FOR U

Service Manual Vela Ventilator Systems

2012-07-08T07:55:00.003-07:00

Service Manual

Vela
Ventilator Systems

L1534 Revision B December 2004
Revision History
Date Revision Pages Changes
Marc h 2002 X1 All Initi al Dr aft
April 20 02   X2 All Added Eng i neerin g Drawings ,
Theory of O peration, C ali br ati on
an d PM proc e d ures
Ju ne 200 2 X3 All Added Extende d Fun ction s an d
UVT Test Scr e ens. A dd ed E rror
Codes.
August 20 02 A All Fina l rev ie w & en gi ne eri n g
rel ease. Modif i ed OVP,
Calib r ati o n and scree ns.
Decem ber 20 0 4 B 39 Repl ac ed Fi gure 3.1 3 U mbr el l a
Check Valv e with Figur e 3. 13
Umbr el la Chec k Valve (P/N
21 95 0)









L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual     3
Warranty
THE Ve la v enti lator systems are warranted to be fre e from d efects in m aterial an d w orkm a nship an d to
meet th e pu bli s he d spec ific ati ons f or two ( 2) year s or 8,0 00 ho urs, whic h ev er occ urs fir st. The tur bi ne
on ly is w arr anted to be fr ee fr om d efects in materia l or w or kmanship f or fi ve (5) y ea r s or 40,00 0 hours
whichever o ccurs first.
The liability of VIASYS Healthcare, Cr itical Care Division, (r eferr ed to as the Company) under this
warr anty is li mi ted to r ep lac in g, repai r in g or issui n g cre dit, a t the di scret io n of the Com p an y, for parts
that bec ome d efecti ve or fai l to me et pub lis h ed s pe cific ati o ns d uri ng the w arranty p eri o d; the C om pa ny
wil l n ot be li ab l e u nd er thi s w a rranty un less ( A) the C om pa n y is pr ompt ly n otifi ed in writi n g by Buy er
up on discov ery of def ects or f ail ur e to me et pu bl ishe d spec ificat io ns; (B) t he defectiv e u n it or p art is
retur ne d to th e Com p any, tra n sportati on c ha r ges prep ai d by Buyer; (C) th e def ectiv e u nit or part is
rece iv ed by th e Com pa ny for ad justm e nt no l ater th an f our we eks fo ll owin g the last day o f   the w arra nty
perio d; and (D) the Com pa ny’ s exa mi natio n of suc h u nit or part sha ll disc l ose, to its sati s f actio n, that
such d efects or fail ures ha ve n ot be e n caus e d by misu se, n eg lect, impr op er in stallat io n, un authoriz ed
repair, alteration or accident.
Any auth or izat i on of the Com pa ny for rep air or alt er atio n b y the Bu yer mus t be i n writ in g to prevent
voidi ng the warr anty. In no ev ent s ha ll th e Compa ny be li a b le to the Buye r for los s of pr ofi t s, loss of
use, con se qu e ntia l d am ag e o r dam a ges of any kind ba se d up on a claim f o r bre ac h of w ar r anty, ot he r
than the purch ase price of an y def ectiv e pr o duct cov ere d here un d er.
The Com pa ny warr anties as h ere in an d abo v e set forth sh al l not be e nl arg e d, dim in is he d o r affecte d
by, a nd no ob li gatio n or l ia bi lit y sha ll arise or grow o ut of the ren derin g of technic al a dv ice or serv ic e by
the C om pa ny o r its agents in c on ne ctio n w ith the B uye r's or d er of the prod u cts furni sh ed h ere un d er.
Limitation of Liabilities
This warr anty do es n ot co ver normal mai nte na nc e suc h a s cle an in g, a dj us t ment or lu bri c ation an d
up datin g of eq ui pment parts. This warr anty sha ll be v oi d a n d shal l n ot ap pl y if the eq ui pm ent is us ed
with a cce ssor ie s or p ar ts n ot ma nu factu r ed b y the Company or   au thor ized fo r use in writing b y the
Com p any or if the eq ui pment i s not m ai ntai n e d in accord a nc e wit h th e pres cribed s ch ed ul e of
mainte na nc e.
The warr anty st ated ab ov e sh all exte n d for a peri o d of FIVE (5) ye ars from date of sh ip ment or 40,0 00
ho urs of use, w hic he ver occur s first, with th e followin g ex ce ptions:
1. Com p on ents fo r monitor in g of physical v ari ab les s uc h as temper at ure, pre ssur e, or flo w a r e
warr anted for n in ety (9 0) days from date of receipt.
2. Elast om eric c o mpon ents an d other p arts or c ompo ne nts su bj ect to d eter io r ation, ov er w hi ch the
Com p any ha s no control, ar e warr anted for s ixty (60) days fr om d ate of recei pt.
3. Internal batteri es ar e warrant ed for ni nety (9 0) days from th e date of rece i pt.
The for e go in g i s in l ie u of a ny warr anty, expr essed or impli e d, inc lu di n g, wi thout lim itati on, any warr anty
of merc ha nt ab i lity, exc e pt as to title, an d ca n be ame n de d o nly in writi ng b y a d uly authori zed
repr es entative of the Comp an y.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
4   Vela Ventilator s
Contents
Revision History..............................................................................................................2
Warranty....................................................................................................................... ..................3
Limitation of Liabilities...................................................................................................... ............................ 3
Notices ........................................................................................................................ ...... 9
Copyright Notice ............................................................................................................... ............. 9
Trademark N o t i c e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ 9
EMC Notice ..................................................................................................................... ................ 9
MRI Notice..................................................................................................................... ............... 10
Intended Us e Notice ............................................................................................................ ........ 10
Regulatory Notice .............................................................................................................. .......... 10
IEC Classifi cation ........................................................................................................................ 10
Declaration of Conformity Notice ............................................................................................... 10
Safety Information......................................................................................................... 11
Terms ............................................................................................................................................11
Warnings ....................................................................................................................... ............... 11
Cautions ....................................................................................................................... ................ 12
Equipment Symbols ...................................................................................................... 13
Chapter 1 Introduction.................................................................................................15
General Inst ructions ........................................................................................................... .........15
Recommended Tools & Equipm ent............................................................................................15
Recommended Maintena nce Schedu les.................................................................................... 16
Schedules .................................................................................................................................................. 16
Chapter 2 Theory of Operation..................................................................................... 17
General Device Description ........................................................................................................ 17
Pneumatic System Overview ...................................................................................................... 17
Flow Deliver y System ........................................................................................................... ..................... 17
Exhalation System .............................................................................................................. ....................... 17
Safety System ........................................................................................................................................... 18
Inspirat ory Hol d   V a l v e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... 18
Oxygen Blending S ystem............................................................................................................ 18
Electronic Ov e r v i e w . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..........18
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Service Manual     5
User int erface module (UIM) .................................................................................................... ................. 18
Power System................................................................................................................... ........................ 20
Main Controll er System ............................................................................................................................. 20
The Watchdog Timer and Hardware F au l t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... 21
Exhalation System .............................................................................................................. ....................... 21
Flow Deliver y System ........................................................................................................... ..................... 21
Oxygen Blending Syst em.......................................................................................................................... 22
Chapter 3 Disassemb ly & Assembly.......................................................................... 23
General Instructions and Warn ings ........................................................................................... 23
Required Tools................................................................................................................. ........... 24
Disassembly and Reassembly Procedures............................................................................... 24
Power Cable .................................................................................................................... .......................... 24
Top Cover Part number 15893.................................................................................................... .............. 25
Battery Tray Part Number 10633 ................................................................................................. .............. 26
PCMCIA Cards................................................................................................................... .......... 28
Left Pa nel..................................................................................................................... ................ 28
Right Panel Containing the Power PCB P/N 15894 .................................................................. 29
Front Panel Pa rt numbe r 15869 .................................................................................................. 32
Parts List – Front Panel Part Numb er 15869..................................................................................... ........ 33
Main PCB (on Front Panel) P/N 52130....................................................................................... 34
Flow Sensor PCB assembly P/ N 15991..................................................................................... 37
Exhalation Valve Assembly P/N 15871...................................................................................... 38
Inspiratory Hold Solenoid and Check Valve Assem bly P/N 10346.......................................... 39
Manifold Base assembl y ............................................................................................................. 40
Oxygen Sensor part numbe r 15972 ........................................................................................... 43
Rear Panel part number 1 5892 ................................................................................................... 44
