AI consultant and PLC specialist with EPLAN

In the course, you will learn about the professional use of AI, legal framework conditions and data protection. The course also teaches you how to use programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in the TIA Portal, including the creation of sample projects and diagnostic options. You will learn how to operate an HMI and visualize PLC-controlled systems with WinCC. You will also learn the basics of EPLAN for planning, documenting and managing circuit diagrams in electrical engineering and automation.
  • Certificates: Certificate "PLC specialist with EPLAN"
    Certificate "Artificial Intelligence: AI Consultant"
  • Additional Certificates: Certificate "AI representative with TÜV Rheinland-certified qualification"
    Certificate "AI Manager with TÜV Rheinland certified qualification"
    Certificate "PLC: Working with Simatic S7 in the TIA Portal"
    Certificate "PLC: Visualization, process data processing with WinCC and networking in the TIA Portal"
    Certificate "Electrical planning with EPLAN"
  • Examination: Praxisbezogene Projektarbeiten mit Abschlusspräsentationen
    KI-Beauftragte:r mit TÜV Rheinland geprüfter Qualifikation
    KI-Manager:in mit TÜV Rheinland geprüfter Qualifikation
  • Teaching Times: Full-time
    Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. (in weeks with public holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:10 p.m.)
  • Language of Instruction: German
  • Duration: 24 Weeks

Artificial intelligence: AI officer

Introduction to professional communication with AI (approx. 3 days)

Strategies and types of prompting

Key components for effective prompting

Prompting in text generation vs. prompting in image and video generation

Prompting in research, text generation and with AI agents

Building an internal prompt library


Legal foundations and compliance for AI in the company (approx. 4 days)

Introduction to the role of the AI officer

(tasks, differentiation from other roles)

Overview of relevant laws and regulations

(GDPR, AI Act, product liability, copyright law)

National and EU regulations (incl. AI Act)

Compliance strategies

Governance frameworks

Documentation and transparency obligations


Risk management and data protection in AI projects (approx. 3 days)

Types of risk (bias, errors, ethical risks)

Risk assessment

Risk matrix

Action planning

Data protection and data security

Data ethics

Transparency


Project management and quality assurance for AI projects (approx. 3 days)

Project management methods for AI

Quality assurance and acceptance processes Test procedures

Stakeholder analysis

Communication strategies

Training concepts for employees


Data management and governance in AI projects (approx. 2 days)

Data quality, data integrity

Responsibilities in data management

Development of a governance framework


Change management and training for the introduction of AI (approx. 1 day)

Dealing with resistance

Training concepts for employees

Development of a change management plan


Creation of a roadmap for scaling AI projects (approx. 1 day)

Long-term strategies

Scalable infrastructure

Criteria for tool selection


Project work, certification preparation and certification exam "AI representative with TÜV Rheinland certified qualification" (approx. 3 days)

Artificial intelligence: AI manager

Fundamentals of operational AI projects (approx. 5 days)

Introduction to AI, ML, DL, NLP and computer vision (operational focus)

Roles and tasks: Setting up, operating and reviewing the effectiveness of the management system in accordance with ISO 42001

Role delineation and collaboration: AI officer, AI manager and AI auditor

Identification and evaluation of operational use cases in the company

Project initiation: target definition, scope, feasibility analysis

Stakeholder management

Value creation and ROI through AI

Successful AI initiatives in management


Data management and use of tools (approx. 3 days)

Data preparation, data quality and integration

Selection and implementation of AI tools and platforms

Practical prompting for text, image and video applications

Building simple data pipelines

Introduction to MLOps concepts

AI automation options in operation


Model training, validation and use (approx. 2 days)

Training and validation of models

Test procedures: Black box, white box, unit tests

Use of models

Monitoring and iterative optimization

Integration of AI agents in projects


Risk management and quality assurance (approx. 2 days)

