Technical guide, 4 November 2026, by Green Automatica engineering team · 3 min read

Siemens PLC, HMI and VFD programming in Kenya: S7-1200, S7-1500, WinCC and SINAMICS

Programming, troubleshooting and upgrading Siemens SIMATIC PLCs, WinCC HMI panels and SINAMICS drives, including migrating ageing S7-300 systems to S7-1500 in TIA Portal.

Siemens SIMATIC controllers run a large share of the production lines, water plants and process machines in East Africa. When a Siemens system stops, or a line needs new functions, you need engineers who know TIA Portal, STEP 7 and SINAMICS inside out. We program, troubleshoot and upgrade Siemens automation on site, from a single LOGO! relay to a full S7-1500 line with PROFINET drives and WinCC screens.

Siemens equipment we program and configure

Equipment	Product families	Software we use
PLCs	SIMATIC S7-1200, S7-1500, ET 200SP; legacy S7-300 and S7-400; LOGO! logic modules	TIA Portal (STEP 7), STEP 7 Classic, LOGO! Soft Comfort
HMI	SIMATIC Basic and Comfort Panels, Unified Comfort Panels	WinCC (TIA Portal), WinCC Unified
VFDs	SINAMICS V20, G120, G120C, S120	Startdrive (TIA Portal), keypad and web server

Networks and protocols: PROFINET, PROFIBUS DP, Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP, OPC UA for SCADA and data collection.

What we do on Siemens systems

New PLC programs and HMI screens for machines, conveyors, pumping stations and process lines
Fault finding on stopped machines: diagnostic buffers, PROFINET faults, drive trips
Migrating S7-300 and S7-400 systems to S7-1500, and STEP 7 Classic projects to TIA Portal
SINAMICS commissioning: motor data, speed control, PID for pumps and fans, safe torque off
Adding remote monitoring and production data from the PLC to SCADA or a dashboard

How we work on your Siemens system

Back up first. Before we touch anything, we upload and save the existing program, HMI project and drive parameters, so the machine can always be returned to how it was.
Understand the process. We walk the machine with your operators and maintenance team, and agree in writing what the change or new program must do.
Program and test offline. Logic, screens and drive settings are prepared and checked before site work, to keep downtime short.
Commission on site. We test every input, output, interlock and alarm with your team, then run the machine under real load.
Hand over properly. You receive the final, commented program, HMI project, drive parameter files, I/O list and drawings, plus training for your technicians.

Practical tips from our engineers

Plan your S7-300 migration before it fails

Siemens is phasing out the S7-300 and S7-400 families, so spare CPUs and cards are becoming hard to find and expensive. Converting the program to S7-1500 in a planned shutdown is far cheaper than an emergency rebuild after a CPU failure.

Keep a current backup off the machine

Many sites cannot recover after a failed memory card because the only copy of the program was in the PLC. Store an up-to-date project archive and the drive parameter files in two places.

Use the drive's built-in pump functions

SINAMICS G120 drives include PID control and energy-saving modes for pumps and fans. Setting them up properly often removes the need for extra controllers and cuts energy use.

Detailed Siemens guides

Related services

See our PLC programming, SCADA and HMI and VFD and drives services, or read our overview of PLC, HMI and VFD programming for every major brand.

Frequently asked questions

Do you program Siemens PLCs in Kenya?

Yes. We program and troubleshoot SIMATIC S7-1200, S7-1500, S7-300, S7-400 and LOGO! controllers with TIA Portal and STEP 7, on site anywhere in Kenya and across Africa.

Can you convert an S7-300 program to S7-1500?

Yes. We migrate the program and hardware configuration to TIA Portal, test it offline and commission the new S7-1500 in a planned shutdown.

Can you recover a Siemens PLC program if we have no backup?

Usually. We upload the program from the running PLC, although comments and symbol names may be missing and have to be rebuilt.