Turbine and Muffl er Assembly ................................................................................................... 47
Over Pressure Relie f Valve assem bly....................................................................................... 48
Turbine Motor Driver PCB part number 71597 ..........................................................................49
Muffler/Filter Assembli es part num ber 10364 ........................................................................... 50
Removal........................................................................................................................ ............................ 50
Blender Assembly Part N umber 15895 ...................................................................................... 51
Fan Assembly part number 15500............................................................................................. 53
Chapter 4   Operational Verification and Calibration............................................... 55
L1534 Revision B December 2004
6   Vela Ventilator s
Operational Verifi cation Testing ............................................................................................... .. 55
Lamp Test .................................................................................................................................................. 56
Switch Test.................................................................................................................... ............................ 56
Alarm Test ..................................................................................................................... ............................ 57
Filter Test .................................................................................................................... ...............................57
Leak Test ................................................................................................................................................... 58
Exit............................................................................................................................................................. 58
Extended Fu n c t i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ 59
Events......................................................................................................................... ...............................60
Transducer Data................................................................................................................ ........................ 61
Transducer T e sts............................................................................................................... ........................ 62
Version Information............................................................................................................ ....................... 64
Date & Time .................................................................................................................... ........................... 65
FiO2 Calibration ............................................................................................................... .......................... 66
Vent ilator Setup ............................................................................................................... .......................... 66
Low Min Volu me Off.................................................................................................................................. 67
Locks Disabled ................................................................................................................. ......................... 68
FiO2 Monitor Disabled .......................................................................................................... ..................... 68
Altitude Ad just ment............................................................................................................ ........................ 69
Language Selection...................................................................................................................................70
Verification test s .......................................................................................................................... 71
Vela Ventilator Performance Ch ecklist ...................................................................................... 73
Calibra tion .................................................................................................................... ................ 75
Test Set-up.................................................................................................................... ............................ 75
Power Up Verifica tion/Service Veri fication Tests ....................................................................................... 75
Exhalation Pressu re Transducer ................................................................................................. .............. 77
Turbine Pressure Transducer .................................................................................................... ................ 78
Exhalation Flow Tran sducer Calibration ......................................................................................... ........... 80
Oxygen Pressure Trans ducer Calibration......................................................................................... .........81
Regulat or ca libration:................................................................................................................................. 83
Oxygen Sensor Calibration ...................................................................................................... ... 86
Chapter 5 Maintenance & T roubleshooting ............................................................... 89
Routine Maintenance Procedures.............................................................................................. 89
Replacing the softwar e PCMCIA cards.....................................................................................................89
Replacing the exte rnal A/C fuses. .............................................................................................. ............... 90
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual     7
The Annual 5000 hour P. M. Procedure ...................................................................................... 91
Replacing the ambi ent air filter............................................................................................... ................... 91
Replacing the f an fi lter ....................................................................................................... ........................ 91
Replacing the filter, ret aining ring & ch eck valve on the low pres O2 fitting.............................................. 92
Replacing the filter, ret aini ng ring and check valve on the hi pressu re fitting ............................................92
Replacing t he muffler and muffler filter assemblies............................................................................ ....... 93
Replacing the left pa nel w/powe r PCB. .......................................................................................... ........... 95
Troubleshoo ting ................................................................................................................ .......... 96
If The Ventilator Does not Turn ON ............................................................................................. .............. 96
Reviewing the Trans ducer Wavef orms..................................................................................... 97
Appendix A Contact & Ordering Informatio n ............................................................ 99
How to Call for S upport ........................................................................................................ ...... 99
Ordering Part s ................................................................................................................. .......... 100
Appendix B Diagrams & Schem atics ........................................................................ 101
Appendix C Specifications ........................................................................................105
Oxygen Supply .......................................................................................................................... 105
High Pressure Connect or ........................................................................................................ ................ 105
Low Pressure Connector ......................................................................................................................... 105
Electrical Supply .............................................................................................................. .........105
AC Power Supply ................................................................................................................ .................... 105
DC Power Supply ................................................................................................................ .................... 105
Data Input / Output ............................................................................................................ ........ 106
Analog Inputs.......................................................................................................................................... 106
Analog Ou t puts ................................................................................................................. ....................... 106
Digital Comm unication.......................................................................................................... ................... 107
Print er ........................................................................................................................ .............................. 107
Remote Nurse Call .............................................................................................................. .................... 107
Video O utput ................................................................................................................... ........................ 107
Atmospheric & Environm ental Specifi cations ........................................................................ 107
Temperature and Humidity....................................................................................................... ............... 107
Barometric Pressure ............................................................................................................ .................... 108
Physical Dimensions ............................................................................................................ .... 108
Overall Size ................................................................................................................... .......................... 108
Weight......................................................................................................................... ............................ 108
L1534 Revision B December 2004
8   Vela Ventilator s
Appendix D Service Event Cod es .............................................................................. 109
Appendix E Error Messag es ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Glossary .......................................................................................................................112
Index .......................................................................................................................... ... 114
L1534 Revision B December 2004
9   Vela Ventilator s
Notices
Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2001 VIA SYS Healthcare, Cr it ic al Care Div ision, Calif ornia.
This work is pr otect ed un der Title 17 of th e U.S. Co de an d is the s ol e pr o perty of the Company. N o p ar t
of this docume nt may be c op i ed or other wis e reprod uce d, or stored in an y electro nic inf ormat io n
retrieval system, except as s pecifically per mitted under U.S. Copyright law, without the prior written
conse nt of the Comp any. For more inf orm ati on, c ontact:

