Drives
Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive
Commission Siemens SINAMICS G120 and S120 drives with STARTER and Startdrive, and control them from TIA Portal.
Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, apprentices, technicians and working engineers in electrical and automation maintenance. It has 11 modules and takes about 11.5 hours, with written notes, a practice task per module, a practical project and a final assessment of 15 questions (pass mark 60%). Learning costs nothing and needs only a free account. The optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code, is a one-off US$28.99 for you; it is not a vendor credential. Updated 1 November 2026.
- Free
- Intermediate
- 11.5 hours
- Self-paced
- Certificate optional
- Lab practice in your browser
No card, no trial. The course is free for good. Certificate US$28.99, optional.
- Who it is for
- Engineering students, apprentices, technicians and working engineers in electrical and automation maintenance
- Jobs
- Roles that use this skill: drives engineer, motion control engineer, service technician and commissioning engineer. No course guarantees a job.
- Tools
- SINAMICS STARTER (a download from Siemens Industry Online Support: check its licence page) and TIA Portal with Startdrive (Startdrive Basic covers commissioning without a purchased key; an Advanced key is paid and adds the Safety acceptance test; the S7-1500 motion work in SIN8 can use a 21-day trial of STEP 7 Professional: check the release offered). Hardware: none required. A G120 or S120 makes commissioning real.
- Updated
After this course you can
By the end you will be able to:
- Connect STARTER to a SINAMICS drive and archive its project
- Commission a G120 and diagnose missing enables
- Wire signals between drive functions with BICO
- Control S120 axes from TIA Portal with Startdrive
- Commission the safety functions STO and SS1
Who it is for, and what you need first
Who it is for
Engineering students, apprentices, technicians and working engineers in electrical and automation maintenance.
Level: Intermediate. Intermediate. The free VFD course and TIA Portal basics are the ideal preparation.
What you need
Software: SINAMICS STARTER (a download from Siemens Industry Online Support: check its licence page) and TIA Portal with Startdrive (Startdrive Basic covers commissioning without a purchased key; an Advanced key is paid and adds the Safety acceptance test; the S7-1500 motion work in SIN8 can use a 21-day trial of STEP 7 Professional: check the release offered).
Hardware: None required. A G120 or S120 makes commissioning real.. What to download, and how.
How this course works
Watch the lessons
Short video lessons, one module at a time, at your own pace.
Read the notes
Open the Reading tab for the written notes and diagrams of the module.
Practise in the 3D labOptional
Try the module in the free 3D lab, in your browser.
Check yourself
Answer the questions to see what stuck before you move on.
Final assessment
Pass the final once you have been through the modules.
Certificate, if you want oneOptional
Optional, with a page anyone can use to verify it.
What you learn
11 modules in order, at your own pace. 11.5 hours of video lessons, with written notes and a practice task in each module.
- 1The SINAMICS Family and STARTER: Interfaces and Connecting23m
- 2Projects: Upload, Download, Wizard and Archive12m
- 3Commissioning a G120: Quick Commissioning and Motor Identification23m
- 4BICO Technology, Macros and Command Sources, with lab practice: 19m
- 5Setpoint Channel: Limits, Ramps, Skip Bands, Analog Inputs and Diagnostics9m
- 6Parameter Backup, Memory Cards and Firmware12m
- 7S120: Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER1h 8m
- 8S120 in TIA Portal: Startdrive, Technology Objects and Motion Blocks, with lab practice: 2h 9m
Show the other 3 modules
- 9Drive Safety: STO, SS1, SBC and Safety Integrated Commissioning, with lab practice: 47m
- 10S210 Servo Commissioning and Axis Optimisation, with lab practice: 1h 16m
- 11Final Assessment
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.
Show what to download (3 tools)
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.
Practise in the 3D lab
Wire a drive in the Panel Lab with the safe torque off, run command, speed reference and fault relay that you set up in STARTER or Startdrive.
- Commission the variable-speed infeed conveyor driveElectrical labOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): Commission the variable-speed infeed conveyor drive
Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.
Course project, 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 a transformer works. Four are G120 fan drives on a spray booth and a curing oven. One is an S120 on a coil winder with dancer tension control. You deliver the motor and load lists, the MCC schedule, a parameter list per drive and a BICO table. You also deliver the telegram 1 tag list, the FAT record and the commissioning record. The sample pack shows the electrical documents a drive job is delivered with.
- 8documents in the pack
- 8steps to follow
- 6things to hand in
- 20 hof work, at your pace
- 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
The project is optional practice. The certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.
After the course, your next step
Show what you can do, then keep going in the same field.
