Diploma in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in design for manufacture and assembly: 8 modules covering DFMA principles, design for plastic injection moulding, sheet metal and metal parts, design for assembly, material and process selection, risk analysis and cost improvement, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly — studying from South Africa
Product design and human-machine interface work is increasingly important across South African manufacturing, consumer goods and software. Industrial design teams in the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal work on products for local and export markets, from appliances to automotive interiors. Digital product and interface design is in demand as companies build more connected products. Designers often collaborate with engineers, ergonomics specialists and quality teams throughout the development process.
Fees for South Africa: R 27 900 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Do South African professional bodies recognise qualifications in HMI and product design?
In South Africa, design professions are overseen by bodies such as the South African Council for the Architectural Profession for architecture and the South African Institute of Interior Designers for interior work, while product and UX design is largely unregulated. SEIUM is a private online institute, and its qualifications are not state degrees or accredited by a national body. Employers and clients decide how much weight to give them.
Will this programme help me get work in product or HMI design in South Africa?
South Africa's technology, automotive, consumer goods and software firms hire designers, usually assessing portfolios, practical skills and experience. A private online qualification can add to your credentials and show specialist knowledge, but it does not guarantee a role. Build a strong portfolio and ask target employers how they view the qualification.
How much time does it take, and can I pay in instalments?
The programme is delivered entirely online and in English, so you need good English for coursework and communication with your tutor. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so choose a level that suits your schedule. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible if your employer supports professional development.
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
Apply the DFMA methodology from the earliest design stages.
Design injection-moulded plastic parts that are manufacturable and dimensionally stable.
Design metal parts suited to stamping, casting and machining.
Optimise assemblies for efficient, error-free assembly.
Select materials and processes according to volume, cost and performance.
Identify risks through design and process FMEA.
Quantify the savings achieved by redesigning for manufacture.
Who it's for
- Product engineers who want designs that are cheaper and easier to build.
- Industrialisation engineers bridging design and the production line.
- Manufacturing process engineers working on moulding, stamping or machining.
- Cost engineers estimating part and assembly costs.
- Design quality engineers running DFMEA and manufacturability reviews.
- Mechanical designers working in CAD who need manufacturing know-how.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the automotive sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO 2768-1 (general tolerances for linear and angular dimensions)
- ISO 20457 (tolerances for plastic moulded parts)
- ISO 1101 (geometrical tolerancing)
- IATF 16949 (automotive quality management system)
- AIAG-VDA FMEA (failure mode and effects analysis handbook)
- ISO 286-1 (ISO code system for tolerances on linear sizes)
- VDI 2221 (systematic design of technical products)
- Boothroyd Dewhurst DFMA
- Autodesk Moldflow
- Siemens NX
- aPriori
- Siemens Tecnomatix
8 modules
1.1Manufacturing cost decided at the design stage1.2Boothroyd and Dewhurst DFMA methodology1.3Concurrent engineering1.4Simplification and part-count reduction1.5Standardisation of components1.6Early selection of material and process1.7Tolerances and cost1.8Design for quality1.9DFMA support tools1.10Case study: DFMA analysis of a glovebox mechanism
2.1Uniform wall thicknesses2.2Draft angles2.3Ribs, flanges and reinforcements2.4Gate locations and weld lines2.5Shrinkage, warpage and sink marks2.6Tolerances for moulded parts to ISO 204572.7Filling simulation2.8Design of integrated clips2.9Texturing and surface quality2.10Lab: filling simulation in Moldflow
3.1Stamping and deep drawing3.2Minimum radii and springback3.3Punching and die cutting3.4Design for spot welding3.5Aluminium high-pressure die casting3.6Profile extrusion3.7Machining and tool accessibility3.8General tolerances to ISO 27683.9Surface treatments3.10Practical exercise: redesign of a bracket for stamping
4.1Assembly efficiency analysis4.2Part handling and insertion4.3Symmetry and orientation errors4.4Error-proof (poka-yoke) design4.5One-direction and gravity-assisted assembly4.6Quick fastenings and clips4.7Tool accessibility4.8Operator ergonomics4.9Assembly automation4.10Workshop: assembly efficiency index of a sub-assembly
5.1Process maps and volumes5.2Cost per part and tooling amortisation5.3Materials databases5.4Trade-off between weight, cost and performance5.5Composite materials and their manufacture5.6Series additive manufacturing5.7Process sustainability5.8Availability and supply chain5.9Decision matrices5.10Case study: process selection for a battery bracket
6.1Design FMEA (AIAG-VDA)6.2Process FMEA6.3Manufacturability reviews6.4Virtual assembly simulation6.5Manufacturing prototypes6.6Validation with suppliers6.7IATF 16949 requirements6.8Special characteristics6.9Preliminary control plan6.10Practical exercise: design FMEA of a clipped assembly
7.1Manufacturing cost estimation7.2Assembly costs7.3Value analysis7.4Benchmarking of solutions7.5Teardown of a competitor product7.6Cost reduction ideas7.7Lessons learned7.8DFMA indicators7.9Dissemination of good practice7.10Case study: teardown and savings proposal
8.1Product selection8.2Initial manufacturing and assembly analysis8.3Identification of opportunities8.4Proposed redesign8.5Process simulation8.6Risk analysis8.7Cost evaluation8.8Validation plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Delivered 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 Boothroyd Dewhurst DFMA, Autodesk Moldflow, Siemens NX, aPriori and Siemens Tecnomatix, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: DFMA analysis of real products, filling simulation of injection-moulded parts and teardown of competitor components. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final capstone project.
Standards covered: ISO 2768-1, ISO 20457, ISO 1101, IATF 16949, AIAG-VDA FMEA, ISO 286-1, VDI 2221.
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 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 Boothroyd Dewhurst DFMA, Autodesk Moldflow, Siemens NX, aPriori and Siemens Tecnomatix, 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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