Online course | Siemens S7-1200 / S7-1500 PLC programming

Premium Siemens S7-1200 / S7-1500
PLC programming course in LAD/FBD

Program S7-1200 and S7-1500 in LAD and FBD in TIA Portal
Build HMI screens and test everything on PLCSIM
Finish with real projects in Factory I/O

A practical course in programming Siemens S7-1200 and S7-1500 PLCs in LAD and FBD in TIA Portal, with HMI basics. You train on the free PLCSIM simulator and Factory I/O, so you do not need a physical PLC.

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Lifetime access, certificate of completion and instructor support on Discord.

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14-day money-back guarantee

Video lessons 98

Duration 17 hours

Level Beginner to intermediate

Certificate Yes, after completion

Trusted by engineers from leading industrial companies

What you will learn in this course

Programming in LAD and FBD in TIA Portal, from installation and licensing to your first project
Bit instructions: NO/NC contacts, coils, SET/RESET, edge detection (triggers)
Timers TON, TOF, TP and TONR with real industrial examples
Counters CTU, CTD and CTUD
Comparison and math instructions on INT and REAL, type conversions, words and bytes
Program blocks OB, FB and FC, structured programming and program flow control
Project: pallet measurement and distribution
Project: sorting line by colour with a vision sensor
Project: proportional controller for a water tank
Project: product stacking with a 2D manipulator
Working with the free PLCSIM simulator and the Factory I/O virtual factory

Why do engineers choose ControlByte courses?

Video lessons on our e-learning platform, available 24/7
Exercises based on ready project templates that you build step by step
A complete free simulator - you do not need your own PLC
Learn whenever and wherever you want, at your own pace
Instructor support on Discord chat and live meetings
Homework assignments reviewed by the instructor

Who is this course for?

PLC Programmers
Automation Engineers
Electrical Engineers
Industrial Engineers

Maintenance Technicians
Control System Technicians
Instrumentation Technicians
Beginners starting their PLC journey

What you get after enrolling

98 practical video lessons (about 17 hours)
Complete projects in the Factory I/O and PLCSIM simulators
Instructor support on Discord chat and live meetings
Homework assignments at the end of each part, with feedback
Certificate of completion
Lifetime access to the materials and all updates

Your instructor

Jacob K. Biedulski, MSc

Automation and Robotics · PLC programmer · Co-founder of ControlByte

“ In this course you will learn to program PLC controllers, even if you are new to the automation industry. All you need is a well-prepared learning path.MSc in Automation and Robotics, graduate of the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. He started in a maintenance department, then worked in a machine design office and now runs his own system integration company, designing and programming control systems for machines and robotic cells in the automotive and woodworking industries. He has trained over 1000 engineers in PLC programming.

Course modules and sample projects

Course module

Bit instructions - NO/NC contacts, coils, flip-flops

Normally open (NO) and normally closed (NC) contacts, coils
SR and RS flip-flops
Boolean algebra
Latching and unlatching circuits

Course module

Timers - TON, TOF, TP, TONR

TON timer (on delay)
TOF timer (off delay)
TP pulse timer
TONR retentive timer - task: line control
Practical applications of timers in industrial automation

Course module

Counters - CTU, CTD, CTUD

CTU counter - task: package buffering line
CTD counter
CTUD counter - task: sequential operation of the buffering line
Counter reset (R) and preset (PV)

Course module

Sorting by colour in Factory I/O

Comparators
Sorting station in Factory I/O
Operations on integers

Course module

Project: pallet measurement and distribution

Dividing the station into cooperating objects
Measuring pallets and programming the separating feeder sequence
Programming the input feeder with timers and counters
Homework assignment

Course module

Operations on INT and REAL variables

Integer operations: INT, DINT, SINT, USINT
Floating-point operations: REAL, LREAL
Operations on BYTE and WORD variables
Type conversion in calculations
The most common mistakes

Course module

Programming a controller for a liquid tank

Scaling values from level sensors and setpoints
Programming a tank controller in Factory I/O
Homework assignment

