This module introduces pneumatic and electro-pneumatic technologies used to control machines. The student will study valves, actuators and all aspects of air production, conditioning and distribution. Electro-pneumatic circuits will be designed, simulated and built, including multi-actuator sequences. The student will specify and size components based on system requirements.

1. Outline the working principles of electro-pnuematic components.
2. Describe the components of pnuematic and hydraulics actuation.
3. Simulate, build and test basic and multi-actuator pneumatic and electro-pneumatic circuits.

4. Specify, size and select suitable pneumatic components for industrial applications

Identifying the reasons for and methods of performing Risk Assessments is central to the first section of this course. The learner will understand the concepts, processes and legislation for Risk Management, performing and updating Risk Assessments and Health and Safety Management such as Safety Statements.The learner will be able to identify and select maintenance practices such as Breakdown, Planned, Preventative Maintenance: which are appropriate for a variety of real workplace scenarios and distinguish their respective impacts on system reliability. Maintenance practices such as Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Reliability Centred Maintenance will be covered in detail: how they can benefit industry (company, customer and worker) and the steps that are followed for implementing these practices. A 25% project applying the concepts of TPM to a real (or imaginary) workplace is central to this understanding.

1. Recognise the risks and hazards associated with machinery, equipment and workplaces, identify control measures necessary for Health and Safety management, and prepare relevant safety documentation

2. Analyse and compare different Maintenance Management strategies such as breakdown, planned and preventive maintenance techniques and apply them to appropriate workplace situations.

3. Illustrate the reasons for and benefits of maintenance systems such as TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) and RCM (Reliability Centred Maintenance) in a workplace environment

4. Develop an implementation plan for anew workplace maintenance system and schedule and appraise a maintenance system currently in place

5. Assess equipment effectiveness, maintenance economics, work scheduling and reliability and FMEA (Failure Mode Effects and Analysis)

The student will analyse basic pneumatic/hydraulic manufacturing applications and develop automated solutions using Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) technology. PLC ladder logic programmes will be designed, developed and tested.

1. Specify suitable components/sequences for industrial automated applications
2. Construct basic ladder logic programs using Boolean logic, I/O, timers, counters, relays, sequencing, etc.

3. Demonstate competence in wiring, programming and testing PLCs
4. Implement safety best practices in the design of automated systems, including specific Safety PLC hardware and devices/assemblies safety.

This module focuses on the fundamentals of engineering metrology and its applications to manufacturing measurements.This module integrates the concepts, principles and techniques of mechanical measurement with the use of measuring instruments including micrometers, calipers, height gauges, vision systems and computer coordinated measuring machines (CMM).

1. Measure linear features using graduated scales and scaled instruments.

2. Measure numerous features using standard measurement procedures

3. Employ the language and systems of measurement.
4. Apply standard statistical practices to predict performance of manufacturing process.

5. Identify and measure critical dimensions in manufactured components.

This module gives an introduction to Lean Engineering Concepts and Tools. Lean manufacturing, originally developed by Toyota, is widely practised in Irish industry and is vital for its continued competitiveness.

1. Explain the principles of lean engineering and their applicability to manufacturing and to the interaction with customers.

2. Perform data analysis in MS Excel to solve Lean Engineering problems.
3. Review and comment on lean case studies
4. Perform lean manufacturing analysis (e.g. Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Takt Time Calculation, Process Throughput measurement, 5S) to identify areas for improvement, and solve problems

5. Evaluate problems and select optimisation solutions appropriately, in order to ensure that an ethical and environmental sustainabilityengineering approachis taken.

This module will deal with the Quality Assurance systems and quality management principles needed in manufacturing and service organisations.

This course will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the regulations and regulatory agencies that are specific to the medical devices industry. The course will cover both European Union (EU) and US regulations and related agencies. Topics will include the laws covering the regulation of medical devices, regulations related to the development, manufacturing and approval of medical devices, regulatory agencies and bodies responsible for implementing the regulations, how the regulations affect the marketing of medical devices.

1. Discuss and compare philosophies and new trends in quality management and their place in today’s manufacturing and service environments including Total Quality Manageemnt (TQM)
2. Analyse and apply a range of statistical tools to measure quality. Select appropriate methodologies of quality improvement and apply various tools and techniques for analysis of quality.
3. Describe the functions of the GMP, EU and US authorities, departments, agencies and other bodies responsible for developing and implementing the laws and associated regulations for Quality and medical devices industry.
4. Descibe the EU and US regulatory requirements that affect the development, manufacturing and quality of medical devices.
5. Determine the classification of a medical device.
6. Decide if an adverse event should be reported and if so describe the correct reporting procedure.

This module will provide students with a solid statistics foundation relevant to a manufacturing engineer. The module will develop the students' ability to analyse, solve and understand differential equations for basic applications in engineering analysis.

1. Calculate and interpret measures of location and measures of dispersion for grouped and ungrouped data cases.
2. Apply discrete and continuous probability distributions to various manufacturing problems.
3. Calculate confidence intervals for sample means and sample proportions.
4. Select and apply the appropriate techniques to evaluate a variety of integrals arising in engineering contexts.

5. Solvedifferential equations by classical and Laplace Transform methods, and interpret the results.

This module in delivered in 2 parts: Theory and Practical.

The practical element of this module follows on from CAD 1 and progresses the learner with three-dimensional (3D) Computer Aided Design (CAD) modelling, and constructing solid models relating to parts and assemblies.

The students are introduced to the importance of standard parts – integrating standard components, fasteners, clamps, dowels etc.

2D working drawings are also addressed. It also introduces the role and application of CAD relating to the manufacture of products in the context of working holding and automated manufacturing and the role of metrology therein.

The Theory aspects of the module aims to impart the workpiece holding and orientation as considered in modern automated manufacturing techniques. The theory element also imparts designing fixtures with operational considerations, maintenance and repair and design for manufacture elements.

1. Explain the fundamentals of part orientation and principles of workholding.
2. Describe the design of systems for part orientation & holding
3. Select the relevant method of actuation of fixturing systems
4. Describe specific fixturing system types
5. Use CAD to design and implement a fixture related project

Manufacturing Engineering 2 follows on and builds from Manufacturing Engineering 1. It broadens the learners experiences in both the theoretical and practical elements of Manufacturing.

1. Summarise the main process of modern manufacturing using Machining Centres, Robotics and CNC.

2. List the basics of Quality Control, Measurement and Inspection and recall the main principles of Dimensioning and Tolerancing.

3. List types of polymers and summarise the relevant shaping processes.
4. Recall basic properties of engineering materials, identificationand selection and metal forming processes.

5. Summarise the basic elements ofEthics andSustainability in the contextof Manufacturing.

6. Generate CNC Programmes for turning and milling.

7. Generate CNC programingfor CAM.

The student will be introduced to the standards, tools, methodologies and techniques of project management. The student will complete a remote minor group project to an international standard.

1. Apply the principles and methodologies of project management to their specialist discipline.
2. Apply project management techniques and systems in their specialist discipline.
3. Describe the complexities of forming and manging project teams.

4. Demonstrate an ability to structure, schedule, manage and close a project.

5. Apply engineering and project management techniques to real problems in industry or laboratory settings
6. Show an ability to effectively communicate through presentations and reports on the scope, planning and implementation of a project.

The Polymer Processing Module focusses on the materials, processes and tooling used in relation to polymers, particularly analysis of the polymer flow processes involved in injection moulding and extrusion. The practical aspect supports the design and manufacture of the tooling used in these processes.

1. Explain relevant techniques to manufacture plastic parts, in a Sustainable world.

2. Explain the fundamentals of the synthesis of plastic materials

3. Explain polymer melts rheology and its effect on polymer processing parameters.

4. Use mould cavity software to generate,design and optimise Moulds.

5. Useappropriate software to analyse flow and other parameters of the mould.

The module delivers the essentials of programming/coding skills to automate and visualize data analysis problems appropriate to the needs of the engineer in manufacturing or related industry.

1. Describe the core concepts of computer programming.

2. Writeprogrammes/codes, incorporating core programming conceptssuch assequential, conditional, iterative and control structures

3. Design an effective event-based software application incorporating spreadsheets to address basic engineering and production requirements.

4. Construct the designed software application using a commercial application development environment.

5. Roll out the constructed application, including performing Test, Debug and Demonstration activities.

The module exposes the learner to modern manufacturing processes and techniques with special emphasis on non-traditional practices. It also incorporates the practical use of CAD/CAM and Mould & Cavity software to generate machine code. This module focuses on Modern Industrial Practices that can aid the learner in their Industry.

1. Explain the basic elements of modern advanced manufacturing techniques and production processes and explain the benefits of innovated technologies, including Internet of Things (IoT), interoperability, information transparency, and decentralized decisions for Industry 4.0 and 5.0.