World Headquarter s   European Office
11 00 B ir d Ce nt er Dri ve   Rem br an dtl aa n 1b
Palm Sprin gs, CA 9 22 6 2-8 09 9   37 23 BG Bilt ho ven
U.S.A. P.O. Box 2 99, 37 20 AG Biltho ven
Phone: (7 60 ) 778 -7200 Th e Ne ther land s
(8 00 ) 328-4139 Phone: (3 1) 3 0 2 289 71 1
Fa x: (7 60 ) 778-7274 Fa x: (3 1) 3 0 2 286 24 4
www.Vi asys Crit ical Care.com
Trademar k Notices
Vela

is a registered trademark of VIASYS Healt hcare, Critical Care Division in the U.S. and some
other co untrie s . All oth er bran d n ames and p r od uct n am es ment io ne d i n this m an u al are trademarks,
registered tr ad emar ks, or trad e n ames of the ir res pect ive ho ld ers.
EMC Notice
This eq ui pmen t gen er ates, u s es, a nd c an ra di ate radi o fre q ue ncy en ergy. If not install e d an d us e d in
accord an ce with the instr ucti o ns in this m a nu al, e lectromag netic interfere n ce ma y res ult. The
eq ui pment h as been te sted a nd fo u nd to c o mply with the li mits set forth in EN6 06 0 1-1-2 for Me dical
Prod ucts. The s e limits p r ovide reas onable p r ot ection agains t e lectro m agnetic inte rfe r enc e when
op erated in th e inte nd e d use enviro nm ents descri be d i n this man u al.
The ventilat or has be e n tested to conform to the fol lo wi n g specific ati ons:
MIL- STD-46 1D:1 99 3, MIL-STD-46 2D:199 3,   EN55011 :1 99 1 , IEC 10 00-4- 2:19 94, IEC 100 0-4-3:1 9 94,
IEC 100 0-4-4:1 99 4, IEC 1 0 00-4-5:19 94, QUA SI-STATIC:199 3
This ventilat or is als o d esi g ne d a nd m an ufa c t ured to compl y with the s afet y req uir ements of IEC 601-1,
IEC 601-2-12, CAN/ CSA- C22 . 2 No. 60 1.1-M90, a n d U L 2 6 01-1.

