Skip to content
EDWartens UK

Free course · Process control

Siemens TIA Portal PID Compact and Analog Processing

Closed-loop control the way it is done on an S7-1200 or S7-1500: analog in, NORM_X and SCALE_X, PID_Compact configured, tuned and wired to an HMI, analog or PWM out, proved on a free tank simulation.

See the modules

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

Level
Intermediate
Modules
7
Video
5 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Explain why a loop needs a controller and what P, I and D do, scale analog inputs and outputs, place and configure PID_Compact in a cyclic OB, tune it with pretuning and fine tuning, choose between analog and PWM outputs, and run it against an HMI and a tank simulation.

  • Explain on/off, three-point and PID control and when each fits
  • Read P, I and D as gain, reset time and rate time
  • Scale analog inputs with NORM_X and SCALE_X and outputs the other way
  • Configure PID_Compact in a cyclic interrupt OB and run it
  • Pretune and fine-tune a loop and judge the result
  • Choose analog or PWM output and control the loop from an HMI

Software

TIA Portal V21 trial (21 days) with S7-PLCSIM V21, on 64-bit Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise; Factory I/O (30-day trial) for the level scene

Hardware

None. The tank simulation and Factory I/O stand in for the plant.

Syllabus

7 modules

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

  1. 1Why Closed-Loop Control, and What P, I and D Mean2 lessons
  2. 2Analog Input Processing: NORM_X and SCALE_X1 lessonLab
  3. 3Analog Output Processing: Unscaling1 lesson
  4. 4PID_Compact: Placing, Configuring and Running It2 lessons
  5. 5Tuning PID_Compact, and Analog versus PWM Output2 lessonsLab
  6. 6Tank Simulation, HMI Control and Factory I/O Level Control3 lessonsLab
  7. 7Final 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

Calibrate a 4 to 20 mA transmitter, tune a level or flow loop and read the trend in the Lab's process simulator.

Works alongside Siemens TIA Portal PID Compact and Analog Processing. The Lab is process control 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
Process control: Tune a real process loop.

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 PID Compact and Analog Processing

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

Do I need a real process?
No. The course uses a free tank simulation block and a Factory I/O level scene, so the loop behaves like a real one without hardware.
Is this the same as the generic PID course on this site?
That course is vendor-neutral theory across brands. This one is the Siemens implementation: PID_Compact, its OB, its tuning dialog and its outputs.
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 5 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the seven modules at your own speed.
What software do I need?
TIA Portal V21 with S7-PLCSIM V21 on Siemens' 21-day trial (any version from V15 covers the course), plus the Factory I/O 30-day trial for the tank level scene. No hardware is needed, because the tank simulation and Factory I/O stand in for the plant.

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