Drives · Free online course
Variable Frequency Drives: Wiring, Programming, PLC and Network Control
Power wiring, keypad and terminal control, analog and preset speed references, relay outputs, PLC and Modbus control, fieldbus, safety functions and troubleshooting, on a generic drive and the Schneider ATV320.
- 13 modules
- 5h 10m of video
- Beginner
- English
- ₹0, free
₹0Free for good
Worth ₹3,499 by length and depth against classroom training. It has always been free; that is not a former price.
No card. Checkout takes a minute and gives you a receipt.
Overview
About Variable Frequency Drives: Wiring, Programming, PLC and Network Control
Power wiring, keypad and terminal control, analog and preset speed references, relay outputs, PLC and Modbus control, fieldbus, safety functions and troubleshooting, on a generic drive and the Schneider ATV320.
Variable Frequency Drives: Wiring, Programming, PLC and Network Control is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in electrical and automation maintenance. It has 13 modules and 5h 10m of video lessons by ATO Automation, Schneider Electric, The Engineering Mindset 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 electrical and automation maintenance
This course includes
- 5h 10m of video lessons
- 13 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 13 modules
5h 10m 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
From the lessons
What a VFD Is and Which One to Buy
by The Engineering Mindset
Keypad and Basic Parameters
by ATO Automation
Speed Reference: Potentiometer, 4-20 mA, Presets and Ramps
by ATO Automation
PLC Control of a VFD
by ATO Automation
Fieldbus on the ATV320: PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP, POWERLINK
by Schneider Electric
Safety Functions, Fault Reset, Password and Reset
by Schneider Electric
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 a VFD does and choose one; wire it on single- or three-phase supply; set basic parameters; run in 2-wire, 3-wire and push-button control with reverse; give the speed reference from a potentiometer, 4-20 mA or presets with ramps; use relay and analog outputs; control the drive from a PLC by terminals, analog and Modbus RTU; connect an ATV320 over PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP and POWERLINK; build constant-pressure pumping; set safety, fault reset and passwords; troubleshoot.
- Explain V/F against vector control and VFD against soft starter and servo
- Wire a drive on single-phase or three-phase supply, with shielding and earthing
- Set motor nameplate and basic parameters from the keypad
- Run in 2-wire, 3-wire and single-button control with forward and reverse
- Give the speed reference by potentiometer, 4-20 mA, presets and ramps
- Wire relay and analog outputs to a PLC and control the drive from a PLC
- Control the drive over Modbus RTU and connect an ATV320 to PROFINET, PROFIBUS and EtherNet/IP
- Configure constant-pressure pumping, safety functions and fault reset, and troubleshoot
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
- 13
- Video lessons
- 59
- Of video
- 5h 10m
- Final questions
- 15
- 01
What a VFD Is and Which One to Buy
5 lessons · 35m - 02
Power Wiring: Supplies, Motors and Phases
4 lessons · 33m - 03
Keypad and Basic Parameters
6 lessons · 28m - 04
Terminal Control: 2-Wire, 3-Wire, Push Buttons, Reverse
7 lessons · 23m - 05
Speed Reference: Potentiometer, 4-20 mA, Presets and Ramps
7 lessons · 27m - 06
Relay and Analog Outputs and Status
4 lessons · 14m - 07
PLC Control of a VFD
4 lessons · 19m - 08
Modbus RTU and RS-485 Control
4 lessons · 33m 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 18 hours
Eight drives in a hospital plant room: retrofit, commission and prove the saving
Retrofit variable frequency drives on the eight pumps and fans of a 400-bed hospital's chilled-water plant: survey the motors, select and schedule the drives, write the parameter list, wire the hand/off/auto control and the BMS interface, commission each drive with a bump test and measured currents, and prove the energy saving with affinity-law arithmetic. You deliver the motor list, the parameter list, the commissioning record and the energy report. The sample pack shows what an electrical contractor hands the hospital's engineer at the end.
Sample document pack, 8 documents, filled in for the scenario
- Motor listMotor List: HVAC Plant Room, VFD Retrofit
- Load listElectrical Load List: MCC-HV1
- MCC scheduleMCC Schedule: MCC-HV1
- Single lineSingle Line Diagram: MCC-HV1 and Feeder from MLTP-1
- I/O listI/O List: Drive Control Terminals and Field Instruments
- Drive parameter listDrive Parameter List and Commissioning Record: ACS580, VFD-CHWP-01 (typical) and Deltas
- Commissioning procedureCommissioning Procedure and Record: Eight Drives, MCC-HV1
- ReportEnergy Saving Report: Affinity-Law Projection, Harmonics and Power Quality
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.
