Drives 路 Free
Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive
Siemens drives the way commissioning engineers work them: the SINAMICS family and STARTER, projects and uploads, G120 commissioning, BICO technology and command sources, limits, bands and diagnostics, parameter backup and firmware, S120 components and configuration, S120 in TIA Portal with Startdrive and motion blocks, drive safety STO and SS1, and S210 motion commissioning.
Inside the course
From the lessons
The SINAMICS Family and STARTER: Interfaces and Connecting
The AutomationCentral
Projects: Upload, Download, Wizard and Archive
The AutomationCentral
Commissioning a G120: Quick Commissioning and Motor Identification
Siemens Knowledge Hub
BICO Technology, Macros and Command Sources
The AutomationCentral
Setpoint Channel: Limits, Ramps, Skip Bands, Analog Inputs and Diagnostics
The AutomationCentral
Parameter Backup, Memory Cards and Firmware
The AutomationCentral
Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.
What you will learn
Connect STARTER to SINAMICS drives, upload, download and archive projects, commission a G120, wire signals with BICO, set limits and diagnose missing enables, back up parameters and update firmware, configure S120 drive units, control S120 axes from TIA Portal with Startdrive and MC blocks, commission STO and SS1, and set up S210 motion.
- Connect STARTER over USB, PROFINET and PROFIBUS
- Upload, download, archive and commission a G120
- Wire signals with BICO and set limits and diagnostics
- Back up parameters and manage firmware
- Configure S120 in STARTER and Startdrive with motion blocks
- Commission STO, SS1 and S210 motion
For you
Taking Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive 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$28.99. What you get for it
- Siemens 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 20 hours
Paint-shop air handling and a coil winder: four G120 and one S120 from motor list to commissioning record
Specify, parameterise and commission five SINAMICS drives for an electrical works' paint shop: four G120 (PM240-2 with CU240E-2 PN-F) on the booth and oven air-handling fans, and one S120 (CU320-2 PN, Smart Line Module, Single Motor Module) on a low-voltage coil winder with dancer tension control. You deliver the motor and load lists, the MCC schedule and single line, a parameter list per drive with real p-numbers, the Telegram 1 tag list, the FAT record and the commissioning record with measured currents. The sample pack shows the electrical documents a drive job is delivered with.
Sample document pack, 8 documents, filled in for the scenario
- Motor listMotor List: Paint Shop Air Handling and Coil Winder
- Load listElectrical Load List: MCC-PS, Paint Shop
- Single lineSingle Line Diagram: MCC-PS (described)
- MCC scheduleMCC Schedule: MCC-PS
- Drive parameter listDrive Parameter List and Commissioning Record: D-101 to D-104 (G120) and D-201 (S120)
- Tag listPLC Tag List: PROFINET Standard Telegram 1, Five Drives
- FATFactory Acceptance Test Record: MCC-PS at the Panel Builder
- Commissioning procedureCommissioning Record: Paint Shop Drives, Site
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
11 modules 路 69 lessons 路 7h 1m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.
- 01The SINAMICS Family and STARTER: Interfaces and Connecting9 lessons23m
- 02Projects: Upload, Download, Wizard and Archive6 lessons12m
- 03Commissioning a G120: Quick Commissioning and Motor Identification8 lessons26m
- 04BICO Technology, Macros and Command Sources9 lessons19m
- 05Setpoint Channel: Limits, Ramps, Skip Bands, Analog Inputs and Diagnostics6 lessons9m
- 06Parameter Backup, Memory Cards and Firmware8 lessons12m
- 07S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER8 lessons1h 8m
- 08S120 in TIA Portal: Startdrive, Technology Objects and Motion Blocks5 lessons2h 9m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Intermediate. The free VFD course and TIA Portal basics are the ideal preparation.
- Software
- SINAMICS STARTER (free) and TIA Portal with Startdrive (trial) What to download, and how
- Hardware
- None required. A G120 or S120 makes commissioning real.
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
- 01Free
SINAMICS STARTER V5.7.3.1
Siemens
- Runs on
- Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise 22H2 64-bit, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC, Windows 11 Pro 24H2 or Enterprise 64-bit, or Windows Server 2019/2022/2025
- Account
- A free Siemens account registered for Industry Online Support (SiePortal)
- Size
- about 5.2 GB (ISO)
Siemens says SINAMICS STARTER can be used free of charge without a licence key. For legal reasons Siemens says you should hold a STARTER licence certificate (any version); if you do not, it can be ordered as a download product through Siemens.
Steps
- 1.Open the SINAMICS STARTER download page (entry 26233208) and sign in.
- 2.Download Starter_V5.7.3.1.iso (5.2 GB).
- 3.In File Explorer, right-click the ISO and choose Mount.
- 4.Open the new virtual drive and run SETUP.EXE as administrator.
- 5.Follow the wizard. Without STEP 7 V5.x on the PC, STARTER installs as a standalone tool with a built-in STEP 7 OEM part.
- 6.Start STARTER and create a project for your SINAMICS drive.
- Installation needs administrator rights; normal user rights are enough to run it.
- If STEP 7 V5.x is already installed it must be V5.7 SP4 or later.
- Run the setup from a local drive, not a network drive.
Official download pagesupport.industry.siemens.com - 02Free trial: 21 days
SIMATIC STEP 7 Professional and WinCC (TIA Portal) V21 Trial
Siemens
- 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.
Steps
- 1.Open the Siemens trial page (entry 109989774) and sign in with your Siemens Industry Online Support account.
- 2.Download TIA_Portal_STEP7_Safety_WinCC_V21.iso (8.1 GB).
