Course on Automation of Railway Workshops
Online course of 300 hours in railway depot automation: 6 modules covering the railway depot, automated inspection, robotics and automated lifting, industrial control and digitalisation, and organisation and safety, with an assigned technical tutor.
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
Understand the organisation and equipment of railway depots.
Identify maintenance tasks suitable for automation.
Apply computer vision to automatic train inspection.
Integrate robotics and automated lifting using safety criteria.
Design control and digitalisation systems for the depot.
Assess the economic viability of automation investments.
Draw up an automation project for a railway depot.
Who it's for
- Industrial automation engineers
- Railway maintenance depot managers
- Maintenance process engineers
- Robotic systems integrators
- Control and SCADA technicians
- Continuous improvement managers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to join railway operators
What you'll work with
- Directive 2006/42/EC (machinery)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (machinery products)
- ISO 10218 (robots and robotic devices – safety requirements)
- ISO 13849 (safety of machinery – safety-related parts of control systems)
- IEC 61131-3 (PLC programming languages)
- IEC 62443 (security of industrial automation and control systems)
- ISO/TS 15066 (collaborative robots)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/779 (entities in charge of maintenance)
- Siemens TIA Portal
- AnyLogic
- RoboDK
- Ignition SCADA
- IBM Maximo
6 modules
1.1Types of depots and maintenance bases1.2Workflows and maintenance levels1.3Facilities: inspection pits, raised tracks and lifting jacks1.4Underfloor wheel lathe and wheel reprofiling1.5Overhead cranes and bogie exchange1.6Automated washing and cleaning1.7Safety on tracks with live overhead lines1.8Lean manufacturing applied to the depot1.9Productivity indicators1.10Case study: diagnosis of a commuter-train depot
2.1Automatic train inspection gantries2.2Computer vision for underframes and roofs2.3Laser measurement of wheel profiles2.4Defect detection on pantographs2.5Automated thermography of components2.6Automatic reading of identifiers2.7Integration with the maintenance system2.8Calibration and reliability of the systems2.9Lighting requirements and pass-through speed2.10Lab: image-based crack detection algorithm
3.1Collaborative robots in depot tasks3.2Synchronised lifting systems3.3Automated guided vehicles (AGV)3.4Automated handling of axles and wheels3.5Cleaning and painting robots3.6Exoskeletons and ergonomics3.7Machine safety and robotised zones3.8Programming industrial robots3.9Selecting and justifying investments3.10Practical exercise: automation study of bogie exchange
4.1Programmable logic controllers and SCADA4.2Profinet and EtherCAT industrial networks4.3MES systems in railway maintenance4.4Tool management and traceability4.5Automated spare-parts warehouses4.6Digital twin of the depot4.7Augmented reality for technicians4.8Cybersecurity of the depot network4.9Integration with the CMMS4.10Workshop: designing a depot dashboard
5.1Depot capacity planning5.2Discrete-event flow simulation5.3Line balancing and bottlenecks5.4Risk prevention in automated environments5.5Machinery Directive and CE marking5.6Staff training and qualification5.7Quality management and ISO 90015.8Sustainability: water, energy and waste5.9Economic assessment of automation5.10Case study: simulating a depot with AnyLogic
6.1Analysis of the current depot and its processes6.2Identifying tasks that can be automated6.3Selecting technologies and suppliers6.4Designing the future layout6.5Integrating control systems6.6Risk and safety assessment6.7Economic study and payback period6.8Phased implementation plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final 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. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Siemens TIA Portal, AnyLogic, RoboDK, Ignition SCADA, IBM Maximo, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied for auditing railway depot processes, designing automatic inspection stations and simulating depot flows. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: Directive 2006/42/EC; Regulation (EU) 2023/1230; ISO 10218; ISO 13849; IEC 61131-3; IEC 62443; ISO/TS 15066; Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/779.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
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 totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Siemens TIA Portal, AnyLogic, RoboDK, Ignition SCADA and IBM Maximo, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer capable of running the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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