PLC programming · Free online course

Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice

How professionals lay out a TIA Portal project so it is still readable in five years: modular blocks, FBs and instances, UDTs for I/O, arrays and shift registers, a structured drive block, and two live workshops that clean up real messy programs.

8 modules
9h 43m of video
Intermediate
English
₹0, free

Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice course cover

₹0Free for good

Worth ₹5,999 by length and depth against classroom training. It has always been free; that is not a former price.

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Overview

About Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice

Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation, electrical and instrumentation. It has 8 modules and 9h 43m of video lessons by PLCskilltree, FriendsInTech Automation, 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, electrical and instrumentation

This course includes

9h 43m of video lessons
8 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

Step 1 of 3
Learn the 8 modules
9h 43m of video lessons, written notes and a practice task per module, at your own pace.
Step 2 of 3
Pass the final assessment
15 questions drawn from every module, pass mark 60%, 3 attempts.
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

Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice: Syllabus at a glance — Syllabus at a glance

Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice: What you will be able to do — What you will be able to do

Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice: Tools and credits — Tools and credits

From the lessons

Starting a Project the Right Way, and TIA Portal versus Simatic Manager
by PLCskilltree
Structuring a Program Like a Pro, and Why Projects Become a Mess
by PLCskilltree
Function Blocks: Expert Guide, Single and Multi-Instances, and Libraries
by PLCskilltree
UDTs for I/O and Machines; Arrays and Shift Registers
by PLCskilltree
A Structured VFD Control Block, and Uploading from a PLC
by PLCskilltree
Workshop: Building a Modular PLC Application in Two Hours
by PLCskilltree

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

Start a project the right way, structure it into modular function blocks with single and multi-instances, describe I/O and machines with UDTs, use arrays and shift registers where they belong, add a structured VFD control block, upload from a PLC, and refactor a chaotic program and its data into something a colleague can maintain.

Start a TIA Portal project cleanly and know what TIA Portal changed from SIMATIC Manager
Structure a program into modular blocks that scale
Use function blocks with single and multi-instances correctly
Describe I/O and machines with UDTs and use arrays and shift registers
Add a structured VFD control block and upload from a running PLC
Refactor a messy program and chaotic data into a maintainable project

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: 8
Video lessons: 16
Of video: 9h 43m
Final questions: 15

01
Starting a Project the Right Way, and TIA Portal versus Simatic Manager
2 lessons · 25m
02
Structuring a Program Like a Pro, and Why Projects Become a Mess
2 lessons · 45m
03
Function Blocks: Expert Guide, Single and Multi-Instances, and Libraries
3 lessons · 50m
04
UDTs for I/O and Machines; Arrays and Shift Registers
2 lessons · 32m
05
A Structured VFD Control Block, and Uploading from a PLC
2 lessons · 47m
06
Workshop: Building a Modular PLC Application in Two Hours
1 lesson · 2h 9m
07
Live Workshops: Cleaning Up a Messy Program and Re-Organising Chaotic Data; TIA Portal versus Studio 5000
3 lessons · 4h 15m
08
Final Assessment
1 lesson · 4m
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 16 hours

Six-conveyor packing line: rebuild a 900-network OB1 as an FB library with UDTs and prove nothing changed

Take a working six-motor conveyor program written as one flat OB1 and re-engineer it into a block library: a conveyor FB with UDT-typed I/O, configuration and status, a G120 drive FB, multi-instances in a line FB, a call structure OB1 can be read from, and a tag naming convention. You deliver the software design specification with the before-and-after structure, the rebuilt project, and a regression FAT that proves the line behaves as it did. The sample pack shows what a re-engineering delivery looks like when it is done under control.

Sample document pack, 6 documents, filled in for the scenario

SDSSoftware Design Specification: Packing Line PK-2 Program Re-engineering
Control narrativeSequence of Operations: Packing Line PK-2, as Implemented
I/O listI/O List: Panel CP-2, Packing Line PK-2
Tag listPLC Tag List and Naming Convention: PK-2
FATRegression Test Record: Old Program against Rebuilt Program, PLCSIM
Change noticeDesign Change Notice: Run-Feedback Monitor on Conveyor C-4

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 V21 (21-day trial) with S7-PLCSIM; V17 or later also works

Hardware

None, everything runs in simulation

Who it is for

Intermediate. You should already write ladder or FBD in TIA Portal; this course is about making it professional.