Operational risks: Bias, errors, ethical risks, data protection

Quality assurance: KPIs, monitoring, acceptance processes

Management system according to ISO 42001 and legal framework

Security and explainability of AI systems


Operational project management and agile methods (approx. 2 days)

Agile methods: Scrum, Kanban, iterative deployment cycles

Resource and budget planning

Team and stakeholder communication

Ongoing optimization and problem-solving strategies (CIP)

Cooperation with external partners


Organizational development, governance and change management (approx. 3 days)

Analysis of business processes

Maturity level analysis, GAP analysis

AI governance and strategy development

Development of a sustainable organizational structure

Responsibilities and role allocation

Communication strategies

Training of employees

Dealing with resistance

Sustainability and corporate digital responsibility (CDR)


Project work, certification preparation and certification exam "AI Manager with TÜV Rheinland certified qualification" (approx. 3 days)

PLC: Working with Simatic S7 in the TIA Portal

System overview (approx. 2 days)

Course objective, course sequence, teaching concept

Key features of the SIMATIC S7 system family

Components of the TIA portal, STEP 7


Hardware (approx. 2 days)

Design and assembly of the automation system

Display and operating elements of the SIMATIC CPU

Addressing and wiring the signal modules

Device configuration in the TIA Portal


Artificial intelligence (AI) in the work process

Presentation of specific AI technologies

and possible applications in the professional environment


Program (approx. 14 days)

Program processing by the control system

Program test with PLCSIM

Binary operations in FBD LAD IL

Time steps, counters, comparators, accumulator operations

Use of the various block types (OB, FC, FB, DB), program structuring

Data management with data blocks

FB as multi-instance

IEC-compliant blocks

Explanation and use of various organizational blocks

Program language SCL


Project handling (approx. 2 days)

Archiving and migrating projects

Using reference projects

Working with libraries

Converting S7-300 projects to the S7-1500 system


Step chain programming (approx. 5 days)

Step chain representation according to DIN 60848 (Graphcet)

Step chains in FBD

Presentation of sequence control with S7-Graph

Working with S7-Graph


Commissioning and diagnostics/working with the hardware (approx. 5 days)

Establishing a connection to a real CPU

Test tools for system information, troubleshooting and diagnostics

Recognizing and rectifying basic hardware faults

Hardware diagnostic functions of the TIA portal

Software diagnostic functions of the TIA portal

Commissioning a TIA system with software troubleshooting and fault rectification


Analog values (approx. 2 days)

Principle of analog value processing in the SIMATIC S7

Configuring the connection of analog sensors

Evaluating analog measured values in STEP 7

Output of analog values


Updating and documenting projects (approx. 1 day)

Save and document program changes made

TIA Portal tools for documentation


Project work (approx. 5 days)

To consolidate the content learned

Presentation of the project results

PLC: Visualization, process data processing with WinCC and networking in the TIA Portal

PROFIBUS (approx. 2 days)

Hardware overview of PROFIBUS devices, bus parameters

Communication principle

Setting up PROFIBUS networks between SIMATIC CPU and various DP devices


PROFINET I/O (approx. 2 days)

Basics, IP addresses

Hardware overview of PROFINET devices

Setting up PROFINET networks between different components


WinCC basics (approx. 1 day)

Presentation of the working environment

Usable hardware and initial project creation

Creating and managing an HMI project

Creating a project with the wizard


Artificial intelligence (AI) in the work process

Presentation of specific AI technologies

and possible applications in the professional environment


HMI project planning with WinCC in the TIA Portal (approx. 5 days)

Creating visualization screens, navigating between several screens, using templates

Using internal and external variables, animating WINCC objects

Displaying values of PLC variables (I/O field, bar, pointer instrument)

Use symbol library object for display and operation

Using text and graphics lists


Extended functions for HMI (approx. 4 days)

Creating user keys and assigning authorizations

Entering and displaying messages

Working with recipes

Plan tasks, record process data


Commissioning and use of an HMI device (approx. 1 day)


