This 3-month programme is non-credit-bearing and non-accredited, delivered by ECT’s affiliated institute, EIT, and therefore your certificate of completion will be awarded by EIT. This professional certificate is distinct from ECT’s undergraduate and postgraduate degree programme offerings.
Course Overview
The dependence on human skills in performing a task is fast diminishing with automation taking centre stage in all processes of life. Industrial activity has embraced automation to such an extent that only supervisory skills are required. But the design, building and testing of such systems still rest with us. Hence this treatise.
An in-depth knowledge of various systems and elements used in the automation of industrial processes will be dealt with in this Industrial Automation certificate course. Troubleshooting, safety procedures and design of systems are also attempted. The knowledge gained through this course will increase the confidence to handle automation and associated engineering. This will also help in career building and create demand for budding technicians, who are willing to multitask. By automating we:
- Reduce downtime
- Increase productivity
- Reduce energy consumption and costs
- Enhance safety
- Minimize human errors
- Simplify maintenance procedures
- Improve quality
- Increase and improve the repeatability of processes
Course Benefits
- You may be eligible to claim CPD points through your local engineering association.
- Receive a Certificate of Completion from EIT.
- Learn from well-known faculty and industry experts from around the globe.
- Flexibility of attending anytime from anywhere, even when you are working full-time.
- Interact with industry experts during the webinars and get the latest updates/announcements on the subject.
- Experience a global learning with students from various backgrounds and experience which is a great networking opportunity.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Learn to design & troubleshoot simple electrical, electronic, manufacturing, hydraulic & pneumatic circuits.
- Gain in-depth knowledge of various systems & elements used in the automation of industrial processes.
- Understand if a process qualifies for automation by analyzing the requirements of the manufacturing methods and processing.
Industrial Automation Engineering Course Details
In the days gone by, engineering was the forte of the specialists say a mechanical or an electrical engineer. As long as the process was human centric, this division in work culture was fine. Then the age of automation dawned and this meant multiple people got involved in the activity. This proved costly and unnecessary, as people acquired skills in several areas and subjects. They became versatile in controlling processes, by integrating mechanical, electronics, electrical, instrumentation and several specialized areas of learning such as hydraulics, pneumatics, embedded systems and so on. These were the first multitasking engineers and technicians, who could wield the spanners and the multi-meter with equal ease and dexterity. Thus was born the automation technician and this field has broadened to such an extent that they have taken automation to levels never dreamt of, even about say a quarter of a century ago. This course attempts at introducing the concepts and situations frequently encountered by automation engineers and technicians and gives a learning on the various theoretical and practical aspects of automation in industry.
Module 1: Introduction
- History of automation
- Need for automation
- Simple automatic systems
- Basic elements
- Types of automation
- Basic measurements and data acquisition
- Introduction to PLC, SCADA and DCS
- Process block diagrams and system requirements
Module 2: Control Systems
- Introduction and need
- On/off control
- Open loop
- Closed loop
- PLC
- SCADA
- Hardware and software
Module 3: Process Control
- Introduction to control engineering
- Modelling
- PID control and tuning
- Ziegler–Nichols methods
- Time delay systems
- Sequence controls
- Components in process control systems
- Industrial case studies
Module 4: Instrumentation
- Basic measurements
- Element symbols
- Types of measurements
- Control valves
- Transducers
- Sensors, actuators, meters and transmitters
Module 5: Mechanical Systems – Hydraulics & Pneumatics
- Introduction
- Symbols (both hydraulic and pneumatic)
- Pumps and air compressors
- Hydraulic and pneumatic valves
- Heat exchangers and FRPs
- Hydro-motors and cylinders (both hydraulic and pneumatic)
- Design/troubleshoot hydraulic and pneumatic circuits/problems
Module 6: Electrical Systems
- Introduction
- Power sources
- AC and DC drives
- Limit switches
- Proximity switches
- Relays and contactors
- Variable speed drives
Module 7: Electronic Systems
- Introduction
- Active and passive elements
- Logic circuits and gates
- Transistors
- Integrated circuit chips
- FET and MOSFET
- Embedded systems
- Feedback systems
Module 8: Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
- Need
- Types
- Input /output devices
- Control systems
- Display units
- HMI
- UPS
- Remote terminal units (RTU)
- Basic programming
Module 9: SCADA and DCS
- Introduction and basic objectives
- Architecture – Hardware and software
- Components
- Types
- SCADA programming
- Applications of SCADA and DCS
Module 10: Safety and Reliability
- Need for safety in automation
- Risk assessment and components for safety
- In-built design for safety and reliability of various components
- Role of automation in safety systems
- Functional ISO safety standards
- CIP safety
- Training in machinery safety
Module 11: Networking
- Basics
- Industrial networks topology
- Ethernet
- Internet of things – working, applications, cloud, edge computing etc.