About 16 hours
Six ATV320 conveyor drives on Modbus RTU with STO and a braked decline conveyor: a fruit-packing line
Replace the fixed-speed gearmotors and two potentiometer drives on a fruit packhouse's packing line with six Schneider ATV320 drives controlled by a Modicon M221 over Modbus RTU. You size the drives, write the parameter set in SoMove, build the Modbus register map and the CiA 402 command sequence in the PLC, wire Safe Torque Off from the E-stop safety relay, solve the overhauling decline conveyor with a brake motor, brake logic and a braking resistor, and test it honestly. The sample pack shows what the controls contractor leaves with the packhouse engineer.
Sample document pack, 8 documents, filled in for the scenario
- Motor listMotor List and Drive Selection: Packing Line PL-2 Conveyors
- Single lineSingle Line Diagram and Safety Circuit: Conveyor Panel CP-PL2
- Drive parameter listDrive Parameter List: ATV320 U-205 (Decline Conveyor) in Full, and Deltas for U-201 to U-206
- Tag listModbus Register Map and PLC Tag List: M221 to Six ATV320 Drives
- I/O listI/O List: CP-PL2 Hardwired Signals (M221 and Drive Terminals)
- FATFactory Acceptance Test Record: CP-PL2 with Six Test Motors
- Test reportDecline Conveyor CV-205: Overvoltage Trips, Measurements and the Corrected Arrangement
- O&M manualOperation and Maintenance Manual: PL-2 Drives (Fault Codes, Reset Rule, Drive Replacement)
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
None required. SoMove (free from Schneider) optional for the ATV320 modules.
Hardware
None required. Any small VFD and a three-phase motor let you do every exercise for real.
Who it is for
Beginner to intermediate. Electrical basics assumed; no drive experience needed.
Video lessons by
- ATO Automation
- Schneider Electric
- The Engineering Mindset
- RealPars
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.
Nothing is required
SoMove is only for the ATV320 modules.
Optional
Useful, not needed to finish the course.
- 01Free
SoMove
Schneider Electric
- Runs on
- Windows PC
- Account
- A free Schneider Electric (mySchneider) account may be asked for at download
Schneider lists SoMove as free licence setup software for configuring its drives and motor control devices. Device DTM libraries are downloaded separately.
Steps
- 1.Open the SoMove (FDT standalone) download page on se.com.
- 2.Log in with a Schneider Electric account if asked.
- 3.Download and run the SoMove installer.
- 4.Download the DTM library for your drive family from se.com and install it.
- 5.Start SoMove and connect to a drive or work offline.
- Install the DTM library for the drive you are studying, for example Altivar, or SoMove will not list it.
Official download pagese.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 Variable Frequency Drives: Wiring, Programming, PLC and Network Control
Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.
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 a drive?
No, but it helps: any small VFD and a three-phase motor let you do every exercise for real. Without one, SoMove's offline mode lets you configure an ATV320 on the PC.
Is this only about the Schneider ATV320?
The generic modules use a low-cost drive typical of what you meet in the field, and the ATV320 modules show the same functions on a mainstream industrial drive. The concepts transfer to Siemens, ABB, Danfoss, Delta and Allen-Bradley drives.
Is this safe to do at home?
Only with a proper supply, earthing and enclosure, and only if you are competent with mains. The course explains the wiring; it does not make anyone qualified to work on mains.
What certificate do I get, and is it a Schneider qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Schneider Electric credential and is never described as one.
Is the Variable Frequency Drives 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.
Who made the video lessons in the Variable Frequency Drives 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 Variable Frequency Drives 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 thirteen modules at your own speed.
Is the Variable Frequency Drives 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 drives 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) covers VFDs and drives alongside PLC programming, taught 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/vfd-drives-training-bangalore, and the programme itself at edwartens.co.in/courses/aep.
All course factsHide course facts
- Price
- ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹3,499.
- Who it is for
- Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in electrical and automation maintenance
- Format
- 13 self-paced modules, 5h 10m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Beginner. Beginner to intermediate. Electrical basics assumed; no drive experience needed.
- Brand
- Vendor-neutral
- Software
- None required. SoMove (free from Schneider) optional for the ATV320 modules.
- Hardware
- None required. Any small VFD and a three-phase motor let you do every exercise for real.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 inclusive of GST for learners in India, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- ATO Automation, Schneider Electric, The Engineering Mindset, RealPars (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
- Last updated
- 27 September 2026
Pairs well with
Drives · FreeSiemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive
Drives · FreeAllen-Bradley PowerFlex Drives
PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA Portal
PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA Portal in Three HoursMore free courses: Free VFD and servo courses
Learning paths with this course
- Process control · 4 courses
- Control theory to the loop · 4 courses
Classroom course, Bangalore
VFD and drives training in Bangalore
The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) covers VFDs and drives alongside PLC programming, taught 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.
- ATO Automationthe VFD wiring, parameter and control videos
- Schneider Electricthe official Altivar Machine ATV320 how-to videos
- The Engineering Mindseta lesson in "What a VFD Is and Which One to Buy"
- RealParsa lesson in "Modbus RTU and RS-485 Control"
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.