Course module

HMI panel for a 2-axis manipulator station

Introduction to Siemens Basic HMI panels
Control screen for automatic, manual and service mode
Logging data on the products being transferred
Programming a production order
Managing product data on the HMI panel

Course curriculum - full table of contents

1. Introduction 22 min · 2 lessons ▼

1.1. Introduction to PLC programming course 0:52
1.2. How to get help? Join the Discord group for Automation Professionals and PLC Programmers! 1:42

2. TIA Portal Licensing 11 min · 1 lesson ▼

2.1. TIA Portal Licensing Explained 10:26

3. TIA Portal and Factory IO Installation Free lesson 1h 6min · 6 lessons ▼

3.1. Siemens TIA Portal Installation troubleshooting 0:48
3.2. Siemens TIA Portal Installation 5:47
3.3. How to download TIA Portal project archives under the lessons! 4:21
3.4. Create First Project in Siemens TIA Portal 10:19
3.5. Add HMI panel to your project 9:04
3.6. Installation of Factory IO and first project! Free lesson 16:36

4. Introduction to variables and memory areas 22 min · 2 lessons ▼

4.1. Variables types - introduction (analog value 0-10V in Factory IO) 11:53
4.2. Memory areas - Inputs, Outputs, M 10:18

5. Introduction to Bit Operation Library in TIA Portal and variable types 33 min · 3 lessons ▼

5.1. Normally open contact -| |- AND operation (conveyor, switch and sensor in FIO) 13:29
5.2. Normally open contact -| |- OR operation (add selector switch in FIO scene) 8:00
5.3. Normally closed contact -|/|- (diffuse sensor introduction) 14:47

6. Exercises with bit logic operations 22 min · 2 lessons ▼

6.1. Start/stop button function - code with loop back 12:00
6.2. Homework 5:34

7. Assignment instruction, SET RESET coils Free lesson 44 min · 4 lessons ▼

7.1. Assignment instruction (coil) - using tips 10:51
7.2. SET, RESET coils 12:18
7.3. Flips- flops Free lesson 15:35
7.4. Why hardware NC signals? 4:33

8. Edge detection instructions - triggers 22 min · 2 lessons ▼

8.1. SIM Table - how to simulate signals? 2:24
8.2. Edge detection instructions 21:27

9. FBD logic instructions 33 min · 3 lessons ▼

9.1. FBD logic instructions - theory 5:18
9.2. FBD logic instructions - example + homework 7:53
9.3. FBD logic instructions - homework - solution 0:52

10. Timing Instructions Free lesson 55 min · 5 lessons ▼

10.1. TP timer 7:03
10.2. TON timer Free lesson 6:23
10.3. TOF timer 8:24
10.4. TONR timer 8:00
10.5. TONR timer - homework 6:00

11. Counters 55 min · 5 lessons ▼

11.1. Counters 1 - CTU 14:25
11.2. Counters 2 - CTU homework 5:13
11.3. Counters 3 - CTD 4:49
11.4. Counters 4 - CTUD 6:47
11.5. Counters 5 - CTUD homework 8:10

12. Project - Pallet measurement and distribution Free lessons 1h 39min · 9 lessons ▼

12.1. Introduction, line description Free lesson 3:21
12.2. Variable mapping 14:00
12.3. Systems testing 11:00
12.4. Starting system 7:21
12.5. Sequence programming - part 1 19:48
12.6. Sequence programming - part 2 13:06
12.7. Analysis of line operation 9:56
12.8. Height measurement programming Free lesson 19:00
12.9. Homework assignment 6:46

13. Comparison operators 33 min · 3 lessons ▼

13.1. Theoretical introduction 3:35
13.2. Comparator instructions 7:14
13.3. IN_RANGE, OUT_RANGE instructions 4:56

14. Sorting line by color with vision sensor Free lesson 55 min · 5 lessons ▼

14.1. Description of the sorting line Free lesson 4:48
14.2. Sequence design for feeders 4:42
14.3. Sequence program for the input conveyor 6:26
14.4. Sequence program for the sorting conveyor 3:14
14.5. Sorting line homework assignment 4:57