- 3.Download S7-PLCSIM_V21.iso (2.5 GB) from the same page: PLCSIM is a separate download.
- 4.Right-click each ISO, choose Mount, and run Start.exe as administrator. Install STEP 7 and WinCC first, then PLCSIM.
- 5.Follow the setup, accept the licence terms and restart the PC when asked.
- 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.comAlternatives
- 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.
- 03Free edition: Startdrive Basic
SINAMICS Startdrive V21 (Basic and Advanced)
Siemens
- Runs on
- Windows 11 Home, Pro or Enterprise 64-bit (24H2), Windows 10 Enterprise 21H2, or Windows Server 2022/2025
- Account
- A free Siemens account registered for Industry Online Support (SiePortal)
- Size
- about 6.1 GB (ISO, V21 Update 1)
Startdrive V21 is a free download. One package holds Basic and Advanced: Basic covers the essential commissioning and diagnostic functions, and a paid Advanced licence is needed only when you use Advanced functions. It installs into TIA Portal and needs STEP 7 V21 installed first.
Steps
- 1.Install STEP 7 V21 first (the TIA Portal V21 trial is enough for learning).
- 2.Open the Startdrive V21 page (entry 109991180) and sign in.
- 3.Download STARTDRIVE_BASIC_ADVANCED_V21_Upd1.iso (6.1 GB) to a folder whose path has no spaces.
- 4.Double-click the ISO to open it and run Start.exe.
- 5.Follow the setup and restart when asked.
- 6.Open TIA Portal V21 and add a SINAMICS drive to your project.
- Siemens recommends 16 GB RAM or more and at least 50 GB free on an SSD.
- Update 1 contains the full V21 setup, so you do not need the older V21 ISOs.
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.
Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive at a glance
Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive 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 11 modules and 7h 1m of video lessons by The AutomationCentral, Shuraj Naik, WIACS 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.
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 electrical and automation maintenance
- Format
- 11 self-paced modules, 7h 1m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Intermediate. Intermediate. The free VFD course and TIA Portal basics are the ideal preparation.
- Brand
- Siemens
- Software
- SINAMICS STARTER (free) and TIA Portal with Startdrive (trial)
- Hardware
- None required. A G120 or S120 makes commissioning real.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- The AutomationCentral, Shuraj Naik, WIACS, Siemens Knowledge Hub, AWC, Inc., cnrszr, Dr.H Ramesh, PSGiTECH,Coimbatore, Karthik Muthineni, KGBSystems, Creative Concept, Tech-N-Fun, Electrical Automation Hands-On (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 FreeSiemens TIA PortalFrom zero electrical knowledge to a working, simulated S7-1200 program, for nothing.
PLC programming 路 FreeSiemens TIA Portal in Three HoursThe first three hours of the Siemens TIA Portal course, cut to end on a win: what a PLC is, how it is wired, a project configured in TIA Portal, and your first ladder program running in simulation. Finish it in an evening or two, earn a certificate, and carry straight on into the full course.
PLC programming 路 FreeTIA Portal: Build a MachineOne machine, start to finish. Take a bottle filling line from a written specification and an I/O list to a structured S7-1200 program with a fill station, a capper, a reject sorter and an operator screen with alarms, then test it against a written record and archive it for hand-over. The lessons are the reference; the machine is yours, and it is what you submit.
PLC programming 路 FreeSiemens S7-1200 with TIA Portal: The Tutorial SeriesEvery S7-1200 instruction, one short video at a time: bits, edges, timers, counters, comparators, maths, MOVE, conversion, analog scaling, jumps and shift registers.More free courses: Free Siemens PLC courses 路 Free VFD and servo courses
Learner reviews
No reviews yet
Reviews here are written only by learners who have finished every module of Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive, and they are published exactly as written. Finish the course and yours will be the first.
Common questions
STARTER or Startdrive?
STARTER is the free stand-alone tool; Startdrive lives inside TIA Portal. The course covers both because plants have both.
Do I need a drive?
No. STARTER opens archived projects offline and the concepts are demonstrated on real drives in the videos.
Is the VFD course a prerequisite?
Strongly recommended: it explains V/f, vector control and drive wiring that this course assumes.
Is the Siemens SINAMICS 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.
What certificate do I get, and is it a vendor qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a vendor credential and is never described as one.
Who made the video lessons in the Siemens SINAMICS 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 Siemens SINAMICS 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 eleven modules at your own speed.
What you walk away with
Your certificate for Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive
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$28.99, 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.
- The AutomationCentralthe SINAMICS STARTER drives tutorial
- Shuraj Naikthe S120 drive commissioning playlist
- WIACSthe Siemens motion control and S210 playlist
- Siemens Knowledge Hub5 lessons in "Commissioning a G120: Quick Commissioning and Motor Identification", "S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER", "Drive Safety: STO, SS1, SBC and Safety Integrated Commissioning" and "S210 Servo Commissioning and Axis Optimisation"
- AWC, Inc.a lesson in "Commissioning a G120: Quick Commissioning and Motor Identification"
- cnrszra lesson in "S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER"
- Dr.H Ramesh, PSGiTECH,Coimbatorea lesson in "S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER"
- Karthik Muthinenia lesson in "S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER"
- KGBSystemsa lesson in "S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER"
- Creative Concepta lesson in "S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER"
- Tech-N-Funa lesson in "S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER"
- Electrical Automation Hands-On9 lessons in "S120 in TIA Portal: Startdrive, Technology Objects and Motion Blocks", "Drive Safety: STO, SS1, SBC and Safety Integrated Commissioning" and "S210 Servo Commissioning and Axis Optimisation"
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.