A certificate you can verify
Finish the modules and pass the final assessment (15 questions, pass mark 60%) and you can add a certificate with a public verification page. One-off, US$28.99 for you. It is not a vendor credential.
Want a free certificate? Do the matching Free internship: 4 weeks, nothing to buy, with a free certificate of completion.
PLC Programming
Eight short weeks of PLC ladder logic on free simulators: notes, diagrams, a few videos and auto-tested tasks. Finish weeks 1 to 4 and the final, then claim a free Internship Completion Certificate with your real dates and study hours, and a QR code anyone can scan to verify it. Training, not employment.
See the internshipMore free courses
Roles that use this skill
- Drives engineer
- Motion control engineer
- Service technician
- Commissioning engineer
These are the kinds of roles where the skill is used. We make no promise of a job or an interview.
Plain notes
- Free: the whole course, the notes, the practice tasks, the final assessment and support from practising engineers.
- Paid, and optional: the course certificate, and the Engineer-verified internship (the Free internship costs nothing).
- No job promise: the course teaches a skill. It does not place you in a job.
- Lessons by: The AutomationCentral, 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; the lessons stream from their own channels. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, practice tasks and assessments.
The AutomationCentral · WIACS · Siemens Knowledge Hub · AWC, Inc. · cnrszr · Dr.H Ramesh, PSGiTECH,Coimbatore · Karthik Muthineni · KGBSystems · Creative Concept · Tech-N-Fun · Electrical Automation Hands-On. If you are one of these creators and want a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@edwartens.com.
Practise what you learn in the free 3D lab
Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.
- Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
- The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
- Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.
Why learn with EDWartens
What you get with this course, and what comes after it.
- Free from the first lesson to the final assessment.
- Practice in a free 3D lab in your browser, with nothing to install.
- Video lessons with written notes and a project.
- An optional certificate that anyone can verify online.
- Free internships to keep practising afterwards.
Common questions
STARTER or Startdrive?
STARTER is the stand-alone tool (a download from Siemens Industry Online Support: check its licence page); Startdrive lives inside TIA Portal, where Basic covers commissioning without a purchased key and an Advanced key is paid and adds the Safety acceptance test. 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.
Do I have to use the lab?
No. The lab is optional practice. You can skip it whenever you like, and it never blocks your progress, the final assessment or your certificate.
Is the lab free?
Yes. Every lab level for this course opens in your browser, free, with nothing to install.
What topics does the Siemens SINAMICS Drives course cover, module by module?
The Siemens SINAMICS Drives course has 11 modules. It opens with "The SINAMICS Family and STARTER: Interfaces and Connecting", goes through "Projects: Upload, Download, Wizard and Archive", "Setpoint Channel: Limits, Ramps, Skip Bands, Analog Inputs and Diagnostics", "Components, DRIVE-CLiQ and Configuration in STARTER" and "S210 Servo Commissioning and Axis Optimisation" and ends with "Final Assessment". The full list with minutes is under "What you learn" on this page.
What can I do after the Siemens SINAMICS Drives course?
After the Siemens SINAMICS Drives course: Connect STARTER over USB, PROFINET and PROFIBUS; Upload, download, archive and commission a G120; Wire signals with BICO and set limits and diagnostics. These are the practical outcomes the course is written around, and the final assessment of 15 questions checks them.
What software and hardware do I need for the Siemens SINAMICS Drives course, and does it cost anything?
For the Siemens SINAMICS Drives course, software: SINAMICS STARTER (a download from Siemens Industry Online Support: check its licence page) and TIA Portal with Startdrive (Startdrive Basic covers commissioning without a purchased key; an Advanced key is paid and adds the Safety acceptance test; the S7-1500 motion work in SIN8 can use a 21-day trial of STEP 7 Professional: check the release offered). Hardware: none required. A G120 or S120 makes commissioning real. The course itself is free.
Is the Siemens SINAMICS Drives course suitable for me, and what level is it?
Siemens SINAMICS Drives is rated intermediate. Intermediate. The free VFD course and TIA Portal basics are the ideal preparation. It is written for engineering students, apprentices, technicians and working engineers in electrical and automation maintenance, and takes about 11.5 hours at your own pace.
Which jobs use the skills from the Siemens SINAMICS Drives course?
Skills from the Siemens SINAMICS Drives course (for example: connect STARTER over USB, PROFINET and PROFIBUS) are used in roles such as drives engineer, motion control engineer, service technician and commissioning engineer, and in drives and automation engineer work. The course gives you practical evidence of the skill; it does not promise a job, and employers decide on experience and interview.
Start free today
Siemens SINAMICS Drives: G120 and S120 with STARTER and Startdrive, at your own pace. Add the certificate only if you want one.