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 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
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.
Related programmes
Diploma in OTA Operation and Capacity Management
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in OTA operation and feature management, structured in 8 modules covering OTA update fundamentals, UNECE R156 and ISO 24089 regulatory…
Diploma in Autonomous HMI Validation with Users and Regulators
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in autonomous HMI validation with users and regulators: 8 modules covering the autonomous HMI validation framework, user study design, validation…
Diploma in Validation with SimRacing and Telemetry of Use
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in validation with SimRacing and usage telemetry, structured in 8 modules covering driving simulators, vehicle modelling, data acquisition, driving data…
More in Design, HMI & Product
All Design, HMI & Product programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships