For more information contact: Warrick Smith (SMOTA) or Robbie Bechaz (NSC)
VCE Systems Engineering involves the design, production, operation, evaluation and iteration of integrated systems, which mediate and control many aspects of human experience. Integral to VCE Systems Engineering is the identification and quantification of systems goals, the generation of system designs, trial and error, justified design trade-offs, selection and implementation of the most appropriate design.
Students test and verify that the system is well-built and integrated. They evaluate how well the completed system meets the intended goals and reflect on the systems engineering process to create a satisfactory design outcome. This study can be applied to a diverse range of engineering fields such as manufacturing, transportation, automation, control technologies, mechanisms and mechatronics, electrotechnology, robotics, pneumatics, hydraulics, and energy management.
VCE Systems Engineering considers the interactions of these systems with people, society and ecosystems. The rate and scale of human impact on global ecologies and environments demands that systems design and engineering take a holistic approach by considering the overall sustainability of any system throughout its life cycle. Key engineering goals include using a project management approach to maximise system efficiency and to optimise system performance through innovation processes. Lean, agile and fast prototyping engineering and manufacturing concepts and systems thinking are integral to this study.
VCE Systems Engineering promotes innovative systems thinking and problem-solving skills through the application of the systems engineering process. The study is based on integrated mechanical and electro-technological engineered systems. The study provides opportunities for students to learn about and engage with systems from a practical and purposeful perspective. Students gain knowledge and understanding about technological systems and their applications.
VCE Systems Engineering integrates aspects of designing, planning, producing, testing and evaluating in a project management process. It prepares students for careers in engineering, manufacturing and design through a university or TAFE vocational study pathway, employment, apprenticeships and traineeships.
The study provides a rigorous academic foundation and a practical working knowledge of design strategies, production processes and evaluation practices. People with these skills, and the ability to apply systems engineering processes, are in increasing demand as participants in teams that are engaged with complex and multidisciplinary projects.
The study is made up of four units.
Unit 1: Mechanical systems
Unit 2: Electrotechnological systems
Unit 3: Integrated and controlled systems
Unit 4: Systems control
Each unit deals with specific content contained in areas of study and is designed to enable students to achieve a set of outcomes for that unit. Each outcome is described in terms of key knowledge and key skills.
There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. However, some additional preparatory work would be advisable for students entering Units 3 and 4 without completing Units 1 and 2. Students must undertake Unit 3 and Unit 4 as a sequence. Units 1 to 4 are designed to a standard equivalent to the final two years of secondary education. All VCE studies are benchmarked against comparable national and international curriculum.
This unit focuses on engineering fundamentals as the basis of understanding concepts, principles and components that operate in mechanical systems. The term ‘mechanical systems’ includes systems that utilise all forms of mechanical components and their linkages. While this unit contains the fundamental physics and theoretical understanding of mechanical systems and how they work, the focus is on the creation of a system. The creation process draws heavily upon design and innovation processes.
Students create an operational system using the systems engineering process. The focus is on a mechanical system; however, it may include some electro-technological components. All systems require some form of energy to function. Students research and quantify how systems use or convert the energy supplied to them.
Students are introduced to mechanical engineering principles including mechanical subsystems and devices, their motions, elementary applied physics, and related mathematical calculations that can be applied to define and explain the physical characteristics of these systems.
In this unit students study fundamental electrotechnological engineering principles. The term ‘electrotechnological’ encompasses systems that include electrical/electronic circuitry including microelectronic circuitry. Through the application of the systems engineering process, students create operational electrotechnological systems, which may also include mechanical components or electro-mechanical subsystems.
While this unit contains fundamental physics and theoretical understanding of electrotechnological systems and how they work, the focus is on the creation of electrotechnological systems, drawing heavily upon design and innovation processes. Electrotechnology is a creative field that responds to, and drives rapid developments and change brought about through technological innovation.
Contemporary design and manufacture of electronic equipment involves increased levels of automation and inbuilt control through the inclusion of microcontrollers and other logic devices. In this unit students explore some of these emerging technologies.
Students study fundamental electrotechnological principles including applied electrical theory, standard representation of electronic components and devices, elementary applied physics in electrical circuits and mathematical processes that can be applied to define and explain the electrical characteristics of circuits. This unit offers opportunities for students to develop, apply and refine their knowledge in the creation of an operational system.
In this unit students study engineering principles used to explain physical properties of integrated systems and how they work. Students design and plan an operational, mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system. They learn about the technologies used to harness energy sources to provide power for engineered systems. Students commence work on the creation of an integrated and controlled system using the systems engineering process. This production work has a strong emphasis on innovation, designing, producing, testing and evaluating.
Students manage the project, taking into consideration the factors that will influence the creation and use of their integrated and controlled system. Students’ understanding of fundamental physics and applied mathematics underpins the systems engineering process, providing a comprehensive understanding of mechanical and electrotechnological systems and how they function. Students learn about sources and types of energy that enable engineered technological systems to function.
Comparisons are made between the use of renewable and non-renewable energy sources and their impacts. Students develop their understanding of technological systems developed to capture and store renewable energy and technological developments to improve the credentials of non-renewables.
In this unit students complete the creation of the mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system they researched, designed, planned and commenced production of in Unit 3.
Students investigate new and emerging technologies, consider reasons for their development and analyse their impacts. Students continue producing their mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system using the systems engineering process. Students develop their understanding of the open-source model in the development of integrated and controlled systems, and document its use fairly. They effectively document the use of project and risk management methods throughout the creation of the system. They use a range of materials, tools, equipment and components.
Students test, diagnose and analyse the performance of the system. They evaluate their process and the system. Students expand their knowledge of emerging developments and innovations through their investigation and analysis of a range of engineered systems. They analyse a specific emerging innovation, including its impacts.
To read the study design in full please click here (19-25)