Back to: The Complete Guide To Siemens TIA Portal
Introduction
Siemens TIA Portal (Totally Integrated Automation Portal) is Siemens’ flagship engineering software for programming and managing their automation devices. It combines everything needed for PLC programming, HMI development, drive integration, and network configuration into one environment.
Instead of having multiple separate programs, Siemens designed TIA Portal to be a single, integrated platform. This means saving time, reducing errors, and making it easier for engineers to work across entire projects.
A Bit of Background
- Before TIA Portal, Siemens software was split across different tools:
- STEP 7 Classic for PLC programming.
- WinCC Flexible for HMI programming.
- Starter for drive configuration.
- Each had its own workflow, interface, and data management. You had to switch between programs, maintain them relative to each other and worst of all, learn them all…
- In 2010, Siemens released TIA Portal as a way to unify all of these into a single engineering environment. It has been the approach of Siemens ever since.
The above shows how separate components have been brought into 1 application. For VSD Drive programming, an add-on is required to be installed, but it all stays within TIA Portal (not its own stand alone program)
What Makes TIA Portal Different?
- Integration
- PLC, HMI, drives, safety, motion, and networking are all handled in one place.
- Consistency
- A shared project structure and tag database means the same symbol or tag can be used across the PLC and HMI without duplication.
- Efficiency
- One software environment means less switching, fewer errors, and quicker commissioning.
- Scalability
- TIA supports everything from a small S7-1200 PLC with a Basic HMI up to large multi-CPU projects with Profinet networks and Unified HMIs.
Key Devices Supported in TIA Portal
- PLCs
- S7-1200, S7-1500, S7-300/400 (with migration), ET200 CPUs.
- HMIs
- Basic, Comfort, Unified panels, and PC Runtime.
- Drives
- G120, S120, and others via Startdrive integration.
- Networking
- Profinet, Profibus, OPC UA, Modbus, and more.
Why It Matters for You
Learning TIA Portal gives you:
- A skillset directly transferable to real-world Siemens projects.
- The ability to program PLCs, build HMIs, configure drives, and set up networks all from the same tool.
- A foundation to grow into advanced areas like motion control, safety, and IIoT connectivity.
Summary
TIA Portal is more than just another programming tool, it’s Siemens’ all-in-one engineering ecosystem. By understanding what it is and why it was built, you’ll see how the rest of this course fits together and why this software is the industry standard for Siemens automation.