unit are to develop the learners’ knowledge of the engineering fundamentals that augment the design and operation of plant engineering systems, and to furnish them with the tools and techniques to maintain the ever more technological equipment.

The learners are introduced to the concept of thermodynamic systems and their properties in the first learning outcome; this will provide a platform for the topic of heat transfer in industrial applications (as covered in learning outcome four) and underpin their future studies in subsequent units. The second learning outcome examines common mechanical power transmission system elements found in numerous production/manufacturing environments, whilst the third learning outcome investigates fundamental static and dynamic fluid systems.

On completion of this unit learners will be able to learn about the fundaments that underpin the operation of the systems they deal with on a daily basis and apply these fundamentals to the successful maintenance of the systems.

If you only want to study this unit or up to four units for Continuous Professional Development purposes, you can do this with Pearson's accredited programme HN Flex.

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U4026 Electrical Systems and Fault Finding

Electrical systems can be found in a very wide range of locations such as in manufacturing facilities, airports, transport systems, shopping centres, hotels and hospitals; people will come across them every day in their workplace and at home. The system must take the electrical supply from the national grid, convert it to a suitable voltage and then distribute it safely to the various system components and uses such as electric motors, lighting circuits and environmental controls.

This unit introduces learners to the characteristics and operational parameters of a range of electrical system components that are used in a variety of applications; and how to fault find when they go wrong.

On successful completion of this unit learners will be able to follow electrical system circuit diagrams, understand the operation of the various components that make up the system and select the most suitable fault-finding technique. Therefore, learners will develop skills such as critical thinking, analysis, reasoning, interpretation, decision making, information literacy, information and communication technology literacy, innovation, creativity, collaboration, and adaptability, which are crucial skills for gaining employment and developing academic competence for higher education progression.

If you only want to study this unit or up to four units for Continuous Professional Development purposes, you can do this with Pearson's accredited programme HN Flex.

Click here to find out more