- Threats and vulnerabilities
- Types
- Security systems and encryption
Module 12: Cyber Physical Systems
- Introduction
- Industry 4.0
- Robotics
- Industrial automation use cases
- a) Pharmaceuticals, b) Material handling
- c) Steel mills, d) Plastics processing
- e) Packaging, f) Printing, g) 3-D printing
- Design/build simple automatic circuits using basic elements.
- Simulate their working by constructing models for the above.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to appreciate the role of automation to boost productivity with greater degree of reliability, repeatability and efficiency. Students will be able to design/troubleshoot simple electrical, electronic, manufacturing, hydraulic and pneumatic circuits/problems. He/she will be able to decide on operating sequences and make schematic operating methods for different industrial control systems, machineries and processes. Students will also be able to decide if a process qualifies for automation by analyzing the requirements of the manufacturing methods and processing. This forms the basis for further advanced study and research in the field of automation.
To obtain a certificate of completion for EIT’s Professional Certificate of Competency course, students must achieve a 65% attendance rate at the live, online fortnightly webinars. Detailed summaries or notes can be submitted in lieu of attendance. In addition, students must obtain a mark of 60% in the set assignments which could take the form of written assignments and practical assignments. Students must also obtain a mark of 100% in quizzes. If a student does not achieve the required score, they will be given an opportunity to resubmit the assignment to obtain the required score.
Please note: This 3-month programme is non-credit-bearing and non-accredited, delivered by ECT’s affiliated institute, EIT, and therefore your certificate of completion will be awarded by EIT.
You will be required to pay your tuition fee upfront before the programme start date.
For a limited time, a promotional fee of £599 applies to new applications submitted between 1 July 2026 and 30 November 2026. The standard tuition fee is £933.
Payment can be made by credit card (Visa and Mastercard only). Upfront payments must be received prior to the programme’s start date.
Please note that if the course does not proceed, you will be issued with a full refund.
The promotional fee cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. We reserve the right to amend, extend or withdraw this promotion after the advertised closing date.
Our courses are delivered by experienced engineers and technical experts from around the world. Many have tackled real-world engineering challenges and bring practical, applied knowledge directly into the classroom.
We draw from a global pool of instructors and lecturers across our organisation. Explore our full team of expert educators on the Instructors & Lecturers page here.
Please note: Not all lecturers and instructors listed on this page will teach every course. The team teaching your course will be confirmed as part of your course enrolment.
Automation personnel are in great demand throughout the world. Manufacturing, networking, transportation, safety, defense, utilities and so on are some areas where they are much sought after. Skilled people are either absorbed in such units or they can freelance their skills as automation professionals.
This course may use the following software:
- Codesys
- PC – ControlLab
Due to ongoing unit and course reviews, software may change from the list provided.
You are expected to spend approximately 5-8 hours per week learning the course content. This includes attending fortnightly webinars that run for about 90 minutes to facilitate class discussion and allow you to ask questions. This program has a 65% attendance requirement in the live webinars in order to graduate from the program. If you are unable to attend the live webinars, you have the option of watching the recording of completed webinars and sending a summary of what you have learnt from the webinar to the Learning Support officer. The summaries go towards your attendance requirement for the program.
This program is run online on an intensive part-time basis and has been designed to fit around full-time work. It will take three months to complete.
We understand that sometimes work commitments and personal circumstances can get in the way of your studies, so if at any point you feel that you are struggling with the pace of the course or finding a particular module challenging, you are encouraged to contact your designated Learning Support Officer for assistance.
Registrations are open for our upcoming intakes. Please ensure you book your place at least one week before the start date of the program.
If the course is not currently scheduled, please contact us.