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EDWartens UK

Free course · PLC programming

Siemens SCL Structured Text in TIA Portal

From ladder to text on the S7-1200 and S7-1500: setting up the controller, tags and monitoring, data types, maths and data blocks, FCs, FBs, timers, counters and diagnostics, an eight-part SCL worked example, loops with FOR, WHILE, REPEAT, CONTINUE and EXIT, and a time-sliced part counter application.

See the modules

Free to learn. Verifiable certificate £19 when you pass the final exam (optional, VAT included).

Level
Beginner
Modules
8
Video
12 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Configure an S7-1200, create tags and DBs, use FCs, FBs, timers and counters, write SCL with IF, CASE, FOR, WHILE and REPEAT, control loop flow with CONTINUE and EXIT, handle arrays and cycle-time consistency, and build a complete SCL application.

  • Configure an S7-1200 with tags, DBs and data types
  • Use FCs, FBs, timers, counters and diagnostics
  • Write SCL with IF, CASE, arrays, structs and timers
  • Use FOR, WHILE and REPEAT loops safely
  • Build a time-sliced part counter application
  • Mix SCL and ladder in one project

Software

TIA Portal (trial) with PLCSIM

Hardware

None required.

Syllabus

8 modules

Each module has video lessons, notes and a short quiz. The final exam closes the course.

  1. 1S7-1200 Setup, Tags and Monitoring5 lessons
  2. 2Data Types, Maths, Conversions and Data Blocks6 lessonsLab
  3. 3FCs, FBs, Timers, Counters, Forcing and Diagnostics10 lessonsLab
  4. 4SCL Language Basics and the Worked Example, Parts 1 to 38 lessonsLab
  5. 5SCL Worked Example, Parts 4 to 8: Data, State Logic and Debugging5 lessonsLab
  6. 6Loops in SCL: FOR, WHILE, REPEAT, CONTINUE and EXIT4 lessons
  7. 7SCL Application: Time-Sliced Part Counter1 lesson
  8. 8Final Assessment1 lesson

How it works

How this course works

  1. Watch the video lessonsOne module at a time, at your own pace.
  2. Take the module quizA short quiz at the end of each module shows what stuck.
  3. Keep your notesWrite in My notes beside each module and ask the trainer if you are stuck.
  4. Practise in the labOptionalTry a task from the module in the EDWartens Lab, in your browser.
  5. Sit the final examPass it once you have been through the modules.
  6. Certificate, if you want oneOptionalPaid, and only after you pass. Anyone can check it online.

EDWartens Lab

Practise this in the EDWartens Lab

Write structured text and function block programs in the Lab's IEC 61131-3 simulator and watch them run.

Works alongside Siemens SCL Structured Text in TIA Portal. The Lab is plc programming practice in your browser: no install, no hardware, free to use. Sign in as a learner and it opens with your account.

Open the free lab See the Lab
PLC programming: Program a PLC, see it run.

Levels to try with this course

Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.

Why practise in a lab

Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.

  • Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
  • The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
  • Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.

Certificate

An optional certificate when you pass

Learning is free. Pass the final exam and you can have a certificate for £19, including VAT, with a number employers can check online. It records that you completed a free online course; it is not a regulated qualification or a CPD certificate.

  • Your name, the course, its study time and your final exam score
  • A unique certificate number and a QR code to its verification page
  • Issued by Wartens Ltd; add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
  • Pay now or after you pass: it is issued the moment you pass the final

How the certificate works

Sample certificate for Siemens SCL Structured Text in TIA Portal

Credits

Who made the lessons

The video lessons belong to their creators. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, quizzes and the final exam.

Questions

About this course

Why SCL?
Maths, data handling and state machines are shorter and clearer in text; every S7-1200/1500 programmer meets it.
Do I need to know ladder first?
It helps; modules 1 to 3 cover the ladder foundations before SCL starts.
Is this only for S7-1500?
No. SCL is identical on S7-1200 and S7-1500; the demos use both.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.
What certificate do I get, and is it a vendor qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a vendor credential and is never described as one.
Who made the video lessons?
The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
How long does the course take?
Plan on about 12 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the eight modules at your own speed.

The Professional Module is five live days of Siemens PLC, HMI and SCADA with an instructor, then a resume session and a CPD certificate.

See the Professional Module