L1534 Revision B December 2004
10   Vela Ventilator s
MRI Notice
This eq ui pmen t conta in s el ectr oma g netic compon ents who se operati on c an be affecte d by inte nse
el ectrom a gn eti c fiel ds.
Do not o p erat e the ve nti lat or in a M RI en vir o nme nt or i n th e vici nity of hi gh -freq ue ncy s ur gic al
di at he rmy equ ip ment, de fibrillato rs , o r short-wave th erapy e qu ipme nt. Ele c tromag netic int erferen ce
could disru pt the operati on of the v entil ator.
Intended Use Notice
Th e Ve la Ven t ila to rs ar e de sign ed to p r ov ide ve nt ila t or support fo r the critica l care ma nage ment o f
infa nt, p ed iatric or adult patie n t s with c om pro mise d l un g fu n ctio n. They ar e inte nd e d to pr ovide
cont in uo us res pir atory s up p or t in a n in stituti o na l h ea lth c are env iro nm ent. They should only be
operated by properly trained clinical pe rsonnel, under the direction of a physi cian.
Regulator y Notice
Federa l law restricts the sal e of this devic e except by or on order of a phys ici an.
IEC Classification
Type of Equipment:   Medica l Eq uipment, Class 1 typ e B
   Adult/Pe di atric/ I nfant Lu ng Ventilator
Declaration of Conformity Notice
Th is me dical eq uipm en t co mplie s with the Medical Device Directive,
93/42/E EC, an d the f oll o wi ng Tech nical St a n dards, to w hi ch
Conformity is d ecl ared:
EN60601 -1
EN60601 -1 -2
ISO 90 01, E N 4600 1
EU Notified Body:
BSI (Reg. No. 0086)
Traden ame s:
Vela
If you hav e a quest ion regarding th e Declar at ion of Conf ormity for this pr oduct, please c ontact VIASYS
Healt hcare, Cri t ical Care D ivisio n at th e num ber given in A p pe nd ix A.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Fron t Ma tter   11
Safety Information
Plea se re view the following safet y informat ion prior to operating the ventilator. Attempt ing to
op erate the ve ntilator witho ut fully un d ersta n di ng its features and functions may result i n u nsafe
op er at ing condition s.
Warn in gs a n d Ca uti ons which are ge neral to the use of the vent il ator un de r all c ircumstan ces ar e
inclu de d i n this secti on. So m e War ni ngs an d Cautio ns ar e also i nserted w ithi n th e ma nu al w h ere they
ar e mo st meaningfu l.
Notes are also locate d thr ou g ho ut the m a nu al to prov id e add itio n al i nform ation relat ed to spec ific
features.
If you h av e a q uest io n re ga rd i ng th e i nstall ati on, s et up, op e r ation, or m ai nt en an ce of the vent il ator,
cont act VAS Y S He alt hcare C ustom er C ar e as sho wn i n A p pe nd ix A, C ontact & Ord eri ng Inform ation.
Terms
WARNI NGS   id entify c o nd iti ons or pr actic e s that coul d res ult i n ser io us adverse r eact io ns or
potential s afety haz ards.
CAUTIONS id entify c o nd iti ons or pr actic e s that coul d res ult i n d amag e to the v e ntilator or oth er
eq ui pment.
NOTES   id entify s u pp le ment al infor ma t ion t o h el p you better un de rst an d h ow the v e ntilator
work s.
Warnings
Warning s and Cau t io ns appea r thro ug hout this ma nual whe r e the y ar e re le vant. Th e Warnin gs an d
Cauti ons l isted her e app ly ge neral ly a ny tim e you operate t he v entil ator.
• The Vel a Ve nti l ator is int en de d for us e by a tr ai ne d practiti o ner un de r the d irecti o n of a
qu al ified phys i cia n.
• When th e ve nti lator is co n nect ed to a pati ent, a traine d hea lt h car e pr ofession al sho ul d b e in
atten d ance at all ti mes to re a ct to an al arm or other i n dicat io ns of a probl em.
• Alar m loudne ss must be set ab ov e ambien t so un d in   or de r to be hear d.
• Always have a n alt ern ate me ans of ve ntilati on ava il ab le w he ne ver th e ve ntilator i s in us e.
• The op erat or s ho ul d n ot tou c h the el ectric al conn ectors of the v entil ator or acce ssor ie s, a nd
th e patie nt simu ltane ou sly.
• Due to poss ib l e expl osio n ha zard, the ventil ator s ho ul d n ot be u se d i n the pres en ce of
flamm ab le an e stheti cs.
• An a ud ib le al ar m indicates an an omal ous c o n diti on an d sho u ld nev er g o u n he ed e d.
• Anti-sta tic or e l ectrica l ly conductive hose s or tu bi ng sho u ld   not be used with in th e pat ient
circuit.
• If a mech a nic al or el ectric al pr ob lem is rec o g niz ed whil e run ni ng th e Op er a t ional V erif icati on
Tests, or whi le op eratin g the ventilat or, the v entilat or must be rem ove d fro m use an d r efe rred
to qu al ifi ed personn el for servi cin g. Usin g an in op erative v e n t ilator may r es ult i n p atie nt i nj ury.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
12   Vela Ventilator s
• When a low ga s sup pl y al arm occurs, the oxyge n conc entrat io n d eli vered to the pati ent w il l
differ from that set on the O2 control setting.
• A sour ce ga s fail ur e wi ll cha n ge th e FIO2 an d may r es ult i n pati e nt in jury.
• The function in g of thi s e qu ip ment may be a dverse ly affected by th e operation of other
eq ui pm ent nearb y, su ch as h i gh frequen cy su rgical (dia th er my) eq ui pm en t, def ib rilla t or s,
short-wave th e r apy eq ui pme n t, “w alkie-t alk ie s,” or c el lu la r p ho ne s.
• Water in th e air sup ply c a n ca use malf un ction of thi s e qu ip ment.
• Do not block o r re strict the Oxygen bleed port lo ca te d on the instru ment   ba ck pan el.
Equipmen t malfu nction ma y result.
• Electric sho ck haz ar d - Do   no t remove any of th e ven t ila t or   co ve rs o r   panels. Re fe r al l
servicing to an authorized VIASYS Healthc ar e serv ic e tec hnician.
• A protectiv e gr ou nd c o nn ectio n by way of the gro un di ng c o n duct or i n the p ow er cor d is
essential f or sa fe op er ation. U po n l oss of prot ectiv e gr ou nd, all c on d uctive parts inc lu di ng
knobs an d co nt rols that may app ear t o b e in s ul ate d, ca n ren der an el ectric shock. To avoi d
el ectric al sho c k, plu g th e pow er cor d i nto a pr op erly wired rece ptacl e, us e on ly th e pow er cord
suppl ie d w ith the v entil ator, and m ak e sur e t he po wer c or d is in go o d cond ition.
Cautions
The following cautions apply any ti me yo u work with the ventilator.
• When re pl acin g fus es, ensure that ne w fus e s are of the s a me type a nd v al ue as th ose b ei ng
replaced. Incorrect fuses ca n caus e dam ag e to th e ve ntilat or.
• A batte ry th at is fully drain e d (i.e. vo id of an y charg e) ma y cause dam ag e t o the ve ntilator and
sh ou ld be rep l aced .
• All a ccessor y e qu ipme nt that i s con n ected to the v entilat or must co mply w ith
CSA/IEC601/UL2601.
• To avoi d dam a ge to the eq ui p ment, cle an th e air filter r eg ul arly.
The following cautions apply when cleani ng the ventilator or when sterilizing ventilator
ac ce s sorie s.
• Do not ster il ize the ve nti lat or. The inter n al co mpon ents are not c ompati bl e with st eri liz ati o n
tech ni qu es.
• Do not gas st er iliz e or steam autoc lav e tubing adapters or c o nnector s in pl ace. The t ubing wil l,
over time, tak e the sh a pe of the ad apter, causing po or con nect io n a nd po ssib le le aks.
• DO NOT submerge th e ve ntilator or p our c le an in g li q ui ds over or into the vent il ator.
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Service Manual   Fron t Ma tter   13
Equipment Symbols
The foll owin g symbols m ay be refer ence d o n the ventilat or or in ac com p anyin g docu mentat ion

