Off-Road Cab Impact Simulation Course
Online 300 h course in impact simulation for Off-Road cabs. 6 modules covering ISO 3471 (roll-over protective structures, ROPS), ISO 3449 (falling object protective structures, FOPS) and LS-DYNA. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Off-Road Cab Impact Simulation Course — studying from New Zealand
Off-road and special vehicle engineering is a major strength in New Zealand, reflecting the importance of agriculture, forestry, mining and construction. Manufacturers and fabricators in the Waikato and Canterbury produce tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment and specialised machinery, many of which are exported worldwide. Engineers in this field work on design, testing and safety compliance for equipment used on farms, in plantations and on remote worksites.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,080 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Which New Zealand bodies relate to off-road and specialist vehicle engineering?
Engineering New Zealand is the main professional body, and vehicle compliance is handled by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. Heavy machinery and certain specialist vehicles can also fall under WorkSafe New Zealand rules. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so employers and regulators decide their value.
Who hires off-road and special vehicle engineers in New Zealand?
Employers include forestry and agricultural equipment firms, mining and civil construction contractors, fabrication shops, and emergency or utility vehicle fleets. Practical design, safety and maintenance skills are central to hiring. A SEIUM qualification may help, but its weight depends on the employer.
How does the study load work for someone with a job here?
The programme is fully online, so you can study around work from anywhere in New Zealand without a student visa. Specialist courses take 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours. You get an assigned technical tutor, and fees can be paid in instalments or sponsored by an employer.
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
Interpret the regulatory requirements for ROPS and FOPS structures.
Build a finite element model of a cab with joints and welds.
Define material models with plasticity and geometric non-linearity.
Simulate lateral, vertical and longitudinal load tests and falling object tests.
Correlate simulation results with physical tests.
Optimise the cab structure to meet requirements with lower mass.
Document a calculation report suitable for a type-approval process.
Who it's for
- Finite element analysis engineer who wants to specialise in Off-Road cab impact simulation.
- Cab passive safety engineer who wants to specialise in Off-Road cab impact simulation.
- Machinery type-approval engineer who wants to specialise in Off-Road cab impact simulation.
- Structural design engineer who wants to specialise in Off-Road cab impact simulation.
- Test laboratory technician who wants to specialise in Off-Road cab impact simulation.
- Impact simulation analyst who wants to specialise in Off-Road cab impact simulation.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to join construction machinery manufacturers.
What you'll work with
- ISO 3471 (roll-over protective structures, ROPS)
- ISO 3449 (falling object protective structures, FOPS)
- OECD Code 4 (ROPS testing of standard tractors)
- ISO 12117-2 (ROPS for excavators)
- ISO 8082-1 (ROPS for forestry machinery)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 1322/2014 (construction of agricultural and forestry vehicles)
- ASME V&V 10 (verification and validation in computational solid mechanics)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Roll-over and falling object risks1.2Protective structures and their function1.3Test standards applicable to each machine type1.4Deformation limit volume criterion1.5Energy and forces required by the standard1.6Physical test: rig, instrumentation and criteria1.7Role of simulation in certification1.8Documentation and technical file1.9Manufacturer and converter responsibility1.10Workshop: reading the requirements applicable to a machine
2.1Geometry preparation and simplifications2.2Meshing: element types and size2.3Welded and bolted joints in the model2.4Boundary conditions and chassis anchorage2.5Application of loads according to the standard2.6Contact between components2.7Mesh quality and checks2.8Computational cost and strategies2.9Model verification with simple cases2.10Practice: building a structure model
3.1Elastoplastic behaviour of steel3.2True stress-strain curves3.3Hardening and strain-rate sensitivity3.4Failure and fracture criteria3.5High-strength materials and their ductility3.6Modelling the weld and heat-affected zone3.7Large displacements and buckling3.8Absorbed energy and deformation mechanisms3.9Sensitivity to material parameters3.10Practice: calibrating a material model
4.1Explicit and implicit schemes4.2Time step and stability4.3Falling object simulation4.4Roll-over and lateral load simulation4.5Interaction with the ground and the chassis4.6Contact, friction and penetration4.7Interpreting calculation energies4.8Verifying energy conservation4.9Post-processing and acceptance criteria4.10Practice: simulating a standard test
5.1Instrumented test design5.2Measurement of force, displacement and deformation5.3Quantitative simulation-to-test comparison5.4Sources of discrepancy and their analysis5.5Model tuning versus test tuning5.6Test repeatability and scatter5.7Model validation for product variants5.8Documentation of correlation5.9Using the model to reduce testing5.10Practice: correlation report
6.1Structure design for energy absorption6.2Thicknesses, sections and local reinforcements6.3Mass optimisation with constraints6.4Integration with ergonomics and visibility6.5Machine variants and design reuse6.6Manufacturing: welding, tolerances and control6.7Change management and revalidation6.8Common errors in impact simulation6.9Good documentation practice6.10Final project: design and virtual validation of a protective structure
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is LS-DYNA, Abaqus/Explicit, Altair HyperMesh and Radioss, ANSYS Mechanical, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real laboratory procedures for ROPS load tests, FOPS falling object tests, and correlation of strain gauges with the model. Assessment is continuous per 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.
Interpret the regulatory requirements for ROPS and FOPS structures.
Build a finite element model of a cab with joints and welds.
Define material models with plasticity and geometric non-linearity.
Simulate lateral, vertical and longitudinal load tests and falling object tests.
Correlate simulation results with physical tests.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree 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 consists of 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with LS-DYNA, Abaqus/Explicit, Altair HyperMesh and Radioss, ANSYS Mechanical. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates a free 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 title.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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