PLC programming 路 Free
Allen-Bradley Studio 5000
CompactLogix and ControlLogix from the wiring up: tags, instructions, timers, data, drives, messaging and Modbus, in Rockwell's Studio 5000.
Inside the course
From the lessons
Studio 5000, Logix Designer and the Logix Family
Tim Wilborne
Connecting Over Ethernet, Uploading and Downloading
Tim Wilborne
Bit Instructions: XIC, XIO and OTE
Tim Wilborne
Counters: CTU and CTD
Tim Wilborne
Indirect Addressing and Storing Data
Tim Wilborne
A PowerFlex 525 Drive on EtherNet/IP
Tim Wilborne
Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.
What you will learn
Install Studio 5000, wire and connect a CompactLogix, create tag-based programs with XIC, XIO, OTE, timers and counters, choose data types and arrays, use indirect addressing and produced/consumed tags, add I/O and Ethernet modules, put a PowerFlex 525 drive and a Modbus TCP device on the network, message between controllers, and clear faults when they happen.
- Wire sinking inputs and sourcing outputs to a CompactLogix without guessing
- Connect over Ethernet, download, upload, and fix RSLinx browsing problems
- Write tag-based ladder with XIC, XIO, OTE, TON, TOF, RTO, CTU and CTD
- Choose BOOL, DINT, REAL, arrays and user-defined types on purpose
- Use indirect addressing to log data without faulting the controller
- Add expansion and Ethernet modules and read the tags they create
- Run a PowerFlex 525 drive from ladder over EtherNet/IP
- Share data with produced/consumed tags, MSG and Modbus TCP, and recover from faults
For you
Taking Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 from the United States
- Free in the United States, as everywhere, and self-paced: lessons, notes and the final assessment are open at any hour, so your time zone and shift pattern do not matter.
- The optional certificate for learners in the United States is a one-off US$23.99. What you get for it
- Allen-Bradley is one of the automation brands most widely installed across the Americas, so this is a skill plants and integrators near you ask for.
- See automation and engineering jobs in the United States, and what the industry looks like in Houston, Detroit and Chicago.
- EDWartens also has a regional site for the United States, for classroom training and local support: edwartens.com/us.
The course project 路 about 18 hours
Bottle unscrambler and filler infeed: CompactLogix 5380, PowerFlex 525 and PanelView Plus 7, from FDS to signed FAT
Design, program, test and document the control panel for a bottle unscrambler and the filler infeed it feeds on a beverage co-packing line: elevator, bowl, discharge and infeed conveyors sequenced from photoeyes, the bowl motor on a PowerFlex 525 over EtherNet/IP, accumulation control, bottle counting and a PanelView Plus 7 screen. You deliver the Logix project, your own I/O list and FAT record, and the hand-over note. The sample pack shows what a system integrator hands the client.
Sample document pack, 9 documents, filled in for the scenario
- FDSFunctional Design Specification: Line 2 Unscrambler and Filler Infeed
- I/O listI/O List: Panel CP-201
- BOMBill of Materials: Panel CP-201 and Field Devices
- Tag listController Tag List and Naming Convention
- IP planIP Address Plan and Device List: Line 2 Unscrambler Network
- Alarm listAlarm List: Line 2 Unscrambler
- FATFactory Acceptance Test Record: Panel CP-201
- O&M manualOperation and Maintenance Manual: Line 2 Unscrambler (Operation section)
- Handover certificateSite Acceptance and Handover Certificate: Line 2 Unscrambler
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.
Course content
16 modules 路 33 lessons 路 7h 35m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.
- 01Studio 5000, Logix Designer and the Logix Family2 lessons11m
- 02Wiring a CompactLogix: Sinking Inputs and Sourcing Outputs1 lesson17m
- 03Connecting Over Ethernet, Uploading and Downloading6 lessons34m
- 04The Key Switch and Controller Modes1 lesson5m
- 05Bit Instructions: XIC, XIO and OTE2 lessons2h 16m
- 06Timers: TON, TOF and RTO5 lessons40m
- 07Counters: CTU and CTD1 lesson15m
- 08Data Types: BOOL, INT, DINT, REAL and Arrays1 lesson13m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Beginner. No Rockwell experience assumed; knowing what a PLC is helps.