Symbol Source/Compl iance Meaning

Sy mbol #0 3-02 IEC 60878 Indic at es ATTENT ION, c onsult ACC O MPANYING DOCUMENTS

Sy mbol #5 016 IE C 60417 This symbol indicates a FUSE.

Sy mbol #5 034 IE C 60417
Sy mbol #0 1-36 IEC 60878
This symbol i ndicates INPUT.

Sy mbol #5 035 IE C 60417
Sy mbol #0 1-37 IEC 60878
This symbol i ndicates O U TPUT

Sy mbol #5 019 IE C 60417
Sy mbol #0 1-20 IEC 60878
This symbol indicates protective EARTH (g round).

Sy mbol #5 021 IE C 60417
Sy mbol # 0 1-2 4 IE C 60878
This symbol indicates the EQ UIPOTENTIAL connection used to
connect various parts of the equipment or of a system to the same
potential, not ne cessarily being t he earth (ground) potential (e.g., for
local bonding).

Sy mbol # 5 33 3 IE C 60417
Sy mbol #0 2-03 IE C 60878
This symbol indicates TYPE BH equipment, which indicates equipment
that provides a particular degree of protection against electric shock,
particularly with regards to allowable leakage cur r ent and reliabilit y of
the protective earth connection.

Sy mbol #5 032 IE C 60417
Sy mbol #0 1-14 IE C 30878
This symbol indicates the equipment is suitable for alternating current.

Sy mbol# 5 049 IE C 60417
This Symbol ind i cates the ON condition for a part of the equipment.
When pressed the ventilator will operate from the MAINS voltage (if
connected) or internal or external batteries if the b attery charge is
within operating specifications.

Sy mbol #5 007 IE C 60417
Sy mbol #0 1-01 IE C 60878
Indic ates ON (Power)

Sy mbol #5 008 IE C 60417
Sy mbol #0 1-02 IE C 60878
Indicates OFF (Power)

ACCEPT
Sy mbol #0 651 IS O 7000
Horizontal return with line feed.   I ndicates ACCEPT entered values for
a specific fie ld.

CANCE L
Graphic al Symbol in
general us e i nter n ationally
for “ D O NOT”
This symbol indicates CANCEL. Do not accept entered values. The
ventilator contin ues to operate at previous settin gs.

Sy mbol #5 467 IE C 60417

Pressing the but ton with this symbol will FREEZE the current display.

Sy mbol #5 569 IE C 60417 This symbol indicates a CONTROL LOCK.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
14   Vela Ventilator s
Symbol Source/Compl iance Meaning

VIASYS Healthcar e symbol This symbol represents a NEBULIZER.

Sy mbol #5 319 IE C 60417

This symbol indicates ALARM SI LENCE

Sy mbol #5 307 IE C 60417

This symbol i ndicates ALARM RESET

VIASYS Healthcar e symbol Increase OXYGEN

VIASYS Healthcar e symbol Indicates VARIA BLE ORIFICE FLOW SENSOR

Sy mbol #5 031 IE C 60417

This symbol indicates DIRECT C URREN T (DC )

Sy mbol #5 546 IE C 60417 This symbol indicates the INTERNAL BATTERY STATUS display

