Diploma in Obsolescence and Spare Parts Strategy
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in obsolescence management and spare parts strategy. 8 modules covering IEC 62402:2019, EN 13306:2017 and ISO 55001:2014, with SAP PM/MM, IBM Maximo, SiliconExpert and Python, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Obsolescence and Spare Parts Strategy — studying from the United Kingdom
Robotics and automation are growing across the United Kingdom, from manufacturing and logistics to healthcare and research. Universities including Bristol, Oxford, Imperial College London and Edinburgh host robotics research, while the Robotics and Autonomous Systems hub and the Advanced Robotics Hub support collaboration with industry. Manufacturers, logistics operators and automation integrators employ engineers in control systems, sensing, programming and systems integration. Safety standards for collaborative robots shape deployment across industries.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £1,250 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies recognise robotics and control engineering, and how does SEIUM's training fit?
The Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers are the main UK professional bodies for control and automation engineers. Chartered status is awarded through the Engineering Council via accredited routes. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by any national body, so any recognition by these institutions is their own decision.
Will UK robotics and automation employers value a private online qualification?
UK robotics and automation employers usually weigh practical projects, programming skills and relevant experience heavily. A private qualification can support your CV where it reflects applied control or robotics work, particularly a strong final project. Employers decide how much value to attach to it, so tailor your application to their stated requirements.
Can I balance this with a UK job, and is there support in English?
Yes. The programmes are 100% online, taught in English, and you are assigned a technical tutor for support. Study ranges from 300 to 1,900 hours, so plan your schedule accordingly. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. No student visa is required because you study from within the UK.
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
Identify the types of obsolescence in industrial systems.
Assess the obsolescence risk of the installed base.
Select proactive and reactive resolution strategies.
Classify spare parts by consumption and criticality.
Size spare parts stocks using probabilistic models.
Optimise spare parts logistics across plants.
Draw up a long-term obsolescence management plan.
Who it's for
- Asset management engineers.
- Maintenance spare parts managers balancing availability and inventory cost.
- Reliability engineers dealing with ageing control systems.
- Obsolescence managers.
- Maintenance planners.
- Technical buyers sourcing critical and end-of-life components.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter the energy sector.
What you'll work with
- IEC 62402:2019 (obsolescence management)
- EN 13306:2017 (maintenance terminology)
- ISO 55001:2014 (asset management)
- SAE AS6081 (counterfeit parts avoidance)
- EN 17007:2017 (maintenance processes and indicators)
- IEC 62443-2-3 (patch management in IACS environments)
- SAP PM/MM
- IBM Maximo
- SiliconExpert
- Python with pandas and SciPy
- Microsoft Power BI
8 modules
1.1Types of obsolescence: components, software and skills1.2Life cycle of electronic components1.3Manufacturer PCN and EOL notices1.4Obsolescence in PLCs, HMIs and drives1.5Legacy systems and their risk1.6Life cycle of control systems1.7Impact on availability and safety1.8The IEC 62402 obsolescence management framework1.9Organising the obsolescence process1.10Workshop: risk inventory of a control system
2.1Installed base inventory2.2Life-cycle status by component2.3Obsolescence risk indices2.4Forecasting the obsolescence date2.5Probability and criticality matrix2.6Commercial component databases2.7Proactive monitoring of manufacturer notices2.8Software and operating system risk2.9Cybersecurity of unsupported systems2.10Practical: obsolescence risk matrix
3.1Last-time buy (LTB)3.2Alternative and equivalent components3.3Emulation and redesign3.4Board repair and re-engineering3.5Secondary market and counterfeit risk3.6Migration of control platforms3.7Phased upgrades3.8Extended support with the manufacturer3.9Cost-benefit analysis of alternatives3.10Case study: migration of an unsupported PLC
4.1ABC analysis by consumption4.2VED classification by criticality4.3Safety spares and capital spares4.4Equipment criticality analysis4.5Slow-moving spare parts4.6Material cataloguing and coding4.7Manufacturer's recommended spare parts list4.8Maintenance Bill of Materials4.9Duplicates and catalogue cleansing4.10Workshop: classification of a spare parts warehouse
5.1Intermittent demand and Croston's method5.2Poisson model for spare parts5.3Service level and stock-out probability5.4Calculation based on reliability and MTBF5.5Multi-echelon METRIC model5.6Safety stock and reorder point5.7Holding cost and stock-out cost5.8Optimisation for target availability5.9Repairable spares and repair cycles5.10Lab: stock sizing with Poisson
6.1Storage and preservation6.2Shelf life and deterioration in storage6.3Pooling between plants6.4Consignment agreements with suppliers6.5On-demand additive manufacturing6.6Integration with CMMS and ERP6.7Turnover and coverage indicators6.8Cycle counting and audits6.9Management of repaired spares6.10Case study: spare parts pooling across three plants
7.1Obsolescence management plan7.2Contract clauses with suppliers7.3Capital budget versus operating expense7.4Modernisation roadmap7.5Management of technical documentation7.6Retaining legacy knowledge7.7Risk indicators for management7.8Process audit7.9Benchmarking of sector practices7.10Workshop: five-year obsolescence plan
8.1Analysis of the installed base8.2Obsolescence risk assessment8.3Spare parts classification8.4Stock sizing8.5Resolution strategies8.6Financial plan and multi-year budget8.7Strategy implementation plan8.8Stock monitoring indicators8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training 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 the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is SAP PM/MM, IBM Maximo, SiliconExpert, Python with pandas and SciPy, and Microsoft Power BI, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: obsolescence risk inventory of the installed base, stock sizing with intermittent demand, and cost-benefit analysis of a control system migration. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: IEC 62402:2019, EN 13306:2017, ISO 55001:2014, SAE AS6081, EN 17007:2017 and IEC 62443-2-3.
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.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's 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 SAP PM/MM, IBM Maximo, SiliconExpert, Python with pandas and SciPy, and Microsoft Power BI, 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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