Diploma in Prepreg/Infusion Lamination and Curing
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in prepreg and infusion lamination and curing. 8 modules covering marine composite materials, laminate design, moulds and preparation, vacuum infusion, prepreg lamination, cure and post-cure cycles, and quality control and testing, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Prepreg/Infusion Lamination and Curing — studying from Ireland
Ireland's maritime sector spans shipping services, offshore energy, marine research and sports boating, with ports such as Dublin, Cork and Shannon Foynes supporting trade and logistics. The offshore wind and marine renewables sector is growing, creating demand for engineers in structures, marine systems and subsea technology. Marine research institutions such as the Marine Institute contribute to ocean science and offshore technology. Oversight is provided by the Irish Maritime Administration within the Department of Transport and by classification and safety bodies.
Fees for Ireland: €1,290 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which bodies in Ireland regulate or recognise marine and offshore engineering professionals?
In Ireland, marine matters fall under the Irish Maritime Development Office and the Irish Maritime Administration, while the Marine Survey Office handles vessel safety. Professional engineering membership is usually sought through Engineers Ireland. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by these bodies, so they do not grant certificates of competency or professional status.
How do employers in Ireland's marine and offshore sectors view private online qualifications?
Employers in Ireland's offshore energy, shipping and nautical industries generally prioritise certified competencies and sea-going or project experience. A private online qualification may complement your background but is judged at each employer's discretion. There is no guarantee it will be accepted for any particular role.
Can I study this online from Ireland and do I need a visa or to relocate?
You can study from home in Ireland, as the programme is fully online and taught in English, so no student visa is needed to study from home. Programme lengths are 300, 800 or 1,900 hours depending on the course. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Each student is assigned a 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
Select composite materials suited to marine use.
Design laminates against stiffness, strength and weight criteria.
Prepare moulds and tooling for each process.
Carry out vacuum infusion with defect control.
Laminate and cure prepreg parts.
Define verifiable cure and post-cure cycles.
Apply testing and quality plans to composite parts.
Who it's for
- Composite lamination technicians.
- Composite process engineers.
- Shipyard quality managers.
- Composite structural engineers.
- Mould shop managers.
- Shipbuilding inspectors.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter leisure boatbuilding.
What you'll work with
- ISO 12215-5 (small craft hull scantlings)
- ISO 14125 (flexural properties of fibre-reinforced plastics)
- ISO 527-4 (tensile properties of composites)
- ASTM D2344 (short-beam interlaminar shear strength)
- ISO 1172 (glass fibre content of reinforced plastics)
- Directive 2013/53/EU (recreational craft and personal watercraft)
- REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 (registration and restriction of chemicals)
- Altair HyperWorks
- Ansys Composite PrepPost
- ESI PAM-RTM
- Rhinoceros 3D
8 modules
1.1Glass, carbon and aramid fibres1.2Polyester, vinylester and epoxy resins1.3PVC, SAN, honeycomb and balsa cores1.4Unidirectional, biaxial and multiaxial fabrics1.5Prepregs and their working window1.6Fibre volume fraction1.7Mechanical properties of laminates1.8Fatigue behaviour and performance in the marine environment1.9Technical data sheets and material certification1.10Case study: material selection for a racing hull
2.1Classical laminate theory2.2Stacking sequences and symmetry2.3Scantlings according to ISO 122152.4Sandwich panels and their behaviour2.5Local reinforcements and structural joints2.6Tsai-Wu and Hashin failure criteria2.7Finite element analysis of laminates2.8Lamination drawings and ply book2.9Weight versus stiffness optimisation2.10Workshop: defining a deck laminate
3.1Male and female mould types3.2CNC mould manufacture3.3Moulds for high-temperature curing3.4Release agents and gelcoat3.5Surface preparation and sealing3.6Automated fabric cutting kits3.7Environmental control of the lamination room3.8Cold storage of prepregs3.9Material batch traceability3.10Practical: preparing a mould for infusion
4.1Flow principles according to Darcy's law4.2Distribution media and resin channels4.3Resin inlet and outlet strategies4.4Vacuum bag and consumables4.5Leak and vacuum drop tests4.6Mould filling simulation4.7Viscosity and gel time control4.8Typical defects: dry spots and voids4.9Infusion of cored sandwich parts4.10Lab: infusion of a test panel
5.1Cutting and positioning plies5.2Intermediate compaction (debulking)5.3Lamination in a clean room5.4Use of film adhesives and cores5.5Vacuum bagging for prepregs5.6Out-of-autoclave curing5.7Autoclave curing and pressure5.8Automated lay-up: AFP and ATL5.9Productivity versus quality5.10Practical: laminating a rudder in prepreg
6.1Cure kinetics and degree of conversion6.2Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)6.3Glass transition temperature6.4Designing oven cure cycles6.5Thermocouples and temperature control6.6Post-curing of infused parts6.7Residual stresses and warpage6.8Exotherm in thick laminates6.9Cycle recording and traceability6.10Workshop: defining the cure cycle for a part
7.1Visual and tap testing7.2Ultrasound and thermography7.3Thickness and porosity measurement7.4Tensile and flexural tests on specimens7.5Fibre content by ignition loss7.6Interlaminar shear tests7.7Repairs and part rejection7.8Certification of the shipyard and the build7.9Occupational health with resins and fibres7.10Case study: quality plan for a hull
8.1Definition of the part to be manufactured8.2Laminate design8.3Selection of the manufacturing process8.4Mould and tooling design8.5Lamination and cure plan8.6Quality control plan8.7Cost and time estimate8.8Process documentation8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The programme is 100% online 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 each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Altair HyperWorks, Ansys Composite PrepPost, ESI PAM-RTM and Rhinoceros 3D, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied on real procedures: infusion of test panels, cure cycles monitored with thermocouples and flexural tests on laminated specimens. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 12215-5, ISO 14125, ISO 527-4, ASTM D2344, ISO 1172, Directive 2013/53/EU on recreational craft, REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006.
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
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree 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 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Altair HyperWorks, Ansys Composite PrepPost, ESI PAM-RTM and Rhinoceros 3D, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, 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.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the 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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