HMI · Free online course

HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME

What an HMI is and how to design one well, then two mainstream tools end to end: Siemens WinCC in TIA Portal and Rockwell FactoryTalk View Machine Edition on PanelView Plus, with WinCC flexible for the legacy base.

  • 16 modules
  • 10h 21m of video
  • Beginner
  • English
  • ₹0, free
HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME course cover

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Overview

About HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME

What an HMI is and how to design one well, then two mainstream tools end to end: Siemens WinCC in TIA Portal and Rockwell FactoryTalk View Machine Edition on PanelView Plus, with WinCC flexible for the legacy base.

HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation and control. It has 16 modules and 10h 21m of video lessons by PCC | A GCG Company, TechJourneyHub, Rockwell Automation and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.

Who it is for: Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation and control

This course includes

  • 10h 21m of video lessons
  • 16 modules with written notes and diagrams
  • One final assessment: 15 questions, pass mark 60%
  • Ask-an-engineer support from practising engineers
  • Lifetime access, the course does not expire
  • Optional verifiable certificate when you finish
  1. Step 1 of 3

    Learn the 16 modules

    10h 21m of video lessons, written notes and a practice task per module, at your own pace.

  2. Step 2 of 3

    Pass the final assessment

    15 questions drawn from every module, pass mark 60%, 3 attempts.

  3. Step 3 of 3

    Take the certificate, if you want it

    Optional, paid once, only if you choose it. The course stays free either way.

    See the certificate and its price

A look inside

HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME: Syllabus at a glance
Syllabus at a glance
HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME: What you will be able to do
What you will be able to do
HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME: Tools and credits
Tools and credits

From the lessons

  • What is an HMI?

    What an HMI Is and How to Choose One

    by RealPars

  • Lesson 5 - Configure your first HMI screen with a few basic objects

    Siemens Screens and Animation

    by PCC

  • Lesson 13 - Configure User Administration

    Siemens Users, Scripting, Libraries, Languages

    by PCC

  • Simatic Manager S7 & WinCC Flexible 2008: From Zero to Working HMI

    WinCC flexible 2008 Legacy

    by TechJourneyHub

  • PanelView Plus & FactoryTalk View ME Introduction - Add Graphic Display and Numeric Display Object

    FTV ME: Displays, Navigation, Runtime, Communications

    by Rockwell Automation

  • PanelView Plus & FactoryTalk View ME Introduction - 5 - Using Global Objects

    FTV ME: Global Objects, Languages, Remote Access, Trends, Parameters

    by Rockwell Automation

Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits and are shown from YouTube.

What you learn

What you will be able to do

Explain what an HMI is and what high-performance design means, build a WinCC project from template to transfer with alarms, trends, recipes, users, scripting and languages, read a WinCC flexible project, and build a FactoryTalk View ME application with displays, navigation, communications, alarms, animation, global objects, security and 21 CFR Part 11, recipes, ActiveX, macros, firmware, backup and troubleshooting, with a look at FactoryTalk View SE.

  • Design a high-performance HMI: grey ground, colour for abnormal, screen hierarchy
  • Build a WinCC TIA project with templates, connection, tags, screens, animation, text lists, pop-ups
  • Configure alarms, trends, recipes, users, scripts, libraries and languages in WinCC
  • Read and maintain a WinCC flexible 2008 legacy project
  • Create a FactoryTalk View ME application, displays, navigation, runtime file and terminal communications
  • Add alarms, animation, global objects, language switching, trends and parameters in ME
  • Implement security, 21 CFR Part 11, recipes, ActiveX and macros
  • Maintain PanelView Plus terminals: firmware, backup, restore, conversion, troubleshooting; know when SE fits

Syllabus

Course content, module by module

In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.

Modules
16
Video lessons
82
Of video
10h 21m
Final questions
15
  1. 01

    What an HMI Is and How to Choose One

    3 lessons · 24m
  2. 02

    Siemens WinCC: Project, Templates, Connection, Tags

    5 lessons · 37m
  3. 03

    Siemens Screens and Animation

    5 lessons · 26m
  4. 04

    Siemens Alarms, Trends, Recipes

    3 lessons · 24m
  5. 05

    Siemens Users, Scripting, Libraries, Languages

    4 lessons · 28m
  6. 06

    Siemens Transfer, Media, Cross References, Analog

    5 lessons · 40m
  7. 07

    WinCC flexible 2008 Legacy

    4 lessons · 1h 0m
  8. 08

    FactoryTalk View: Install, Tour, Activation, First ME Application

    7 lessons · 53m

  9. Final assessment · 15 questions, pass mark 60%

Project

The course project

Optional practice that ends in the kind of job the course prepares you for, with the documents that go with it.

