Postgraduate Diploma in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops. 8 modules covering ISO 13849-1:2023, ISO 13849-2:2012 and IFA SISTEMA. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops — studying from Australia
Robotics and automation are important to Australian industries, especially mining, agriculture, logistics and manufacturing. Autonomous haulage, robotic harvesting and warehouse automation illustrate the breadth of applications. Research bodies such as CSIRO and universities maintain strong robotics programmes, supporting industry collaboration. Engineers work on control systems, sensing, motion planning and industrial integration. Employers include mining technology companies, agricultural technology firms, automation integrators and research organisations.
Fees for Australia: A$2,380 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Will this qualification be recognised by Engineers Australia for robotics and control roles?
SEIUM qualifications are private and not accredited by Engineers Australia or any national body. Engineers Australia assesses engineering competence through its own processes, and recognition of SEIUM training is decided by employers or the body you apply to. Confirm their requirements before enrolling if professional membership matters to you.
Which Australian employers hire people with robotics and automation skills?
Mining, manufacturing, logistics, agricultural technology, and defence companies across Australia employ automation and control engineers. Whether they value a private qualification depends on each employer's policy. Your project work, programming and practical skills are usually central to hiring decisions.
Can I study this part time while working in Australia, and are there payment options?
Yes, the programmes are 100% online, taught in English, and include an assigned technical tutor, so you can study from anywhere in Australia around work hours. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Confirm the programme length, which ranges from 300 to 1,900 hours, and plan accordingly.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Specify safety functions with PLr and SIL.
Design control architectures compliant with ISO 13849.
Calculate PFHD using tools such as SISTEMA.
Configure safe stops in accordance with IEC 61800-5-2.
Programme and verify safety software.
Validate safety functions in accordance with ISO 13849-2.
Maintain safety integrity throughout the machine's service life.
Who it's for
- Functional safety engineer looking to specialise in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops.
- Machinery safety engineer looking to specialise in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops.
- Safety PLC programmer looking to specialise in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops.
- Machinery validator looking to specialise in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops.
- Automation engineer looking to specialise in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops.
- Industrial maintenance technician looking to specialise in PL/SIL Validation and Safe Stops.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter machinery manufacturing.
What you'll work with
- ISO 13849-1:2023
- ISO 13849-2:2012
- IEC 62061:2021
- IEC 61800-5-2:2016
- ISO 13850:2015
- IEC 60204-1:2016
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery
- IEC 61508-3:2010
8 modules · 800 h
1.1The concept of functional safety1.2Safety functions and their specification1.3ISO 13849 versus IEC 620611.4Safety lifecycle1.5Machinery Regulation 2023/12301.6Type A, B and C standards1.7Determining PLr using the risk graph1.8Determining required SIL1.9Specification of safety requirements1.10Workshop: specifying safety functions
2.1Categories B, 1, 2, 3 and 42.2Designated architectures in ISO 138492.3MTTFD and B10D values2.4Diagnostic coverage DC2.5Common cause failures CCF2.6Subsystems in IEC 620612.7Hardware fault tolerance2.8Safety relays and safety PLCs2.9Drives with integrated functions2.10Practice: category 3 architecture
3.1PFHD calculation3.2Use of manufacturers' libraries3.3Combining subsystems3.4Use of SISTEMA software3.5Calculation according to IEC 620613.6Systematic faults and measures3.7Common errors in calculation3.8Documenting the calculation3.9Verifying compliance3.10Laboratory: PL calculation with SISTEMA
4.1Stop categories 0, 1 and 24.2Emergency stop according to ISO 138504.3Safe Torque Off4.4Safe Stop 1 and Safe Stop 24.5Safe Operating Stop4.6Functions of IEC 61800-5-24.7Stopping times and measurement4.8Brakes and their monitoring4.9Stops on robots and vertical axes4.10Practice: configuring SS1 on a drive
5.1Requirements for SRASW software5.2Limited-variability languages5.3PLCopen Safety certified blocks5.4Safety PLC programming5.5Testing safety software5.6Version management and checksums5.7Safety parameters in drives5.8Typical programming errors5.9Software documentation5.10Laboratory: safety programme on an F-PLC
6.1ISO 13849-2 validation plan6.2Fault analysis and fault injection6.3Functional testing of each function6.4Verification of response times6.5Validation of safety distances6.6Checking diagnostics6.7Function validation report6.8Validation of modifications6.9Third-party assessment6.10Case study: validating a robotic cell
7.1Periodic testing and proof test7.2Management of bypasses and overrides7.3Change management on existing machines7.4Substantial modification and revalidation7.5Functional safety training for personnel7.6Functional safety audits7.7Incident recording7.8Component obsolescence7.9Cybersecurity and functional safety7.10Practice: periodic test plan
8.1Description of the machine8.2Identification of safety functions8.3Determination of PLr and SIL8.4Architecture design8.5Calculation and verification8.6Configuration of safe stops8.7Validation plan and report8.8Safety maintenance plan8.9Written report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake period, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is IFA SISTEMA, Siemens Safety Evaluation Tool, Pilz PAScal, Siemens TIA Portal Safety, Rockwell GuardLogix with Studio 5000, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for calculating PL and PFHD of safety functions, validation by fault injection and measurement of stopping times. Assessment is continuous across each module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Specify safety functions with PLr and SIL.
Design control architectures compliant with ISO 13849.
Calculate PFHD using tools such as SISTEMA.
Configure safe stops in accordance with IEC 61800-5-2.
Programme and verify safety software.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical standards documentation.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme works with IFA SISTEMA, Siemens Safety Evaluation Tool, Pilz PAScal, Siemens TIA Portal Safety, Rockwell GuardLogix with Studio 5000. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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