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EDWartens UK

Free course · PLC programming

Siemens TIA Portal Commissioning: Hardware, PLCSIM, Backups and Troubleshooting

The site-engineer half of TIA Portal: getting the software, configuring hardware, sizing I/O and power with the selection tool, PLCSIM including sequences and hardware events, download, upload, backups, firmware, resets, cross references, traces, web server and program protection.

See the modules

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

Level
Intermediate
Modules
10
Video
10 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Install TIA Portal, configure and check hardware in the device, network and topology views, size distributed I/O and power supplies, simulate in PLCSIM, download to and upload from a PLC, archive and restore projects, handle firmware and memory resets, find faults with cross references and traces, use the web server, and protect a program with passwords, block protection and copy protection.

  • Get, install and license TIA Portal and pick the right version
  • Configure hardware and read the device, network and topology views
  • Size ET 200 distributed I/O and power supplies with the TIA Selection Tool
  • Simulate in PLCSIM, including sequences and hardware events
  • Download, upload, back up, archive, restore and update firmware
  • Troubleshoot with cross references, overlapping access and traces, and protect a program

Software

TIA Portal V21 trial (21 days) with S7-PLCSIM V21, on 64-bit Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise; the free TIA Selection Tool

Hardware

None required. A real S7-1200 makes the download and backup modules real.

Syllabus

10 modules

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

  1. 1Getting, Installing and Licensing TIA Portal2 lessons
  2. 2Hardware Configuration and the Device, Network and Topology Views; Inside an S7-12003 lessons
  3. 3Sizing Distributed I/O and Power Supplies with the TIA Selection Tool3 lessons
  4. 4PLCSIM: Simulation, Simulator Differences, Sequences and Hardware Events5 lessonsLab
  5. 5Download, Upload, Program Backup and Archiving4 lessons
  6. 6Restart, Memory Reset, Factory Reset and Firmware Handling3 lessons
  7. 7Troubleshooting: Cross References, Overlapping Access, Watch and Force Tables, and Traces3 lessonsLab
  8. 8Online Access: the IP Address Popup, PROFINET Device Names and the Web Server2 lessons
  9. 9Program Protection: Passwords, Block Protection, Copy Protection and Project Data4 lessons
  10. 10Final 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 and test the same ladder logic in the Lab's PLC simulator, go online and force inputs. The Lab uses a vendor-neutral editor, so brand software stays in the course.

Works alongside Siemens TIA Portal Commissioning: Hardware, PLCSIM, Backups and Troubleshooting. 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.

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 TIA Portal Commissioning: Hardware, PLCSIM, Backups and Troubleshooting

Credits

Who made the lessons

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

  • Hegamurl

    the TIA Portal hardware series

  • Hegamurl

    the TIA Portal simulation series

  • Hegamurl

    the TIA Portal troubleshooting series

  • Hegamurl

    the TIA Portal protection series

  • PLCskilltree

    the TIA Portal installation, download and upload lessons

Questions

About this course

Which TIA Portal version should I install?
The one the plant's PLC firmware supports; the first module explains how versions and firmware match. For learning, the newest trial is fine.
Do I need a real PLC?
No. PLCSIM stands in for the CPU throughout, and the download, upload and backup modules show the real-PLC steps on screen.
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 Siemens qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Siemens 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 10 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the ten modules at your own speed.
Is this course suitable for beginners?
Not as a first course. It is intermediate: you should already be able to write a program in TIA Portal, because this course is about getting that program into a real machine and keeping it there.

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