About 20 hours

110 MLD water-treatment plant: ISA-101 redesign of a cluttered 2012 HMI, with a measured before and after

Redesign the operator interface of a 110 MLD municipal water-treatment plant from a 2012 P&ID-replica HMI with 412 alarms to an ISA-101 high-performance HMI: a philosophy and style guide, a four-level hierarchy, a Level 1 overview an operator reads in ten seconds, analog indicators with normal bands, faceplates, and an alarm system rationalised to ISA-18.2. You deliver the displays in WinCC or FactoryTalk View, your own style guide, your own alarm rationalisation of forty alarms, and a before-and-after usability test with real numbers. The sample pack shows what an HMI consultant hands over.

Sample document pack, 8 documents, filled in for the scenario

  • URSUser Requirements: Operator Interface Redesign, Ring Road WTP
  • HMI specHMI Philosophy, Style Guide and Screen Specification: Ring Road WTP
  • Alarm philosophyAlarm Philosophy: Ring Road Water-Treatment Plant
  • Tag listHMI Tag List and Naming Convention: New Displays against the Existing S7-300 Data Blocks
  • Alarm listAlarm List, Rationalised: Ring Road WTP (with the 2012 'before' list)
  • FATFactory Acceptance Test Record: Redesigned HMI, Ring Road WTP
  • Test reportUsability and Alarm Performance Report: Before and After the HMI Redesign
  • Training recordOperator and Chemist Training Record: Redesigned HMI

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

Tools

Software, hardware and lessons

Software

TIA Portal with WinCC (21-day trial). FactoryTalk View Studio ME is paid: it runs 7 days without activation, then in two-hour demo sessions

Hardware

None. Both tools simulate the panel.

Who it is for

Beginner to intermediate. PLC basics assumed.

Video lessons by

  • PCC | A GCG Company
  • TechJourneyHub
  • Rockwell Automation
  • PLCprogrammer
  • RealPars
  • PCC
  • PLCGurus.NET
  • OnlineAutomationClass.com
  • Dan Staifer
  • PLC Automation Training
  • James Cash
  • IIOT+
  • Ranjithkumar Karuppiya
  • Shane Welcher SR

Independent creators, credited in full under Credits.

Software you need

What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.

Required

  1. 01

    SIMATIC STEP 7 Professional and WinCC (TIA Portal) V21 Trial

    Siemens

    Free trial: 21 days
    Runs on
    Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit (24H2), Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC, or Windows Server 2022/2025. Windows 11 Home is supported only for the Basic editions.
    Account
    A free Siemens account registered for Industry Online Support (SiePortal)
    Size
    about 8.1 GB for the main ISO, plus an optional 3.1 GB DVD 2 with hardware support packages

    Siemens lets registered users download the V21 trial of STEP 7 (Basic and Professional), STEP 7 Safety and WinCC and test it for 21 days. The same package is used for the full product; after 21 days you need a purchased licence to keep working.

    Official download pagesupport.industry.siemens.com

    Alternatives

    • TIA Portal Cloud trial: 21 days free in a cloud virtual machine, no install. Sessions are limited to one hour and it is not available in every country.
  2. 02

    FactoryTalk View Studio (Machine Edition and Site Edition)

    Rockwell Automation

    Paid only
    Runs on
    Windows 10 or 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit, or Windows Server 2019/2022/2025
    Account
    A Rockwell Automation account and a product serial number from a purchased licence

    FactoryTalk View is paid software with no public trial. If a licensed install cannot find its activation it runs for a 7-day grace period; after that FactoryTalk View ME runs only in a demo mode that allows two hours of use. Rockwell says FactoryTalk View SE should be downloaded with a server or station serial number.

    Rockwell Automation product pagerockwellautomation.com

    Legitimate free routes

Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.

What you walk away with

Your certificate for HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME

Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.

Sample Wartens Certificate of Completion for HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME, issued through the EDWartens training portal
Sample. The issued certificate carries your name, your final score, a unique certificate ID and its own QR code.

  • Verifiable by anyone

  • Adds to LinkedIn in one click

  • QR code on the certificate

  • Names what you can do

  • A permanent link

  • Earned, not attended

Learning is free. The certificate is optional.

Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.

Issued by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales, company no. 15262249) through the EDWartens training portal, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold in India by Wartens Automation Private Limited. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.

