Diploma in Durability, Corrosion and Joint Testing
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in durability, corrosion and joint testing: 8 modules covering joint degradation mechanisms, joining technologies, corrosion protection to ISO 12944, accelerated corrosion testing to ISO 9227, mechanical joint testing, life prediction and validation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Durability, Corrosion and Joint Testing — 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 33 400 (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
Understand the corrosion, fatigue and ageing mechanisms that degrade joints.
Select joining technologies suited to multi-material assemblies.
Specify corrosion protection systems in accordance with ISO 12944.
Design accelerated corrosion and mechanical characterisation test plans.
Interpret test results and joint failure modes.
Estimate the fatigue life of joints through simulation and statistics.
Integrate joint durability into the product validation plan.
Who it's for
- Durability engineers assessing fatigue and life of structural joints.
- Joining and assembly process engineers working with welds, rivets and adhesives.
- Corrosion and surface protection specialists specifying coatings and treatments.
- Product validation engineers planning DVP&R campaigns.
- Test laboratory technicians running salt spray and mechanical tests.
- Supplier quality engineers dealing with joint and corrosion claims.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the automotive sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO 9227 (salt spray corrosion tests)
- ISO 12944 (corrosion protection of steel structures by paint systems)
- VDI 2230 (systematic calculation of highly stressed bolted joints)
- ISO 9223 (corrosivity of atmospheres — classification)
- VDA 233-102 (cyclic corrosion testing of materials and components)
- ISO 4628 (evaluation of degradation of coatings)
- ISO 14273 (shear testing of spot, seam and projection welds)
- ISO 4587 (tensile lap-shear strength of adhesive bonds)
- Ansys nCode DesignLife
- Abaqus
- LS-DYNA
- Minitab
- COMSOL Multiphysics
8 modules
1.1Electrochemical corrosion: galvanic cell and potentials1.2Crevice and pitting corrosion in overlaps1.3Stress corrosion cracking and hydrogen embrittlement1.4Hygrothermal degradation of structural adhesives1.5Fatigue of joints: S-N curves and stress concentration1.6Creep and preload relaxation in bolted joints1.7UV ageing of sealants and polymers1.8Corrosion-fatigue interaction in saline environments1.9Atmospheric corrosivity classification to ISO 92231.10Workshop: failure diagnosis of a corroded riveted joint
2.1Resistance spot welding of AHSS steels2.2Self-piercing rivets (SPR) and clinching2.3Bolted joints: torque, preload and VDI 22302.4Epoxy and polyurethane structural adhesives2.5Hybrid adhesive-mechanical joints2.6Joining dissimilar steel-aluminium materials2.7Flow-drill screws (FDS) and friction welding2.8Laser welding and brazing in the body2.9Selection criteria by load and environment2.10Practical exercise: multi-material joint selection matrix
3.1Hot-dip galvanising and electrogalvanising3.2Phosphating, zirconium conversion and cataphoresis3.3Protective paint systems to ISO 129443.4Zinc flake coatings on fasteners3.5Galvanic isolation with washers and sealants3.6Cavity waxes and underbody protection3.7Anti-corrosion design: drainage and elimination of crevices3.8Passivation of stainless steel and anodising of aluminium3.9Specification of thicknesses and adhesion tests3.10Case study: anti-corrosion redesign of a chassis bracket
4.1Neutral salt spray to ISO 92274.2Cyclic tests VDA 233-102 and SAE J23344.3Correlation between cyclic tests and the field4.4Condensation humidity atmospheres to ISO 6270-24.5Assessment of rust and blistering to ISO 46284.6Filiform corrosion and creep from a scribe4.7Electrochemical techniques: polarisation and impedance spectroscopy4.8Natural atmospheric exposure and witness specimens4.9Design of test plans and sample size4.10Lab: interpretation of salt spray results
5.1Tensile shear testing of spot welds to ISO 142735.2Cross-tension testing of spot welds5.3Lap-shear testing of adhesives to ISO 45875.4Constant and variable amplitude fatigue5.5High strain-rate impact tests5.6Torque-tension testing of fasteners to ISO 160475.7Macrography and metallography of weld nuggets5.8Ultrasound and thermography as non-destructive tests5.9Failure modes and acceptance criteria5.10Lab: force-displacement curve of an SPR joint
6.1Finite element modelling of spot welds6.2Fatigue of joints using the structural stress approach6.3Cumulative damage with the Palmgren-Miner rule6.4Cohesive zone models for adhesives6.5Finite element simulation of galvanic corrosion6.6Virtual durability with measured road loads6.7Weibull analysis of life to failure6.8Test-simulation correlation and model calibration6.9Safety factors and statistical scatter6.10Practical exercise: fatigue life estimation with nCode DesignLife
7.1DVP&R validation plan for joints7.2Design and process FMEA for joining7.3In-line monitoring of the welding process7.4Corrosion audits on field vehicles7.5Root-cause analysis with 8D and Ishikawa7.6Specification of joints on drawings and internal standards7.7Traceability and statistical process control7.8Corrosion warranty claims7.9Lessons learned and continuous improvement7.10Case study: FMEA of an adhesive joint in a door
8.1Definition of the component and its requirements8.2Justified selection of the joining technology8.3Corrosion protection strategy for the assembly8.4Accelerated and mechanical test plan8.5Durability simulation of the assembly8.6Analysis of results and failure modes8.7Design improvement proposal8.8Cost and manufacturability evaluation8.9Report 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 Ansys nCode DesignLife, Abaqus, LS-DYNA, Minitab and COMSOL Multiphysics, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: cyclic corrosion tests in a climatic chamber, mechanical characterisation of welded and bonded joints, and failure analysis of joints on field vehicles. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final capstone project.
Standards covered: ISO 9227, ISO 12944, VDI 2230, ISO 9223, VDA 233-102, ISO 4628, ISO 14273, ISO 4587.
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 Ansys nCode DesignLife, Abaqus, LS-DYNA, Minitab and COMSOL Multiphysics, 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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