VIASYS Healthcar e symbol This symbol indicates INSPIRATORY HOLD

VIASYS Healthcar e symbol
This symbol i ndicates EXPIRATORY HOLD

VIASYS Healthcar e symbol This symbol indicates MANUAL BREATH

L1534 Revision B December 2004

Chapter 1 Introduction
General Instructions
When d isasse mbl in g or asse mblin g th e Ve l a, refer t o the p ne um atic sc he matic, tubi ng di agram, an d the
wirin g di a gram show n in Ap pe nd ix B and the ap propr iat e sc hem atics and a ssem bly drawi ngs f or e ach
assembly. The illustratio ns s h own i n this m a nu al are for ref ere nc e only, c u rrent revisio ns of thes e
di agrams an d schemat ics ar e ava il ab le to qu alifie d pers on n el from VIASYS He alt hcare, Critic al Care
Division, Technical S upport.
Always ta ke st an dard ES D precauti on s whe n w orki ng on V el a ventilator systems.
Ensure the v en t ilator is d isc on nect ed fr om the AC po wer s u pp ly b efor e p er f ormi ng an d repa irs or
mainte na nc e. Whe n you rem ove an y of the ventil ator covers or p an els, i m mediat ely disc on ne ct the
inter n al battery “q ui ck re le as e ” c on ne ctor (s e e figure 3.1) be fore w ork in g on the ve ntilator.
Recommended Tools & Equipment
Note
Before using any test equipment [electronic or pneumat ic] for calibration procedures, the accuracy of the
instruments must be verified by a testing laboratory. T he laboratory master test instruments must be traceable to
the NIST (National Institute of Standards Technology) or equivalent.
When variances exist between th e indicated and actual values, the calibration cur ves [provided for each
instrument by the testing laborat ory] must be used to es tablish th e actual correct values. This certification
procedure should be performed at least once every six months.   More frequent c ertification may be required
based on usage.
Lo ng & sh ort P hil ip s screw drivers
Flat bla de d scr ewdriver
¼” Nut Dirver
5/ 16” Nu t Driver
7/8” N ut Dri ver
11/32 ” Nut Dr iv el
Digital Volt Meter
Tack p ul ler or Ne ed le no se d pli ers
Diagona l cu tte rs
1 ” a nd ¾ ” o pe n ende d wr en ch es
Pressur e Ma no meter (cm H2 O and ps ig)
Adult Test Lung P/N 33754
Adult Patien t Circuit P/N 10 684
Varia bl e Orifice Flo w Se ns or assembly P/N 15 97 2
Valve Bo dy P/N 20 00 5
Ta pe red nipp le P/N 0 0680
Hex nut P/N 0082 2
Regu lat or P/N 67 54
1/8” ID Tu bi n g tee P/N 00 3 58 D (10pk)
1/8” ID s ili co ne tubi ng P/ N 04 02 9 X (5 0ft)

L1534 Revision B December 2004
16   Vela Ventilator s
Recommended Mainte nance Schedules
Schedules
Every 500 hours , the f an an d amb ie nt air filt ers sho ul d b e c le an ed an d rep lac ed if ne cess ary.
Every 5000 hours , VIASY S recomme n ds that the fo ll owin g Prev entiv e Ma inte n ance proc ed ure be
perform ed (s ee cha pter 4 for instructio ns). This proc e dure i ncl ud es:
• Repl ac eme nt o f the fan fi lter, t he amb ie nt a ir filt er, th e co ne filters i n th e hig h & lo w pressu re
gas in lets an d the turbi n e mufflers/fi lter.
• Perform verific atio n pr oc ed ur es d escrib ed in Ch apter 4
• Calib r ati o n of the tra ns du cer s & solen oi ds if necessary.
Every 10,000 hours or e very two ye ars, whi che ver occurs soon er, the i nt ern al oxyge n s ensor sho ul d
be rep lac e d.
Mainte na nc e on the Vel a s ho ul d o nly be c ar rie d out by a tr ai ne d and auth oriz ed s erv ice t ech ni ci an.
VIASYS Healthcare will make available t o qualified technicians, service m anuals and such item s as
circu it dia gra m s, comp o ne nt parts l ists, cali brati o n instructions an d other i nform ati on to a ssist in re pa ir
of thos e parts of the v entil ator des ig nated b y the m an ufact urer as re p air a bl e item s.
The dr a wi ngs, di agrams an d schemat ics i ncl ud ed in th is m a nu al are for ref ere nc e only an d may be
up dated s e parately from this manu al aft er p ub lic ati on. For current revisi o ns of all documentation,
co nt act VIASYS Health ca re Tech Sup p or t a t   th e numbers p r ovid ed in Appen dix A.
L1534 Revision B December 2004