Video lessons by

PLCskilltree
FriendsInTech Automation

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

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.
Show the 6 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the Siemens trial page (entry 109989774) and sign in with your Siemens Industry Online Support account.
2. 2.Download TIA_Portal_STEP7_Safety_WinCC_V21.iso (8.1 GB).
3. 3.Download S7-PLCSIM_V21.iso (2.5 GB) from the same page: PLCSIM is a separate download.
4. 4.Right-click each ISO, choose Mount, and run Start.exe as administrator. Install STEP 7 and WinCC first, then PLCSIM.
5. 5.Follow the setup, accept the licence terms and restart the PC when asked.
6. 6.Open TIA Portal V21 and create a new project to confirm it runs.
- Install from a local drive with plenty of free space; Siemens lists 20 GB free as the minimum and the ISOs alone are over 10 GB.
- You only need DVD 2 if you want extra hardware support packages.
- If you cannot install locally, Siemens also offers a 21-day TIA Portal Cloud trial in the browser (one-hour sessions, not in every country).
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.
02
S7-PLCSIM V21 (TIA Portal) 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 2.5 GB (ISO)
S7-PLCSIM V21 is offered as a 21-day trial on the same Siemens page as the STEP 7 and WinCC V21 trial. It needs STEP 7 V21 installed on the same PC.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the Siemens STEP 7 and WinCC V21 trial page (entry 109989774) and sign in.
2. 2.Install STEP 7 V21 from the main TIA Portal ISO first.
3. 3.Download S7-PLCSIM_V21.iso (2.5 GB) from the section Download S7-PLCSIM Standard V21.
4. 4.Mount the ISO, run Start.exe as administrator and follow the setup.
5. 5.In TIA Portal, select your CPU and click Start simulation to open PLCSIM.
- Siemens notes that the PLCSIM Standard V21 installation also includes S7-PLCSIM Advanced V8.0.
Official download pagesupport.industry.siemens.com

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 Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice

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

Sample Wartens Certificate of Completion for Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice, 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
A unique certificate number and a public verification page. A recruiter checks it in ten seconds.
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
Issuer, credential ID and URL prefilled, with 6 matching skills to pin to your profile.
QR code on the certificate
Scans straight to the verification page, so a printed copy proves itself.
Names what you can do
Lists the topics covered, from project setup and the tia portal way of working to refactoring messy programs and chaotic data.
A permanent link
Put it on a CV, a portfolio or an application. The URL never changes.
Earned, not attended
Issued only after every module and a final assessment at 60%, with 3 attempts. That is why it stands up.

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$28.99, 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

Is this a beginner course?

No. It assumes you can already write working logic. It teaches how to arrange that logic so a whole team can work on it.

Why are there two-hour workshops?

Because structure is learned by watching a real program being reorganised, decision by decision. The notes give you the checklist; the workshops show it applied.

Is the Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice 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 in the Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice 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 Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice course take?

Plan on about 12 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the eight modules at your own speed.

What software and hardware do I need?

TIA Portal V21 (V17 or later also works) with S7-PLCSIM, which runs on Siemens' 21-day trial. No hardware is needed, because everything runs in simulation.

Is the Siemens TIA Portal Program Structure and Best Practice 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, ₹599 including GST for this intermediate course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.

Is there classroom PLC 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 Siemens PLC programming in TIA Portal in person at our Electronic City centre, alongside the other PLC brands it covers. 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/siemens-tia-portal-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, electrical and instrumentation
Format: 8 self-paced modules, 9h 43m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level: Intermediate. Intermediate. You should already write ladder or FBD in TIA Portal; this course is about making it professional.
Brand: Siemens
Software: TIA Portal V21 (21-day trial) with S7-PLCSIM; V17 or later also works
Hardware: None, everything runs in simulation
Certificate: Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹599 inclusive of GST for learners in India, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by: PLCskilltree, FriendsInTech Automation (independent creators, credited below)
Language: English
Last updated: 27 September 2026

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The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) teaches Siemens PLC programming in TIA Portal in person at our Electronic City centre, alongside the other PLC brands it covers.

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.

PLCskilltreethe TIA Portal PLC programming tutorial videos and live workshops
FriendsInTech Automationa lesson in "Function Blocks: Expert Guide, Single and Multi-Instances, and Libraries"

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