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EDWartens UK

Free course · PLC programming

Siemens TIA Portal with Factory I/O: Virtual Commissioning Projects

Nine machines you can see moving: connect Factory I/O to TIA Portal, then program conveyors, sorting and separating stations, a filling tank, a queue, an assembler, pick and place, a converge station, an elevator, a warehouse and an analog tank, all with your own ladder.

See the modules

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

Level
Beginner
Modules
10
Video
9 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Connect Factory I/O to S7-PLCSIM or PLCSIM Advanced, map its sensors and actuators to PLC tags, and program a series of complete scenes from a two-sensor conveyor to a pick-and-place assembler, a warehouse crane and an analog level loop, testing each one on a 3D machine before it exists.

  • Install Factory I/O and connect it to PLCSIM and PLCSIM Advanced
  • Map scene sensors and actuators to PLC input and output tags
  • Program conveyors, set and reset, sorting and separating logic
  • Use timers, counters and sequences on filling, queueing and assembly scenes
  • Program pick and place, converge, elevator and warehouse scenes
  • Control an analog tank level and prove a whole line before it is built

Software

TIA Portal V21 (21-day trial) with S7-PLCSIM, or PLCSIM Advanced if you have it, and Factory I/O 2.5 (30-day trial, full Ultimate Edition)

Hardware

None. Factory I/O is the machine.

Syllabus

10 modules

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

  1. 1Installing Factory I/O and Connecting It to TIA Portal2 lessons
  2. 2From A to B: Sensors, a Conveyor, and Set and Reset3 lessonsLab
  3. 3Sorting Stations: by Height, Colour and Weight3 lessonsLab
  4. 4Separating Station and the Sorter Project2 lessons
  5. 5Filling Tank with Timers and a Queue with Counters2 lessonsLab
  6. 6Conveyor Sequence Project1 lesson
  7. 7Assembler and Pick and Place3 lessons
  8. 8Converge Station, Elevator and Automated Warehouse3 lessons
  9. 9Analog Tank Level and PLCSIM Advanced with Factory I/O2 lessonsLab
  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 with Factory I/O: Virtual Commissioning Projects. 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 TIA Portal with Factory I/O: Virtual Commissioning Projects

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

Is Factory I/O free?
It has a free 30-day trial, which is the full Ultimate Edition with every scene and the Siemens drivers; the course is built to fit inside it. After the trial the Siemens drivers need the Siemens or Ultimate Edition. Install it when you reach module 1, not before.
Do I need PLCSIM Advanced?
No. Plain PLCSIM works with Factory I/O through the S7-PLCSIM driver for most scenes; the last module shows PLCSIM Advanced for anyone who has it.
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 9 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.
Do I need to know TIA Portal first?
You need basic TIA Portal ladder. The free S7-1200 tutorial series on this site covers enough to start.

Siemens engineer path

Take it with

See the whole path

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