Project work (approx. 5 days)

To consolidate the content learned

Presentation of the project results

Electrical planning with EPLAN

EPLAN Basics (approx. 1 day)

Setting up the user interface

Create and manage projects

Define project and user settings

Backing up and restoring projects


Artificial intelligence (AI) in the work process

Presentation of specific AI technologies

and possible applications in the professional environment


Graphic editing (approx. 8 days)

Create project pages, edit page properties

Creating circuit diagrams, symbol and device-oriented

Using symbols and macros

Creating and dimensioning overview drawings

Using navigators when working with circuit diagrams


Managing EPLAN (approx. 6 days)

Creating and managing symbols and macros

Editing and creating standard sheets and forms

Creating devices and customers in the database


Evaluating circuit diagrams (approx. 3 days)

Creating terminal and cable diagrams

Automatically output parts lists and legends

Create cover sheets and integrate graphics


Project work (approx. 2 days)

To consolidate the content learned

Presentation of the project results



Changes are possible. The course content is updated regularly.

After the course, you will be able to take responsibility for the safe and ethical use of AI in the company. You will also be able to plan, implement and sustainably anchor AI transformation projects.

After this course, you will understand the interaction of the TIA components. You will be able to modify and adapt existing STEP 7 programs and systematically diagnose and rectify hardware and software faults in a simple TIA system.

You will also know how to operate WinCC in the TIA Portal efficiently and safely, edit WinCC projects for machine-related use and design graphic images. You will also be able to set up and configure industrial networking at fieldbus level with PROFIBUS-DP and the Industrial Ethernet standard PROFINET I/O.

You will also learn how to use the new EPLAN drawing environment. This includes the drawing of circuit diagrams in the areas of device, machine, plant and building technology. After the course, you will also be able to evaluate these plans and document electrical systems and devices.

People with a degree in engineering, electrical engineers, automation specialists, mechatronics engineers, technicians, master craftsmen and specialists with relevant professional experience.

Specialists in the field of automation technology and electrical planning are in demand in many technical sectors. Their field of activity includes, for example, the planning, installation and commissioning of technical systems, the programming of machine control systems, as well as project management and customer service.

Additional knowledge in the strategic use of AI projects and your TÜV Rheinland-certified qualification will open up further career opportunities in the current job market.

Didactic concept

Your lecturers are highly qualified both professionally and didactically and will teach you from the first to the last day (no self-study system).

You will learn in effective small groups. The courses usually consist of 6 to 25 participants. The general lessons are supplemented by numerous practical exercises in all course modules. The practice phase is an important part of the course, as it is during this time that you process what you have just learned and gain confidence and routine in its application. The final section of the course involves a project, a case study or a final exam.

 

Virtual classroom alfaview®

Lessons take place using modern alfaview® video technology - either from the comfort of your own home or at our premises at Bildungszentrum. The entire course can see each other face-to-face via alfaview®, communicate with each other in lip-sync voice quality and work on joint projects. Of course, you can also see and talk to your connected trainers live at any time and you will be taught by your lecturers in real time for the entire duration of the course. The lessons are not e-learning, but real live face-to-face lessons via video technology.

 

The courses at alfatraining are funded by Agentur für Arbeit and are certified in accordance with the AZAV approval regulation. When submitting a Bildungsgutscheinor Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein, the entire course costs are usually covered by your funding body.
Funding is also possible via Europäischen Sozialfonds (ESF), Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV) or regional funding programs. As a regular soldier, you have the option of attending further training courses via Berufsförderungsdienst (BFD). Companies can also have their employees qualified via funding from Agentur für Arbeit (Qualifizierungschancengesetz).

We will gladly advise you free of charge.

0800 3456-500 Mon. - Fri. from 8 am to 5 pm
free of charge from all German networks.

Contact

We will gladly advise you free of charge. 0800 3456-500 Mon. - Fri. from 8 am to 5 pm free of charge from all German networks.