PLC programming · Free · ₹0
Siemens S7-300 with STEP 7
The classic Siemens PLC, from an empty SIMATIC Manager project to a commissioned, diagnosed, running machine.
What you will learn
Configure an S7-300 rack in HW Config, write ladder logic with contacts, coils, edges, timers, counters, comparators and arithmetic, structure a program into OBs, FCs, FBs and DBs, scale analog signals and close a PID loop, build the production-line, mixer and elevator projects, read STL, go online, back up to a memory card, and read the diagnostic buffer to find why a CPU stopped.
- Build an S7-300 rack in HW Config and read the addresses it assigns
- Write ladder with contacts, coils, Set/Reset, edges and flip-flops that behave safely
- Use S7 and IEC timers and counters, and know which one a problem needs
- Structure a program into OB1, FCs, FBs and data blocks, one motor block for twelve motors
- Scale a 4-20 mA signal with SCALE and UNSCALE, and close a PID loop
- Read STL written by someone else without guessing
- Go online over MPI, PROFIBUS or Ethernet, download, upload and compare
- Read the diagnostic buffer and say why the CPU stopped
Course content
22 modules · 107 lessons · 13h 6m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last, and a short quiz.
- 01Meet the S7-300 and SIMATIC Manager4 lessons32m
- 02Hardware Configuration in HW Config6 lessons30m
- 03Inside the CPU: Memory Areas and Properties6 lessons27m
- 04Bit Logic: Contacts, Coils, Set and Reset6 lessons1h 1m
- 05Latching, Edges and Flip-flops4 lessons38m
- 06Motor Control: Direction, Star-Delta and Interlocks3 lessons33m
- 07Simulation: PLCSIM and Factory I/O3 lessons35m
- 08S7 Timers: S_PULSE, S_ODT, S_OFFDT and Friends7 lessons41m
- 09IEC Timers and Timing in Practice5 lessons22m
- 10Counters5 lessons33m
- 11Comparators, Arithmetic and Data Types2 lessons24m
- 12Program Structure: OB1, FCs, FBs and Data Blocks3 lessons1h 8m
- 13Symbols, Comments, Consistency and Cross-references6 lessons15m
- 14Analog Inputs and Outputs4 lessons1h 11m
- 15Closed-loop Control: ON/OFF and PID3 lessons52m
- 16Projects: Production Line and Mixer4 lessons55m
- 17Project: Four-level Elevator with an HMI2 lessons30m
- 18Reading STL: Statement List Basics4 lessons14m
- 19Going Online: MPI, PROFIBUS, Ethernet and Downloads8 lessons37m
- 20Memory Cards, Backups and Archiving8 lessons14m
- 21Diagnostics: Why the CPU Stopped13 lessons43m
- 22Final Assessment1 lesson9m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Beginner. No prior PLC knowledge assumed: the first three modules start from what a PLC is and what the rack looks like.
- Software
- STEP 7 V5.x (SIMATIC Manager) with S7-PLCSIM; Factory I/O trial for the simulated-plant modules
- Hardware
- None. Every exercise runs in S7-PLCSIM.
Siemens S7-300 with STEP 7 at a glance
Siemens S7-300 with STEP 7 is a free, self-paced online plc programming course from EDWartens India with 22 modules, 13h 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
- 22 self-paced modules, 13h 6m of video, written notes, a quiz per module and a final assessment.
- Level
- Beginner. Beginner. No prior PLC knowledge assumed: the first three modules start from what a PLC is and what the rack looks like.
- Brand
- Siemens
- Software
- STEP 7 V5.x (SIMATIC Manager) with S7-PLCSIM; Factory I/O trial for the simulated-plant modules
- Hardware
- None. Every exercise runs in S7-PLCSIM.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹700, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- plcgoods, The AutomationCentral, Control System Guru, GearHead Nomad (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
Pairs well with
PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA PortalFrom zero electrical knowledge to a working, simulated S7-1200 program, for nothing.
PLC programming · FreeSiemens S7-1500 Advanced Programming in TIA PortalBeyond the basics: block design, optimized DBs, UDTs, S7-GRAPH, SCL, drives, libraries, software units, multiuser, testing tools and worked projects on the S7-1500.
PLC programming · FreeSiemens Small Controllers: LOGO! 8 and S7-200 SMARTThe LOGO! logic module from unboxing to analog, clocks, display, comms and worked applications in LOGO!Soft Comfort, plus the S7-200 SMART basics in STEP 7-MicroWIN SMART.
SCADA · FreeSiemens WinCC SCADA: V7, Unified and AdvancedSiemens SCADA end to end: WinCC V7/V8 from project to client-server and SQL, WinCC Unified with JavaScript, faceplates, plant objects and collaboration, and WinCC Advanced/flexible practice with alarms, trends, recipes and PLC interfacing.Learning paths with this course
- Siemens engineer path · 5 coursesThe Siemens stack Indian plants actually run: TIA Portal, the S7-300 installed base, advanced S7-1500, WinCC SCADA and the small LOGO! and S7-200 SMART controllers.
Common questions
Why learn the S7-300 when Siemens has moved to the S7-1500?
Because the machines have not. The S7-300 was sold for over twenty years and thousands of Indian plants still run on it. Maintaining, extending and eventually migrating those machines is paid work, and it needs someone who can read STEP 7 Classic and STL.
Do I need STEP 7 Classic installed?
Yes, for the exercises. STEP 7 V5.x is licensed software; a trial is available from Siemens, and many colleges and employers hold licences. The first three modules and every diagnostic module can be followed without it.
Do I need a real S7-300?
No. Every exercise runs in S7-PLCSIM, and the plant modules use the Factory I/O trial. A real rack helps later; nothing here requires one.
How is this different from the free TIA Portal course?
TIA Portal is the current tool and the S7-1200 the current small PLC. This course is the previous generation: SIMATIC Manager, HW Config, S5 timers, STL. The ideas overlap; the tools do not, and a maintenance engineer needs both.
What computer do I need?
STEP 7 V5.x runs on Windows. A 64-bit Windows 10 machine with 8 GB of RAM is comfortable. It will not install on macOS or Linux without a Windows virtual machine.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved. 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.
Will this course get me a job?
On its own, no course will. What it gives you is the ability to open a twenty-year-old STEP 7 project on a factory floor and understand it, which is exactly what maintenance and retrofit roles are looking for.
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.
- plcgoodsthe S7-300 course lessons: hardware, logic, analog, PID and projects
- The AutomationCentralthe SIMATIC Manager Step 7 tutorial series: HW Config, CPU properties, timers, STL, online, memory cards and diagnostics
- Control System Gurubit logic, edges, FC, FB and OB lessons
- GearHead Nomadsimulation, counters, comparators, arithmetic and process lessons
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.