AUT 108

Advanced Siemens Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) with TIA Portal;Programming, Troubleshooting & Maintenance for S7-1200 & S7-1500

This advanced course is designed for engineers and technicians who already have a working knowledge of Siemens PLCs and TIA Portal. The program deepens knowledge of S7-1200 and S7-1500 systems with emphasis on advanced programming techniques, diagnostics, industrial networking, analog processing, PID control, and effective troubleshooting. Practical hands-on sessions ensure participants gain confidence in developing, modifying, and supporting automation systems in real industrial environments.

Duration: 5 days

Prerequisites: Basic PLC programming, Basic Siemens STEP 7 and Electrical / instrumentation fundamentals

Course objectives

Configure, program, and maintain S7-1200 and S7-1500 PLC systems using TIA Portal
Develop modular, structured, and reusable programs using OBs, FCs, FBs, and data blocks
Implement advanced logic, analog processing, scaling, PID, and motion basics
Use diagnostic tools and online features for fault finding and maintenance
Integrate HMIs, drives, and industrial networks (PROFINET/Industrial Ethernet)
Apply industrial best practices for safety, documentation, and system reliability
Troubleshoot and resolve hardware, software, and communication problems

Course content

Day 1 System Architecture, Engineering & Advanced Programming Concepts

Review of Siemens PLC platforms: S7-1200 vs S7-1500
TIA Portal advanced features & project structure
PLC memory, addressing & data organization
Program scan cycle, OB priorities & interrupts
Modular programming best practices
Advanced Boolean and logic operations
Introduction to Structured Text & Ladder enhancements

Hands-On Practical:

Create a structured PLC project
Create and link OBs, FCs, FBs, and DBs
Implement reusable logic blocks
Monitor and force I/O online

Day 2 Data Handling, Analog Processing & Scaling

Data blocks: global vs instance DBs
User-defined data types (UDT)
High-level math & comparison instructions
Analog I/O configuration (voltage/current)
Analog scaling & signal conditioning
Sensors, transmitters & field connections
Alarm handling concepts

Hands-On Practical:

Configure analog input & output channels
Scale temperature/pressure/level signals
Create real-time alarm functions
Trend and monitor analog signals in TIA Portal

Day 3 PID Control, Timers, Counters & HMI Integration

Advanced timer & counter strategies
PID control theory & tuning principles
Implementing PID with S7-1200/1500
HMI design & screen navigation
Alarm/event design in HMI
Data logging & recipe handling
Operator interface best practices

Hands-On Practical:

Implement a PID loop (e.g., temperature/flow)
Tune PID performance
Develop operator control screens
Create alarm & status displays
Build reusable HMI objects

Day 4 Industrial Networking, Diagnostics & Drives Integration

PROFINET & Industrial Ethernet basics
IP addressing & PLC networking
Device configuration & addressing
Online monitoring & trace tools
Hardware & communication diagnostics
Fault handling & system redundancy concepts
Introduction to drive integration (VFD/Servo)

Hands-On Practical:

Configure PLC-HMI-Drive communication
Simulate communication failures & recovery
Use diagnostic buffer & trace tools
Create system diagnostics screens

Day 5 Maintenance, Troubleshooting & Real-World Applications

Systematically tracing faults
PLC backup & restore procedures
Version handling & project migration
Documentation & change control
Safety considerations & lockout procedure awareness
Case studies from industrial plants
Best maintenance practices

Hands-On Practical:

Force faults and recover system operation
Analyze program behavior during failure
Backup and restore PLC projects
Final test & practical assessment