15. Mathematical instructions 1h 17min · 7 lessons ▼

15.1. Math - intro 1:37
15.2. ADD (ENO enable - check if result's correct) 10:39
15.3. SUB, DIV, MUL instructions 12:38
15.4. MOD instruction 9:20
15.5. Calculate instruction 11:00
15.6. INC, DEC instruction 12:00
15.7. MIN, MAX, LIMIT instruction 9:36

16. Operations on integers 44 min · 4 lessons ▼

16.1. Introduction, integer variable in controller's memory 13:20
16.2. Integers - negative numbers 7:32
16.3. Error of exceeding variable range 9:39
16.4. Type conversion for integers 17:01

17. Operations on floating-point numbers 33 min · 3 lessons ▼

17.1. Introduction to floating-point numbers 21:03
17.2. Arithmetics of floating-point numbers 11:01
17.3. Special cases of floating-point numbers - NaN, Inf+, Inf- 13:06

18. Instructions for converting floating-point numbers 11 min · 1 lesson ▼

18.1. Instructions for converting floating-point numbers 21:35

19. Project: Proportional controller for a water tank Free lesson 55 min · 5 lessons ▼

19.1. Description of the station and variable mapping Free lesson 11:34
19.2. Signals scalling 15:22
19.3. Regulator programming 16:44
19.4. Testing gain factors for P regulator 18:00
19.5. Sequential operation of the tank - homework assignment 4:00

20. Operations on Words and Bytes 1h 6min · 6 lessons ▼

20.1. Operations on Words and Bytes - intro 14:38
20.2. Slice access 10:16
20.3. AND operation on bytes and words 14:40
20.4. OR, XOR operations on bytes and words 9:35
20.5. INV, DECO, ENCO 15:24
20.6. SEL, MUX, DEMUX 17:55

21. Complex data types - arrays, structures 22 min · 2 lessons ▼

21.1. Arrays 19:24
21.2. Structures - STRUCT, UDT 15:08

22. Program blocks, structural programming Free lesson 1h 6min · 6 lessons ▼

22.1. Structural programming - Introduction 4:53
22.2. OB organization blocks 10:50
22.3. FC functions 18:45
22.4. FB function blocks - part 1 21:54
22.5. FB functional blocks - part 2 Free lesson 21:15
22.6. FB - function block - homework 5:34

23. Program flow control instructions 22 min · 2 lessons ▼

23.1. JUMP and LABEL instruction 6:34
23.2. JUMP_LIST and SWITCH instruction 12:59

24. Project: Product stacking with 2D manipulator Free lesson 1h 39min · 9 lessons ▼

24.1. Introduction, project description Free lesson 2:45
24.2. Project template and variable mapping 18:26
24.3. Position calculation, position flags 17:04
24.4. Starting system 13:14
24.5. Input and output conveyor 10:37
24.6. Manipulator sequence 20:28
24.7. Homing 13:30
24.8. Product database and search function 27:43
24.9. Product tracking with vision sensor 16:07

25. How to get a certificate? 11 min · 1 lesson ▼

25.1. How to get a certificate and share it on Linkedin 3:26

Sample lessons

Watch free fragments of the course before you buy.

16:36

Lesson preview

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The certificate lists the course content and the projects you completed
Lifetime access to the materials - come back whenever you need

Course completion certificate Premium Siemens S7-1200, S7-1500 PLC Programming Course in LAD/FBD

Support on Discord

You are not alone - an international community of automation engineers and PLC programmers is waiting for you.

Lifetime access to the support server with the instructors and live meetings
Code reviews of your programs on a dedicated Discord channel
Answers to your questions on business days
Conversations with other aspiring PLC programmers from around the world

Bonuses included with the course

Bonus #1 - Discord forum and lifetime support access

A private Discord server for PLC programmers: ask questions, share your projects and get code reviews from the instructors on a dedicated channel.

Bonus #2 - Lifetime course and platform access

Permanent access to all lessons, project files and every future update of the course - come back whenever you need.