Chapter 2 Theory of Operation
General Device Description
The Vela Ventilator uses a rev olutionary tur bine gas deliv ery system with sophist icated m i cropr oc essor
contr ol. Its Graph ica l Us er Int erfac e provid e s sup p ort for p ed iatric to adu lt pati ents. The Vela can
de liv er cl in icall y adv a nce d mo des of ve ntilati on lik e Pres sure Su pp ort a n d can be po w ere d wit h a n
internal battery or AC power f or an mo re exte ns ive patien t rang e.
Pneumatic System Overview
The Vela ventilator pneumatic system is elec tromec ha nical and is c om pris ed of four major subs ystems,
each containing sev er al c omponents. Thes e systems are t h e flow deliver y system, the ex halation
system, the saf ety system and the inspirat ory hold v alv e. Indiv idual subsy s t ems are discussed in detail
be lo w.
Flow Delivery System
This electrom echanical system controls   all inspirat ory flow to the patie nt. The syst em delivers flow to
satisfy criteri a f or ma ny b r e ath types, i ncl u di n g vo lum e c ontroll e d, pre ssur e controll e d, an d pressure
supported. The system c omprises a turbine, differential pr essure transduc er, 2 auto- zer o valv es , and an
optica l e nco d er spe ed tr ansd u cer. When a b r eath is i niti ate d, the c ontrol le r controls th e spe ed of the
turbi n e to ac hi eve t he req uir e d flow rate.
The spe ed an d differential pr e ssur e tran sd uc er si gn als f unct io n as c ontrol i np uts to e ns ur e that th e
prope r flow rate is d el iv ere d even whe n b ack pres sure vari e s. Periodica lly, the auto z ero valv es activ ate
to refer e nce bo th sid es of the differ entia l pre ssur e tran sd uc er to ambi e nt p r essure. The offset is
recor d ed by th e co ntroll er, a n d is u se d as a corre ction for futur e pr essure measur ements . This
compensates for long term and temperature drift. Materials ex posed to patient gases include
com patibl e p la stics, al umin u m, an d plated stee l.
Exhalation System
The exhalation system c ontrols the flow of gas from the p ati ent’s lu n gs duri ng th e exh al ati on ph as e of a
breath. Th is e l ectrom ec ha ni c al s ubsystem i s mad e u p of a n exha lat io n valve, a fl ow tr an sducer, a
differ entia l pre ssur e tran sd uc er, an air wa y p r essure tr ansd ucer, an d thr ee auto z er o sole no id v alv es.
During exhalation, the outflow of gases is regulated by the exhalat i on valv e to achieve the set PEEP.
The exh al ati on valv e is c om pr ise d of an e le ctromag netic li ne ar actuator ope r ating ag ai nst a mech an ical
po pp et/se at. The gas fl o w travels t hro ug h the flo w transd uc er. The fl ow tr ansd ucer is a v ari ab le orific e
type an d cre at es a differ entia l press ur e pr op ortio n al to fl ow. This diff erenti al pr essur e is t r ansmitte d to
the d ifferential pres sure trans ducer, w hic h converts the pre ssur e si gn al to an el ectric al si gn al. The
contr ol ler uses this si g na l for fl ow tri gg eri n g a nd to m o nitor e xha le d tida l vo l ume. Th e airw ay pr essure
trans du cer r ea ds pressure in the e xh al ati on leg of the patie nt circuit. This signa l is used as a fe e db ack
sign al fo r co nt ro lling PEEP, p r essu re cont ro l, pr essu re suppo rt, a n d variou s pr es su re mon ito rs.
Periodically, the auto zero valves activate to refe r en ce the differe nti al a n d airway pressur e tran sd uc ers
to ambi ent p r e ssur e. The offset is rec or de d by th e co ntroll e r , and is us e d as a n offs et for future
pressure measurements. This compensat es f or long term and tem perature drift. Materials exposed to
patie nt ga ses i ncl ud e c ompati bl e pl astics, al uminu m, an d st ainle ss steel.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
18   Vela Ventilator s
Safety System
The mechanical safety system ens ur es that the pa tient ca n breath spont aneous ly from room air and
that th e patie nt press ur e is l im ited t o a m aximum pres et val u e in t he event of a ve nti lat or malf unct io n.
This mechanical system c onsists of a pres sure relief v alv e and a sub ambient relief valve. In the ev ent
of a ve nti lat or malf unct io n th a t results in hi gh press ur e, the pres sure is l imi ted b y a re li ef valv e. The
relief va lv e co n sists of a us er-ad justab le, spri ng-lo ad e d p op pet a ctin g a g ai nst a s eat.
In the event the ve ntilator f ail s to de liv er a b r eath, the patie nt may i ns pir e sponta n eo usl y by dr awin g
room air thro ug h the s u b am bi ent reli ef va lve.
Materia ls ex p o sed to p atie nt gas are al umin um, comp atible rub ber, an d co mpat ib le pl astics.
Inspiratory Hold Valve
The i ns pir atory hol d valv e is a n el ectrome ch an ica l so le n oi d valv e. If activ ate d, the i ns pir atory ho ld
valv e blocks flow between the flow deliv ery system and the patient. This valve is activ ate during
inspir atory ho ld and maxim um ins pir atory pressur e ma ne uv ers. Mat eri als expos ed to p ati ent g as es are
al uminu m a nd com patibl e ru b ber an d plastic.
Oxygen Blending System
The optional oxygen bl ending system is made up of an O2 Inle t Trans duce r, five solenoid valv es, five
flow orifices, a n in let fi lter, an d a n acc um ul at or. Whe n a breath is in itiat ed, the tur bi ne dr a ws mix e d gas
from th e acc u mulator. Filt er ed air is draw n into t he accum ul ator thro ug h the fi lter. Oxyg en is supp li ed
to th e accu mula to r throug h the soleno ids and o r ifices. Th e co nt ro lle r   opens a n d clo s es the valves a s
re qu ired to supply the correct amo u nt of oxy ge n to s atisfy t he O 2 setti ng a nd th e flow de mand. Th e
signa l from th e O2 inlet pr essure tr ansd ucer is us ed to com pe ns ate d deli v ere d O2 fo r O2 inlet pressure
variati ons. S ur f aces ex pose d to pat ie nt gas are c on struct e d from c om patibl e pl astics, pl ated ste el, and
al uminu m.
Ther e is a ls o a n o ptio n al o xygen inl et p ort, w hic h all ows fo r low - flo w titratio n of ox yg en int o the ga s
output of th is d evice.
Electronic Over view
The Vela ventilator electronic system is compris ed of sever al s ubsystems, each containing numerous
com po ne nts. T hese subsyste ms are the G UI System, th e Pow er System, the M ai n C ontroll er Syst em,
and the Exhalation and Flow Deliv ery syst ems. Individual subsystems ar e discussed in detail.
User interface module (UIM)
The UIM c o nsists of a 1 0.4- in ch, 800x6 00 ac tive matrix L C D wit h a n a na l og resistive t ou ch scr ee n
over la y, a back light in verter, a set of m em br an e key pan els , an optic al encod er, a nd a Co ntrol PCB.
Software an d the to uc h scr ee n provide a set of cont ext sen sitiv e soft keys. The m embra n e p an el
prov id es a set of hard ( perm a ne nt) key s for de dicate d functio ns. Se lect in g the function with a s oft key
an d adj usti ng the s etting u si n g the optical e n cod er c ha ng es a parameter. The par am eter is acc epted or
ca nceled b y pr essing th e appro pr ia te memb ra ne key.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Theory of Op eration 19
LCD &   TOUCHSCREEN
(1 & 2 )
24VDC
DC-DC
CONVERTERS
CONTROL PCB
(7 )
5V
5V, PRN PO RT
3.3V, DI G LOGIC
MEMBRANE P ANEL WITH
EMBE DDED LE D' S
BACK LI GHT INVERTER
(6)
DI GITAL
DI GI TAL
HI GH S PEE D
SERIAL
(3 & 4)
(5)
UNIVE RSA L S ERI AL B US (FUTURE)
PRI NTER
RS232
RS232
RS232 (MIB )
(CRT)
TOUCH
S CREE N
BA CK LIGHT AC VO LTAGE