- Software
- Studio 5000 Logix Designer and Logix Emulate are paid Rockwell software with no public trial. Use a licence from work or college, or follow the exercises in the free Connected Components Workbench; see What to download on this page What to download, and how
- Hardware
- None. Logix Emulate stands in for the controller.
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
- 01Paid only
Studio 5000 Logix Designer
Rockwell Automation
- Runs on
- Windows (check the Studio 5000 entry on the Product Compatibility and Download Center for exact versions)
- Account
- A Rockwell Automation account plus a purchased licence (serial number or subscription)
Rockwell sells Studio 5000 Logix Designer as a perpetual licence or a paid subscription. Rockwell's product page offers no public free trial or free edition.
Steps
- 1.If your employer or college has a Studio 5000 licence, ask for access and the serial number.
- 2.Sign in to the Rockwell Product Compatibility and Download Center and search for Studio 5000 Logix Designer.
- 3.Download the version that matches your controller firmware.
- 4.Install it as administrator and activate the licence with FactoryTalk Activation Manager.
- 5.If you have no licence, use one of the free Rockwell tools listed below instead.
- Match the Logix Designer major version to the controller firmware you will use.
Rockwell Automation product pagerockwellautomation.comLegitimate free routes
- Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition: Free. Programs Micro800 controllers and includes a demo Micro800 Simulator.
- FactoryTalk Design Workbench: Free Rockwell tool for Micro800 controllers, listed with the free downloads on PCDC.
- RSLogix Micro Starter Lite: Free edition for MicroLogix 1000 and 1100.
- FactoryTalk Design Studio free trial: Rockwell's cloud-based Logix design software with a free 90-day trial in the browser.
- Rockwell Automation training: Instructor-led Studio 5000 courses; an employer licence is the other legitimate route.
Optional
Useful, not needed to finish the course.
- 02Paid, 30-day Logix Echo trial on request
Studio 5000 Logix Emulate and FactoryTalk Logix Echo
Rockwell Automation
- Runs on
- Windows
- Account
- A Rockwell Automation account; the Logix Echo trial is requested through a form on Rockwell's page
Both emulators are paid Rockwell products. Rockwell offers a 30-day FactoryTalk Logix Echo trial licence on request; Logix Emulate has no trial on its product page. Both also need a licensed Studio 5000 Logix Designer to create the programs you emulate.
Steps
- 1.Open the FactoryTalk Logix Echo page on rockwellautomation.com.
- 2.Fill in the trial request form to ask for a 30-day trial licence.
- 3.Download Logix Echo from the Product Compatibility and Download Center.
- 4.Install it and activate the trial licence you receive.
- 5.Create an emulated controller in Logix Echo and download a Studio 5000 project to it.
- Logix Echo needs a feature-compatible version of Studio 5000 Logix Designer; without a Logix Designer licence the trial is of little use.
Rockwell Automation product pagerockwellautomation.comLegitimate free routes
- Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition: Free, with a demo Micro800 Simulator for testing without hardware.
- FactoryTalk Design Studio free trial: Free 90-day cloud trial; Rockwell says projects can be deployed to Logix Echo.
- 03Free
Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition
Rockwell Automation
- Runs on
- Windows 10 or 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit, or Windows Server 2019/2022
- Account
- A free Rockwell Automation account (sign in to the Product Compatibility and Download Center)
The Standard Edition is free and needs no activation. It includes a demo version of the Micro800 Simulator; the full simulator comes with the paid Developer Edition.
Steps
- 1.Open the Connected Components Workbench page on the Product Compatibility and Download Center.
- 2.Click Available downloads next to the latest version (23.00.00 on 27 Sept 2026) and sign in.
- 3.Accept the licence agreement and download the installer.
- 4.Run the setup as administrator; it installs .NET Framework 4.8 if needed.
- 5.Start Connected Components Workbench, add a Micro800 controller and open the Micro800 Simulator to test your program.
- Rockwell lists 8 GB RAM and 20 GB free disk as the minimum.
- The installer does not work on the very first Windows 10 releases (1507 and 1511); update Windows first.
Official download pagecompatibility.rockwellautomation.comAlternatives
- FactoryTalk Design Workbench: Rockwell's newer free Micro800 design tool.
Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.
Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 at a glance
Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 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 16 modules and 7h 35m of video lessons by Tim Wilborne (TW Controls), 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.
