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EDWartens UK

Free course · PLC programming

Siemens S7-1200 with TIA Portal: The Tutorial Series

Every S7-1200 instruction, one short video at a time: bits, edges, timers, counters, comparators, maths, MOVE, conversion, analog scaling, jumps and shift registers.

See the modules

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

Level
Beginner
Modules
9
Video
5 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Set up an S7-1200 project with its HMI, write and download ladder logic, use every everyday instruction group (bit logic, edges, timers, counters, comparators, maths, MOVE and conversion, NORM_X and SCALE_X, jumps, shift and rotate) and explain what each one does.

  • Create an S7-1200 project, add an HMI and connect the two
  • Write NO, NC, set and reset logic and download it to a PLC
  • Use P_TRIG, N_TRIG, R_TRIG and F_TRIG edge instructions correctly
  • Build timers, counters, comparators and maths into working logic
  • Move, convert, normalise and scale values including analog inputs
  • Control program flow with jumps and use shift and rotate registers

Software

TIA Portal V21 trial (21 days) with S7-PLCSIM V21, on 64-bit Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise; any version from V15 on covers what this course teaches

Hardware

None, everything runs in simulation

Syllabus

9 modules

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

  1. 1TIA Portal Environment, PLC and HMI Selection, Modules and Communication3 lessons
  2. 2Program Blocks, NO and NC Contacts, Set and Reset, Upload and Download3 lessonsLab
  3. 3Latching Logic and Edge Detection: P_TRIG, N_TRIG, R_TRIG and F_TRIG3 lessonsLab
  4. 4Timers and Counters2 lessonsLab
  5. 5Comparators and Maths Instructions2 lessonsLab
  6. 6MOVE and Conversion Instructions2 lessonsLab
  7. 7Analog Scaling with NORM_X and SCALE_X, and Program Control Jumps2 lessonsLab
  8. 8Shift and Rotate Registers1 lessonLab
  9. 9Final 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 S7-1200 with TIA Portal: The Tutorial Series. 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 S7-1200 with TIA Portal: The Tutorial Series

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

How is this different from the Siemens TIA Portal foundation course?
That course is a six-week study plan built around one lesson series. This one is instruction by instruction, in the order the S7-1200 instruction tree lists them, so it works as a reference you can jump around in.
Do I need an S7-1200?
No. Everything is shown in TIA Portal with PLCSIM. A real S7-1200 helps for the download module but is not required.
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 nine modules at your own speed.
What will I be able to do when I finish?
Set up an S7-1200 project with its HMI, write and download ladder logic, and use every everyday instruction group, from bit logic, edges, timers and counters to MOVE, NORM_X, SCALE_X, jumps and shift registers. You will also be able to explain what each instruction does.

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