PLC programming · Free · ₹0
Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 PLC Programming
PC-based control with TwinCAT 3 and EtherCAT: installation, tasks, structured text, function blocks and interfaces, I/O, libraries, version control, ADS, test-driven development, visualization and real machine applications.
What you will learn
Explain PC-based control and EtherCAT, install TwinCAT 3 and connect to a target, structure tasks and programs, use data types, structures, functions, function blocks and interfaces, write structured text with Tc2_Standard, program in LD, CFC, SFC and FBD, configure EtherCAT I/O, manage libraries and versions, use git, ADS and the automation interface, apply test-driven development, build visualizations and study real integrations.
- Explain why PC-based control and EtherCAT are used and install TwinCAT 3
- Structure a project into tasks, programs, GVLs, DUTs and libraries
- Use functions, function blocks, methods, properties and interfaces
- Write structured text with timers, counters, edges, CASE and string operations
- Program in LD, CFC, SFC and FBD and choose the right language
- Scan and link EtherCAT terminals
- Put projects under git, use ADS and the automation interface, write unit tests
- Build visualizations, record with Measurement, and integrate servos, Festo modules, RS-232 and XTS
Course content
19 modules · 55 lessons · 22h 6m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last, and a short quiz.
- 01Beckhoff, TwinCAT and EtherCAT4 lessons36m
- 02Installation, Basics and Connecting4 lessons1h 9m
- 03Tasks, Programs and Hello World2 lessons1h 5m
- 04Data Types, Arrays and Variables2 lessons54m
- 05Structures and Functions1 lesson35m
- 06Function Blocks and Interfaces2 lessons1h 22m
- 07Instructions and ST Fundamentals3 lessons1h 44m
- 08Tc2_Standard: Timers, Counters, Edges3 lessons1h 16m
- 09ST Control Flow and Operations5 lessons54m
- 10LD, CFC, SFC and FBD in TwinCAT4 lessons1h 13m
- 11TwinCAT Utilities and Functions2 lessons1h 35m
- 12I/O and EtherCAT Terminals3 lessons1h 10m
- 13Libraries and Version Handling2 lessons49m
- 14Version Control1 lesson59m
- 15ADS and the Automation Interface2 lessons1h 37m
- 16Test-Driven Development3 lessons1h 45m
- 17Visualization, Measurement and Recipes3 lessons1h 2m
- 18Applications: Temperature, Servo, Festo, RS-232, XTS8 lessons2h 22m
- 19Final Assessment1 lesson11m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Intermediate. Structured text is taught from the start; prior PLC experience helps.
- Software
- TwinCAT 3 XAE (free download, 7-day renewable trial)
- Hardware
- None. The PLC runs on your PC.
Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 PLC Programming at a glance
Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 PLC Programming is a free, self-paced online plc programming course from EDWartens India with 19 modules, 22h 6m of video lessons, written notes, practice tasks and assessments, and an optional verifiable certificate.
- Price
- ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card.
- Format
- 19 self-paced modules, 22h 6m of video, written notes, a quiz per module and a final assessment.
- Level
- Intermediate. Intermediate. Structured text is taught from the start; prior PLC experience helps.
- Brand
- Beckhoff
- Software
- TwinCAT 3 XAE (free download, 7-day renewable trial)
- Hardware
- None. The PLC runs on your PC.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹700, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- Jakob Sagatowski, ControlX Automation, Beckhoff Malaysia, M B Automation (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
A shareable EDWartens certificate
Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and you can buy a certificate for ₹700. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up.
- Add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
- Link it from a CV or portfolio, the URL is permanent
- Publicly verifiable by code, not a PDF anyone can edit
- Issued by EDWartens India, the training centre itself
The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.
Stuck? Ask a practising engineer
A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.
- Questions answered in the context of the module you are on
- The same engineers who teach the AEP programme
- Career tools, CV help and public job listings included
- Your progress and notes stay in your account for good
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PLC programming · FreeAllen-Bradley RSLogix 500 and MicroLogixThe MicroLogix and SLC 500 on real hardware: file-based addressing, every instruction group, analog scaling, faults and forces, in RSLogix 500.Learning paths with this course
- IEC 61131 and software PLCs · 3 coursesCODESYS, TwinCAT and Automation Builder: structured text, PC-based control and the IEC languages behind hundreds of PLC brands.
Common questions
Is TwinCAT free to learn on?
Yes. TwinCAT 3 XAE downloads free and runs on a 7-day trial licence you renew by typing a captcha. No hardware needed.
Do I need Visual Studio?
No. TwinCAT installs its own XAE shell; a full Visual Studio is optional.
Why so much structured text?
Because TwinCAT projects in industry are mostly ST with object-oriented features. Ladder, CFC, SFC and FBD are covered too.
Is this CODESYS?
TwinCAT 3 shares the CODESYS editor heritage, so the CODESYS course on this site is a good preparation; TwinCAT adds Beckhoff's runtime, EtherCAT, ADS and tooling.
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 Beckhoff qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Beckhoff 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.
Credits
Who made the video lessons
The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
- Jakob Sagatowskithe 18-part PLC programming using TwinCAT 3 series
- ControlX Automationthe Beckhoff beginner's guide and application videos
- Beckhoff Malaysiathe TwinCAT 3 quick guide, variables and XTS tutorials
- M B Automationthe structured text lessons
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.