FAQ

Common questions

Do I need panels?

No. WinCC runtime simulation and FactoryTalk View's test mode run every exercise on the PC.

Why two vendors in one course?

Because the design principles are the same and most Indian plants run both. Learning both makes the principles visible and doubles your employability.

Which versions?

TIA Portal V16 to V19 with WinCC Comfort/Advanced; FactoryTalk View ME v10 to v13. Older versions are close enough for the material.

Is the HMI Design and Programming 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 or Rockwell 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, Rockwell or any vendor credential and is never described as one.

Who made the video lessons in the HMI Design and Programming course?

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 HMI Design and Programming course take?

Plan on about 18 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the sixteen modules at your own speed.

Is the HMI Design and Programming course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?

Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 including GST for this beginner course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.

Is there classroom HMI training in India as well?

Yes. EDWartens India runs the Automation Engineer Program (AEP), a classroom programme at its Electronic City centre in Bangalore. The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) teaches you to build HMI screens for PLC programs, in person at our Electronic City centre. This free course is separate and fully online; it is a good way to try the subject before deciding on classroom training. Details are at edwartens.co.in/hmi-training-bangalore, and the programme itself at edwartens.co.in/courses/aep.

All course facts
Price
₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹5,999.
Who it is for
Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation and control
Format
16 self-paced modules, 10h 21m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level
Beginner. Beginner to intermediate. PLC basics assumed.
Brand
Siemens and Rockwell
Software
TIA Portal with WinCC (21-day trial). FactoryTalk View Studio ME is paid: it runs 7 days without activation, then in two-hour demo sessions
Hardware
None. Both tools simulate the panel.
Certificate
Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 inclusive of GST for learners in India, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by
PCC | A GCG Company, TechJourneyHub, Rockwell Automation, PLCprogrammer, RealPars, PCC, PLCGurus.NET, OnlineAutomationClass.com, Dan Staifer, PLC Automation Training, James Cash, IIOT+, Ranjithkumar Karuppiya, Shane Welcher SR (independent creators, credited below)
Language
English
Last updated
27 September 2026

Pairs well with

Siemens TIA Portal HMI: KTP and Comfort Panels with WinCC free course coverHMI · FreeSiemens TIA Portal HMI: KTP and Comfort Panels with WinCCWeintek HMI with EasyBuilder Pro free course coverHMI · FreeWeintek HMI with EasyBuilder ProPro-face HMI with GP-Pro EX free course coverHMI · FreePro-face HMI with GP-Pro EXFactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge free course coverHMI · FreeFactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge

More free courses: Free Siemens PLC courses · Free Allen-Bradley PLC courses · Free HMI design courses

Learning paths with this course

Classroom course, Bangalore

PLC HMI programming course in Bangalore

The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) teaches you to build HMI screens for PLC programs, in person at our Electronic City centre.

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.

  • PCC | A GCG Companythe Siemens WinCC TIA Portal HMI training series
  • TechJourneyHubthe WinCC flexible 2008 and WinCC TIA tutorials
  • Rockwell Automationthe official PanelView Plus and FactoryTalk View ME videos
  • PLCprogrammerthe FactoryTalk View Studio lessons and HMI fundamentals
  • RealPars4 lessons in "What an HMI Is and How to Choose One" and "Final Assessment"
  • PCC20 lessons in "Siemens WinCC: Project, Templates, Connection, Tags", "Siemens Screens and Animation", "Siemens Alarms, Trends, Recipes", "Siemens Users, Scripting, Libraries, Languages" and "Siemens Transfer, Media, Cross References, Analog"
  • PLCGurus.NET3 lessons in "FactoryTalk View: Install, Tour, Activation, First ME Application"
  • OnlineAutomationClass.com2 lessons in "FactoryTalk View: Install, Tour, Activation, First ME Application"
  • Dan Staifera lesson in "FTV ME: Hello World to Alarms and Animation"
  • PLC Automation Training2 lessons in "FTV ME: Security and 21 CFR Part 11" and "FTV ME: Firmware, Backup, Restore, Conversion, Troubleshooting"
  • James Casha lesson in "FTV ME: Security and 21 CFR Part 11"
  • IIOT+a lesson in "FTV ME: Recipes, ActiveX and Macros"
  • Ranjithkumar Karuppiyaa lesson in "FactoryTalk View SE and Newer ME Features"
  • Shane Welcher SRa lesson in "FactoryTalk View SE and Newer ME Features"

If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.