Diploma in Tank/Fairing Packaging and Usability
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in fuel tank and fairing packaging and usability: 8 modules covering overall motorcycle packaging, fuel tank design, fairings and aerodynamics, fairing materials and manufacturing, usability and maintenance, rider contact ergonomics and validation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Tank/Fairing Packaging and Usability — studying from the United States
Product design and human-machine interface development are vital across American industries, from consumer electronics and medical devices to vehicles and industrial equipment. Design teams cluster in technology hubs such as Silicon Valley, Seattle, New York and Austin, as well as in manufacturing regions. Engineers in this area balance usability, ergonomics, aesthetics and manufacturability while meeting accessibility and safety requirements. Demand continues to grow as connected products require intuitive, reliable interfaces.
Fees for the United States: US$1,670 (US Dollars), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United States
Typical roles
Questions from the United States
Which US professional bodies relate to product design and human-machine interface work?
Product and HMI design in the US is supported by organizations such as the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), and the Association for Computing Machinery's SIGCHI community. No state licence is required for product design. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not official degrees, so their recognition depends on employers or relevant bodies.
How do US product and design employers view a private online engineering qualification?
US design studios, consumer product firms and software companies mainly evaluate portfolios, user-research experience and collaboration skills. A private online qualification can document specialist study, but it is not a standard requirement and each employer decides its relevance. A strong portfolio of shipped or prototyped work usually counts for more.
Can I manage this programme from the US while working, and how is the cost handled?
The programmes are online and taught in English, so they can be studied from home without a student visa. Plan for about 1,900 hours for a master's, 800 hours for a postgraduate diploma, or 300 hours for a specialist course. An assigned technical tutor supports you throughout. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible, so check whether your employer offers professional development funding.
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
Organise the component package of a motorcycle with safe clearances.
Design fuel tanks that comply with emissions requirements.
Optimise fairings for aerodynamics, protection and cooling.
Specify materials and manufacturing processes for fairings.
Improve accessibility for maintenance and everyday use.
Assess contact ergonomics between rider and vehicle.
Plan the validation of fuel tanks and fairings.
Who it's for
- Vehicle packaging engineers
- Fairing designers
- Fuel system engineers
- Aerodynamics engineers
- Aftersales and maintainability engineers
- Validation engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the motorcycle industry
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 168/2013 (approval of two- or three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 134/2014 (environmental and propulsion performance requirements for L-category vehicles)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 44/2014 (vehicle construction and general requirements for L-category vehicles)
- UNECE Regulation No. 81 (rear-view mirrors for two-wheeled vehicles)
- ISO 7250-1 (basic human body measurements for technological design)
- ISO 4892-2 (plastics: exposure to xenon-arc laboratory light sources)
- CATIA V5
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+
- Ansys Fluent
- Autodesk Moldflow
- Teamcenter
8 modules
1.1Frame and subframe architecture1.2Space taken by the engine, airbox and exhaust1.3Radiator space and cooling1.4Steering lock and suspension travel1.5Rear wheel travel and mudguards1.6Harnesses and electronics1.7Safety volumes and clearances1.8Digital mock-up of the assembly1.9Interference management1.10Workshop: clearance study at full steering lock
2.1Capacity, range and shape2.2Steel versus polyethylene tanks2.3Fuel pump and level sender2.4Breather and vapour canister2.5Rollover and anti-spill valves2.6Welding and sealing of the tank2.7Under-seat tank and centre of gravity2.8Integrity in falls and impacts2.9Evaporative emissions in Euro 5 type approval2.10Practical exercise: capacity and centre of mass of a tank
3.1Functions of the fairing3.2Aerodynamics of the motorcycle and rider together3.3Windscreens and wind protection3.4Extraction of hot air from the engine3.5Winglets and aerodynamic appendages3.6Wind tunnel testing3.7CFD simulation of fairings3.8Aerodynamic noise at the helmet3.9Air intakes and cooling3.10Laboratory: CFD of an adjustable windscreen
4.1Injection-moulded polypropylene, ABS and PC/ABS4.2Carbon fibre and glass fibre4.3Design for injection moulding: draft and wall thickness4.4Fasteners, clips and bushes4.5Painting, decoration and in-mould processes4.6Tolerances and flushness between parts4.7Panel vibration and resonance4.8Recyclability of plastics4.9Tooling costs4.10Case study: mountings of a side fairing
5.1Access to the battery and fuses5.2Access to filters and spark plugs5.3Tool-free removal of fairings5.4Refuelling and fuel cap5.5Under-seat storage space5.6Catches and locks5.7Oil and fluid level checks5.8Workshop labour times5.9Usability for the end user5.10Workshop: analysis of maintenance times
6.1Knee grip on the tank6.2Inseam width and seat height6.3Thermal contact with fairings6.4Leg protection on scooters6.5Instrument visibility6.6Mirrors and field of view6.7Low-speed manoeuvres6.8Access to auxiliary controls6.9Subjective assessment with riders6.10Practical exercise: thermal map of contact areas
7.1Tank pressure and leak tests7.2Fuel permeation in plastics7.3Vibration and fatigue of brackets7.4Drop and abuse tests on fairings7.5Climatic and UV ageing7.6Low-temperature impact7.7Road durability7.8Perceived quality assessment7.9Engineering change management7.10Case study: crack in a windscreen bracket
8.1Definition of the base vehicle8.2Layout of the main components8.3Fuel tank design8.4Fairing design8.5Usability and maintenance study8.6Aerodynamic and thermal analysis8.7Validation plan8.8Cost and manufacturing8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, 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 CATIA V5, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, Ansys Fluent, Autodesk Moldflow and Teamcenter, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: interference studies in a digital mock-up, leak and permeation tests on tanks, and maintainability assessment on a prototype. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: Regulation (EU) 168/2013, Delegated Regulation (EU) 134/2014, Delegated Regulation (EU) 44/2014, UNECE Regulation No. 81, ISO 7250-1, ISO 4892-2.
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 able to run 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 CATIA V5, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, Ansys Fluent, Autodesk Moldflow and Teamcenter, 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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