All course factsHide course facts
- Price
- Free, for good. No trial, no card. The only paid item is the optional certificate, a small one-off fee.
- Who it is for
- Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation, electrical and instrumentation
- Format
- 16 self-paced modules, 7h 35m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Beginner. Beginner. No Rockwell experience assumed; knowing what a PLC is helps.
- Brand
- Allen-Bradley
- Software
- Studio 5000 Logix Designer and Logix Emulate are paid Rockwell software with no public trial. Use a licence from work or college, or follow the exercises in the free Connected Components Workbench; see What to download on this page
- Hardware
- None. Logix Emulate stands in for the controller.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- Tim Wilborne (TW Controls) (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
- Last updated
- 27 September 2026
A shareable EDWartens certificate
Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and the optional EDWartens certificate is yours. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up. See it below.
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.
Pairs well with
PLC programming 路 FreeAllen-Bradley RSLogix 500 and MicroLogixThe MicroLogix and SLC 500 on real hardware: file-based addressing, every instruction group, analog scaling, faults and forces, in RSLogix 500.
PLC programming 路 FreeAllen-Bradley Micro800 with Connected Components WorkbenchThe Micro820/850 from wiring to motion: CCW, the simulator, bit logic, timers, counters, analog, UDFBs, high-speed counters, PTO motion, PowerFlex and Logix messaging, Modbus TCP, PID, and migration from MicroLogix.
SCADA 路 FreeFactoryTalk View Site Edition SCADARockwell's plant SCADA: applications and clients, displays and navigation, Logix tag references, global objects, FactoryTalk Alarms and Events, TrendPro, data logging and databases, RecipePro+, security and e-signatures, VBA, ViewPoint, backup and migration.
HMI 路 FreeFactoryTalk Optix HMI and EdgeRockwell's new HMI platform from the first screen to the edge: Optix Studio, communication, containers and responsive design, object-oriented graphics, aliases and UDTs, faceplates and libraries, alarms, datalogger, recipes, reports, users and languages, Micro800, Modbus, Siemens and REST drivers, MQTT and OPC UA, sizing and View SE integration.More free courses: Free Allen-Bradley PLC courses 路 Free PLC programming courses
Learning paths with this course
- Rockwell engineer path 路 5 coursesRSLogix 500 for the MicroLogix and SLC base, Studio 5000 for CompactLogix and ControlLogix, the Micro800 with CCW, and FactoryTalk View for the panels.
Learner reviews
No reviews yet
Reviews here are written only by learners who have finished every module of Allen-Bradley Studio 5000, and they are published exactly as written. Finish the course and yours will be the first.
Common questions
Do I need Studio 5000?
For hands-on exercises, yes, and Rockwell sells it: there is no public trial of Studio 5000 Logix Designer or Logix Emulate. If your workplace or college has a licence, use it; otherwise the free Connected Components Workbench teaches the same ladder, timers and tags on Micro800, and What to download on this page lists every legitimate route. The videos can be followed without it, but the practice tasks assume you have it.
Do I need a CompactLogix?
No. Logix Emulate is a controller in software and every exercise runs on it. The wiring module uses a real trainer so you know what the hardware looks like, but you do not need one.
Is this RSLogix 5000 or Studio 5000?
Both names appear because Rockwell renamed RSLogix 5000 to Studio 5000 Logix Designer at version 21. The software, the instructions and the tag model are the same lineage; what you learn here applies to either.
How is this different from the RSLogix 500 course?
RSLogix 500 programs the older MicroLogix and SLC 500 families, which use file-based addressing like N7:0. Studio 5000 programs the Logix family with tags. Both are still common on plant floors; this course is the modern one.
What computer do I need for the Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 course?
A 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 machine with at least 8 GB of RAM. Studio 5000 is Windows-only and does not run on macOS or Linux without a Windows virtual machine.
Is the Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 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 Rockwell qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Rockwell Automation credential and is never described as one.
Will this course get me a job?
On its own, no course will. Allen-Bradley is the most-asked-for PLC brand in North American job adverts and second only to Siemens in many others, and being able to open a Studio 5000 project, add a drive and fix a fault is exactly what those adverts describe.
What you walk away with
Your certificate for Allen-Bradley Studio 5000
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 EDWartens, the training division of Wartens, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales). 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.
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.
- Tim Wilborne (TW Controls)the entire Studio 5000 lesson series
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.