Free Technical Training: Siemens STEP 2000 Self-Study Courses

A Comprehensive Resource for Electrical and Automation Knowledge

For electrical engineers, technicians, and students looking to expand their knowledge, the Siemens Technical Education Program (STEP) offers a valuable, free resource. The STEP 2000 series is a collection of self-study courses designed to help you build a solid foundation in electrical theory, motor control, power distribution, and automation at your own pace.

This article summarizes the courses available and provides details on how to access them.

What is the Siemens STEP 2000 Program?

The Siemens Technical Education Program (STEP) is a free, self-study course series created to increase automation and control knowledge. All courses are available in PDF format, making them easy to download, read, and reference offline.

The program is designed to prepare sales personnel, distributors, and engineering professionals to understand and apply Siemens products more effectively. However, the knowledge covered is fundamental and applicable across the electrical industry.

Courses Available in the Series

The STEP 2000 series covers a wide range of topics, organized into three main categories.

Introductory Courses

• Basics of Electricity: Electron theory, Ohm’s Law, AC/DC, magnetism, inductance, capacitance, power factor, transformers
• Basics of Electrical Products: Siemens products and their applications in residential, commercial, and industrial settings

Motors & Control Courses

• AC Motors: Motor construction, NEMA characteristics, derating factors, matching motors to loads
• Basics of AC Drives: Variable speed drives, applications for constant torque, variable torque, and constant horsepower
• Basics of Control Components: Electrical symbols, line diagrams, contactors, starters, control relays, timing relays
• Basics of PLCs: Programmable logic controllers, number systems, S7-200 Micro PLCs, programming inputs/outputs, timers, counters
• Basics of Sensors: Limit switches, inductive/capacitive/ultrasonic proximity sensors, photoelectric sensors, applications
• General Motion Control: Servomotor construction, ratings, encoders, resolvers, Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), Siemens MASTERDRIVE MC family
• Motor Control Centers (MCCs): MCC design, circuit protection, combination motor control units, ratings, enclosures

Power Distribution Courses

• Busway: Busway purpose, types, applications, system components, planning a busway system
• Load Centers: Residential distribution, load center construction, overcurrent protection, sizing, grounding, surge protection
• Molded Case Circuit Breakers: Circuit breaker design, types, ratings, time-current curves, selective coordination, series-connected systems
• Panelboards & Switchboards: Panelboard and switchboard construction, types, power supply systems, grounding, ratings
• Power Monitoring and Management with ACCESS: Electrical power distribution, voltage/current values, power factor, communication protocols, power metering
• Safety Switches: Need for circuit protection, fuses, fuse ratings, enclosures, switch design, selecting safety switches

How to Access the Courses

Primary Source: EandM Website

The most direct and reliable source for downloading the full suite of STEP 2000 courses is the EandM website, an authorized Siemens distributor that administers the program.

Course Listing and Downloads: https://www.eandm.com/Products/Content/Siemens/Training/Siemens_Courses.aspx

From this page, you can click on any course title to download its PDF files. Make sure to download all parts for each course and the test answer form.

Completing the Courses and Getting a Certificate

1. Study: Download and read each course PDF.
2. Review: Complete each chapter’s review questions as you progress.
3. Final Exam: Print the test answer form, take the final exam (usually at the end of the last part), and fill in the form.
4. Submit for Grading: Send your test answer form to EandM for grading. If you achieve a score of 70% or better, they will send you a certificate of completion.
5. Important Note: EandM is authorized to grade and send certificates only to individuals located in California, Oregon, and Washington. For those outside these states, the certificate option may not be available.

Conclusion

The Siemens STEP 2000 self-study courses represent a significant, free educational resource for anyone in the electrical building services or industrial automation fields. Covering everything from basic electrical theory to advanced motion control and power distribution, these PDFs provide a structured and comprehensive learning path. Access them today via the EandM website to boost your technical knowledge and skills.