NFC in Machine Shop Engineering
This course develops your ability to manufacture and evaluate mechanical components using engineering information and controlled workshop processes.
About the course
This course develops your ability to manufacture and evaluate mechanical components using engineering information and controlled workshop processes. Learning combines technical study with practical tasks relevant to Southern African organisations and communities.
What you'll learn
Interpret drawings and select suitable materials and operations.
Carry out supervised machining or production tasks to a defined specification.
Evaluate dimensions, process performance and product quality.
Requirements
Prepare to follow practical instructions, use basic measurements and keep a simple record of your work. The facilitator will introduce the tools and safe working procedures used in each activity. Check the provider's published admission requirements before enrolment.
Course content
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
3 learning stages 8 subjects
1Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice2 subjects
2Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application4 subjects
3Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency2 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
8 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice
- Engineering Measurements and Drawings. Build foundation skills in engineering measurements and drawings. Guided examples introduce engineering views and dimensions, followed by practice with measuring instruments and units. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use tolerances and measurement records to review the result.
- Workshop Safety and Tool Care. Build foundation skills in workshop safety and tool care. Guided examples introduce workshop hazards and guarding, followed by practice with tool care and authorised operation. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use material handling and housekeeping to review the result.
Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application
- Materials and Bench Work. Build foundation skills in materials and bench work. Guided examples introduce engineering materials and marking out, followed by practice with filing and drilling concepts. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use bench assembly and inspection to review the result.
- Basic Machine Operations. Build foundation skills in basic machine operations. Guided examples introduce machine functions and training setup, followed by practice with supervised operation and work sequence. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use dimensional checks and operation records to review the result.
- Tool Setting and Workholding. Build foundation skills in tool setting and workholding. Guided examples introduce cutting tools and tool condition, followed by practice with workholding choices and alignment. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use setup checks and supervisor release to review the result.
- Component Inspection and Maintenance. Build foundation skills in component inspection and maintenance. Guided examples introduce dimensional inspection and surface condition, followed by practice with defect records and routine maintenance. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use lubrication concepts and reporting to review the result.
Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency
- Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication. Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Guided practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
- Machineshop Skills Proficiency. Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate engineering measurements and drawings, materials and bench work within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Assessment and practical learning
- Suggested learning checks: explain a procedure, complete a short task and respond to practical questions.
- Suggested practical assessment: demonstrate the skill under supervision and keep a record of completed work.
- Use assessor feedback to correct errors and repeat a task until the agreed quality criteria are met.
Practical application
Produce a supervised mechanical component or manufacturing plan, supported by drawings, measurements, process records and an inspection report.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice
Engineering Measurements and Drawings
Build foundation skills in engineering measurements and drawings. Guided examples introduce engineering views and dimensions, followed by practice with measuring instruments and units. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use tolerances and measurement records to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain engineering views and dimensions using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving measuring instruments and units.
- Review your work using tolerances and measurement records.
Main topics
- Engineering views
- Dimensions
- Measuring instruments
- Units
- Tolerances
- Measurement records
Practical task
Complete a guided engineering measurements and drawings task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Workshop Safety and Tool Care
Build foundation skills in workshop safety and tool care. Guided examples introduce workshop hazards and guarding, followed by practice with tool care and authorised operation. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use material handling and housekeeping to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain workshop hazards and guarding using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving tool care and authorised operation.
- Review your work using material handling and housekeeping.
Main topics
- Workshop hazards
- Guarding
- Tool care
- Authorised operation
- Material handling
- Housekeeping
Practical task
Complete a guided workshop safety and tool care task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application
Materials and Bench Work
Build foundation skills in materials and bench work. Guided examples introduce engineering materials and marking out, followed by practice with filing and drilling concepts. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use bench assembly and inspection to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain engineering materials and marking out using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving filing and drilling concepts.
- Review your work using bench assembly and inspection.
Main topics
- Engineering materials
- Marking out
- Filing
- Drilling concepts
- Bench assembly
- Inspection
Practical task
Complete a guided materials and bench work task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Basic Machine Operations
Build foundation skills in basic machine operations. Guided examples introduce machine functions and training setup, followed by practice with supervised operation and work sequence. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use dimensional checks and operation records to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain machine functions and training setup using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving supervised operation and work sequence.
- Review your work using dimensional checks and operation records.
Main topics
- Machine functions
- Training setup
- Supervised operation
- Work sequence
- Dimensional checks
- Operation records
Practical task
Complete a guided basic machine operations task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Tool Setting and Workholding
Build foundation skills in tool setting and workholding. Guided examples introduce cutting tools and tool condition, followed by practice with workholding choices and alignment. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use setup checks and supervisor release to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain cutting tools and tool condition using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving workholding choices and alignment.
- Review your work using setup checks and supervisor release.
Main topics
- Cutting tools
- Tool condition
- Workholding choices
- Alignment
- Setup checks
- Supervisor release
Practical task
Complete a guided tool setting and workholding task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Component Inspection and Maintenance
Build foundation skills in component inspection and maintenance. Guided examples introduce dimensional inspection and surface condition, followed by practice with defect records and routine maintenance. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use lubrication concepts and reporting to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain dimensional inspection and surface condition using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving defect records and routine maintenance.
- Review your work using lubrication concepts and reporting.
Main topics
- Dimensional inspection
- Surface condition
- Defect records
- Routine maintenance
- Lubrication concepts
- Reporting
Practical task
Complete a guided component inspection and maintenance task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency
Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication
Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Guided practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Learning outcomes
- Define a customer need and a practical enterprise response.
- Estimate resources, costs and cash requirements.
- Revise a business proposal using evidence from a small market test.
Main topics
- Customer problems and enterprise opportunities
- Products, services and value propositions
- Startup resources and operating costs
- Pricing, cash flow and basic records
- Market testing and customer feedback
- Business risks, responsibilities and growth choices
Practical task
For Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication, prepare a small-enterprise plan and test record in a machine shop engineering setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Use guided tasks with feedback and a further attempt after corrections.
Machineshop Skills Proficiency
Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate engineering measurements and drawings, materials and bench work within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Learning outcomes
- Plan and complete an integrated task to agreed criteria.
- Demonstrate safe and consistent practical performance.
- Explain the result and correct identified weaknesses.
Main topics
- Interpreting an integrated work brief
- Preparing tools, information and resources
- Demonstrating the required technical skills
- Checking output against agreed criteria
- Responding to faults and assessor feedback
- Presenting evidence and explaining decisions
Practical task
Produce a supervised mechanical component or manufacturing plan, supported by drawings, measurements, process records and an inspection report.
Assessment
Direct observation, the completed output, a quality-check record and oral questions provide the evidence for this subject.
Instructors
