New Zealand Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Trade) (Level 4)

Note: As a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, UCOL is committed to providing the best learning outcome for you. As part of this, all programmes are currently being reviewed to make them portable, consistent, and closely aligned with the needs of the industry. When published, this course information is correct, but the courses offered may change over time.

This programme consist of 280 - 300 credits. The courses includes:

Year One

Mechanical Engineering Principles 1 (15 Credits) (50 practicum hours)
Gain elementary trade knowledge of engineering principles and skills. The course covers health and safety, communication, identification of materials, measurement, marking out, hand tools and skills, and power hand tools.

Mechanical Engineering Practices 1 (15 Credits) (80 practicum hours)
Learn to perform defined engineering related tasks. The course covers identification of materials, trade sketching and drawing to NZ/AS1100, and trade related calculations.

Mechanical Engineering Processes 1 (15 Credits) (100 practicum hours)
Develop an operational knowledge of engineering processes in the workplace. The course covers fasteners, fitting (including pipework), maintenance, basic heat treatment, welding, toolmaking principles, and writing of SOPs.

Strand Based Project or Task 1 (15 Credits) (100 practicum hours)
Work with limited supervision to manufacture a chosen strand based project/task. During the course you'll learn applied mathematics, industry terminology, spatial skills, health and safety, and communication skills.

Year Two

Mechanical Engineering Principles 2 (15 Credits) (30 practicum hours)
Gain an operational understanding of engineering principles. The course covers:

• Composition of common engineering metals and their uses
• Maintenance and fitting
• Machining processes - lathe, mill (horizontal and vertical), drill presses, and precision grinders
• Power transmission systems and bearings
• Basic fluid power

Mechanical Engineering Princples 3 (15 Credits) (60 practicum hours) (Fitting and Machining Strand)
Learn to draw and design components manually and with computer assistance. The course covers:

• Drawing in 3rd angle orthographic projection and recognising 1st angle orthographic projection, sectioning (single object), dimensioning (including fits and limits) and title blocks – all to NZ/AS1100 
• International tolerancing – fits and limits
• Basic mechanical principles, levers, triangle of forces, simple machines, density, SG, thermal expansion/contraction, mass, weight force – including basic mechanics of machines
• Applied trade calculations including trig, Pythagoras, gear trains, basic pressure and stress.

Mechanical Engineering Princples 3 (15 Credits) (30 practicum hours) (General Engineering Strand)
Develop an applied knowledge of mechanical engineering principles. The course covers:<

• Drawings produced to NZ/AS 1100 – manual and computer aided design
• Multiple item, assembled, sectioned and dimensioned, surface texture, drawing updates/versions 
• International geometrical tolerancing
• Intermediate trade calculations 
• Sustainability and minimising waste.

Mechanical Engineering Skills (15 Credits) (60 practicum hours)
Gain an applied operational knowledge of technical workshop practice skills. The course covers mechanical fitting, machinery and tools, servicing machinery, seals, brazing (including hard and soft soldering), operating CNC machinery, and intermediate measuring and quality control, with introduction to toleranced projects.

Strand Based Project or Task 2 (15 Credits) (100 practicum hours)
Manufacture a chosen strand based project and/or task. 

Precision Machining 1 (15 Credits) (50 practicum hours) (Fitting and Machining Strand)
Gain an applied operational knowledge of precision machining. The course covers:

• Manual machining
• Modern machinery
• Cutting tool technology
• Heat treatment processes involved in the manufacture of a single cavity die
• CNC machinery and communication with/from
• Mensuration and QA
• Practical costing, reporting and communicating with others
• Sustainability and minimising waste

Maintenance and Welding Skills 1 (15 Credits) (60 practicum hours) (General Engineering Strand)
Gain an operational knowledge of fitting and maintenance. The course covers:

• Levelling, aligning, fitting balancing, repair
• Manual welding - MMAW positions:- horizontal, vertical - down hand and up hand; tungsten 
• Inert Gas - TIG; metal inert gas - MIG; MMAW down hand; thermal cutting. Material range all processes:- (mild steel, aluminium and stainless)
• Thermal cutting and gouging using oxy/acetylene, plasma, arc, laser and air.
• Diagnosing and repairing precision machinery/equipment under limited supervision, including bearings, seals, and other componentry. Also includes static and dynamic balancing.

Year Three

Mechanical Engineering Principles 3 (15 Credits) (30 practicum hours)
See above.

Advanced Maintenance (15 Credits) (30 practicum hours)
Gain advanced skills to maintain plant and machinery. The course covers:

• Engineering process control
• Modern manufacturing concepts and their significance in plant maintenance
• Monitor the condition of, align, and level machinery and equipment
• Understand process control systems and downstream implication/s on plant maintenance
• Communication

Strand Based Project Planning (15 Credits) (100 practicum hours)
Learn to plan for a chosen strand based project and/or task.

Strand Based Project (30 Credits) (200 practicum hours)

Year Four

Management Practice (10 Credits) (30 practicum hours)
Gain a fundamental understanding of engineering management practice.

• Basic management practice and business practice 
• Customer relationships
• Basic accounting practice including estimating, quoting and tendering 
• Supervision and overseeing of junior staff
• Critical Project Management and critical path analysis, just in time, Kaisan methodology, continual quality improvement
• Project management and associated software.

Strand Based Positional Welding (15 Credits) (100 practicum hours)
Learn to demonstrate a broad operational knowledge of positional welding with emphasis on distortion control and quality assurance engineering standards associated with welding and fabrication relevant to the chosen certificate strand.

Advanced Machining and Measurement (15 Credits) (50 practicum hours) (Fitting and Machining Strand)
Learn advanced manual high precision machining and measurement strategies of high precision applications.

Advanced Fluid Power (15 Credits) (30 practicum hours)
Gain an advanced knowledge of fluid power installations and preventable maintenance technologies.

Strand Based Project or Task 3 (15 Credits) (100 practicum hours) (General Engineering Strand)
Learn to operate under very limited supervision to produce a chosen strand based project/task.

Elective Course (15 Credits)

• Strand Based Project or Task 3
• Strand Based Mechanical Engineering Processes 6
• Pressure Valves and Pipework
• Site Installation

General Engineering strand options:

• Pressure Valves and Pipework
• Site Installation

NCEA Level 2

OR

equivalent academic achievement

OR

on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Executive Dean

Not applicable.

As UCOL becomes Te Pūkenga on 1 January 2023, learners enrolling in a programme that is likely to continue into semester 1 2023 or starting in semester 1 2023 will become Te Pūkenga learners. They will receive their qualification from Te Pūkenga on completion.

Work experience
To successfully complete this programme of study, candidates must be employed in the mechanical engineering  (general engineering or fitting and machining) industry at time of study. Candidates must enter into a 3-way training agreement between the candidate, employer and UCOL. You'll complete the practical learning in your place of employment, or at a site agreed to by yourself and your employer. You'll be visited on a regular basis by engineering lecturers from UCOL.