2. Summarise the principles of traditional manufacturing processes.

3. Summarise the principles of non-traditional manufacturing processes.

4. Use CAM software in the generation ofG and M codes for the manufacture of components on CNC machine tools, in line with Sustainable Engineering best practices.

5. Apply principle(s) of Advanced Manufacturing Processes to an Industrial Application.

An introduction to Six Sigma, which will both explain the concepts and use of the techniques of Six Sigma.

1. Explainthe Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control steps in Six Sigma.

2. Use ‘Define’ phase tools to decide on the process improvement of a Six Sigma project
3. Determine the current performance using a variety of ‘Measure’ tools
4. Use the ‘Analyse’ tools, including inferential statistics to determine the issues to be addressed.
5. Use the ‘Improve’ tools, to experiment and assess the process optimisation.
6. ‘Control’ the process to verify the variances are corrected, select appropriate statistical process control (SPC) techniques.

The aims of this module are to help the students develop an understanding of the underlying knowledge and related methods of Process Planning and Computer Aided Process Planning, and to equip the students with the skills required in carrying out the process planning (PP) function.

1. Describe the process planning functions, the role of process planning in manufacturing, the characteristics of traditional and Computer
Aided Process Planning (CAPP) systems, the structure of typical CAPP systems and Group Technology (GT).

2. Implement Manual Process Planning system in consideration of process planning criteria, and industrial considerations.

3. Implement Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP) systems in consideration of process planning criteria, and industrial considerations

4. Identify relevant principles of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA), philosophy, implementation and functionality, assembly systems and costing

5. Identify issues relevant to green manufacturing, design for environment and recycling, part life cycle assessment, sustainability.

This module develops the learner's knowledge and skills in sensors, control theory and industrial robotics. Students gain an understanding of the application of electrical, electronic and mechanical sensors and actuators. This module introduces control in the engineering context and studies mechanical, electrical and fluid systems. Students are introduced to r obot anatomy, maintenance and safety and programming, materials handling and vision systems.

1. Describe the principle of operation andcharacteristicsof sensors and actuators

2. Identify the components of data acquisition including signal conditioning and digital interfacing.

3. Use appropriate technologies and software programming packages to measure, analyse and control systems
4. Analyse control concepts including open loop, closed loop, relays, motor control, sequential control, process control, PID control.
5. Identifythe environments in which control systems operate and calculate thesteady-state error, stability and speed of response of the system.

6. Investigate robotic capability, technology and anatomy
7. Develop and execute robotic simulation programmes; and practical training using 5 and/or 6 axis robots.

This module provide an introduction to key principles, strategies, models and techniques used by organisations in the management of their operations.

1. Identify the legal structures of organisations,role, tools and impact of Operations Management, asorganisations transition to Industry 4.0 and 5.0, within the context of emerging technology trends, such as Big data, GIS (Geographical Information Systems), Cloud computing, IoT (Internet of Things)and blockchains.

2. Apply the stage gate process and engineering tools to Product, Process and Facility design.
3. Use an Enterprise Resource Planning system to perform capacity planning, inventory management and materials requirements planning applying the techniques used in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).

4. Solve basic operations’ improvement problems of capacity, flow design andjob design taking budgetary concernsand commercial principlesinto consideration.

5. Compare and contrast appropriate strategies and competitive behaviour for sustainable organisations.Factors to include environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Prior to Work Experience this module will develop the learner professionally and personally and equip them with the skills and knowledge to enable them to secure a work placement. Learners will gain knowledge and skills in relation to the recruitment and selection process by refining their Cvs' and completing mock interviews prior to commencing in the workplace.

During Work Experience this module allows the learner to put the engineering knowledge, skills, tools and techniques acquired in their Manufacturing engineering / Biomedical programme into practice within a working environment.

1. Analyse personal skills and characteristics and develop a CV related to Work Experience career strategy.

2. Present and articulate their skills and experience professionally in an interview situation.

3. Apply the engineering knowledge, tools and theory, learned on their chosen programme to the solution of broadly defined engineering problems.

4. Demonstrate an understanding oftheir role as an engineer Industry byoperating as an effective team member.

5. Solve assigned engineering problems in a methodical, proactive and creative manner, with minimum supervision.

6. Apply Project Management skills to manage his or her time and projects.
7. Report their work clearly in written and in oral format.
8. Apply theEngineers Ireland Code of Ethics

9. Reflect on their practice and propose improvements.