F i g u re 1 -- User Interfac e D esig n Mo dule Block Diagra m
The UIM perfor ms all ve ntilator control functions, gas c al cu l ations, mon itoring an d us er int erfac e
functi o ns. The UIM us es a Gr ap hical User In terface (GUI) vi a the activ e m a trix SVGA L CD and res istive
touc h scr ee n to provide s yste m and pati ent i nform ati on to the user an d to all ow the us er to modify
vent il ator settings. The Mo nit o r MCU ha nd les all us er int erfa ce requ ire me nt s, incl u di ng up datin g the
active matrix liquid crystal disp l ay (LCD), m o nitor in g th e me mbra n e key p a d, an al o g res ist ive to uc h
scre en, a n d o p t ical en co der f o r activity. Th e Monitor M CU a lso performs all the i np ut/o utput funct io ns of
the UIM, i nc lu d in g RS- 23 2, pri nter, vide o out put, and IE EE 10 73 M e dical I nform ati on B us (MIB).
Com mu nic ati o n betw ee n the Co ntrol a nd M on itor M CU’s is acco mplis he d via an 8 bit du a l port S RAM.
Liquid Crystal Display
The l iq ui d cryst al dis pl ay (LCD) provid es g r a p hic al an d dig ita l fee db ack to th e cli ni ci an. The pane l is a
10.4 ” SVGA, 8 00x6 00 pixel, active matrix LCD. The LCD is used to i mp lement the grap hi c al u ser
interf ac e (GUI) . It provides all of the ad just ab l e controls a nd al arms, as well as di sp lays wa veform s,
lo ops, di gital mon itors an d ala r m status in r e al tim e.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
20   Vela Ventilator s
Touch Screen
The touc h scr e en is a 1 0.4 ” a na lo g res istive over la y on a p i ece of gl ass, w hic h is pl aced over an LCD
scre en. The touch s cre en an d the LCD toge ther pr ov id e a set of soft ware conf ig urabl e s o ft keys. The
softw are en ab l es the key s to be c ontext sen sitiv e. The touc h scree n h as a reso lutio n of 1 02 4x 10 24.
Phys ically, th e touc h scr ee n consists of tw o op po si ng trans parent r esistive lay ers se p arat ed by
insul ati ng s pa c ers. To uchin g t he scre en bri n gs th e two op p osi ng layers int o el ectri ca l con t act. The Y
coor di n ate is d eterm in ed by a pp lyi ng a vo lta ge from to p to botto m on the t op resistive layer. This
creat es a volt a ge gradi ent across th is layer. The poi nt of c o ntact form s a v olta g e di vi der, which i s re ad
by th e ana lo g-t o-dig ital c o nver ter. The X c oordi nate is d eter min ed by a p ply in g a v olta g e from l eft to
rig ht on t he bottom res istive l a yer. Ag ai n this creat es a v olt a ge gradi ent and the po int of cont act forms a
divid er, w hic h i s rea d w ith a n an al og-to- di git al converter.
Membrane Panel
The mem bra ne pane l provide s a set of p erm a ne nt d ed icated keys, w hic h ena bl e control o f venti lat or
functi o ns. The mem bra n e p an el a ls o pr ovide s visu al displ ay usi ng emb e dd ed lig ht em ittin g di o des
(LED s). The m embra ne pa n el cons ists of me mbra n e sw itch es, w hic h are r ea d by t he m o nitor CPU. T he
switc hes f orm a matri x of ro w s and co lu mns. A key clos ure causes an int er r upt to th e mon itor CP U,
which r es po nd s by scan ni ng the k ey matrix t o d eterm in e whic h ke y has bee n pr essed.
Light Emitting Diodes (Leds)
Som e of th e membra ne k eys requir e LED’ s to indi cate w he n the key i s act ive. The LED’ s are
emb e dd ed int o the me mbra ne pane ls.
Optical Encoder
The optic al en c od er a ll ows s et t ings to b e mo dified. The setti ng is select ed by pr essin g a s oft key o n th e
LCD and th e n mod ifi ed by turni ng th e optic al enc od er (data dial) to c ha n ge the va lu e. When th e
enco der i s rota ted two puls e st reams ar e gen erat ed, p h ase A an d B. Wh en the enc od er is turned
cloc kwise, phase A le ad s B by 9 0 de gr ee s. When th e d ire ction is coun te r cloc kwise, phase B le ad s A
by 9 0 d egre es. The e lectro nic s use s the ph a se i nform ati on to driv e an u p- do wn co unter, which i s re ad
by th e mo nit or CPU. The optic al e nc od er is n ot int errupt-dr iv en an d therefor e must be po ll e d by the
monitor CPU.
Back Light Inverter
The back li ght i nverter co nv ert s 5 VDC int o th e hig h freq u en cy AC v olta g e nec essary to p ow er the LC D
back light, whic h is u se d to illuminate the LCD.
Power System
The Pow er Sys t em cond iti ons an d co ntrols e l ectric al en ergy from th e AC lin e in p ut an d the inter na l
battery. When en ergy is a va il ab le fro m th e AC li ne, the ventilator o perat es from this s o urce, an d als o
rech ar ges t he i nter na l b attery. Whe n AC l in e po wer is n ot av ail a bl e, the po wer system draws energy
from th e int ern al battery. T he po wer s ystem uses e nergy ef ficie nt DC-to-D C conv erter techn ol og y to
convert e n erg y from the AC li ne or battery to appropri ate v o ltag es an d cur r ents to su pp ly po wer t o
vent il ator compon ents an d sys tems.
Main Controller System
The Mai n C ontroller Sy stem is com pris ed of three Pre ssur e Trans ducers, an A na lo g-t o-Digit al
Conv erter, tw o Dig ita l-to-A n al og Conv erters, the In put-Output Processor, Solen oi d V alv e s, an d the
Watchd og and Ha rd ware Fault Monito rs.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Theory of Op eration 21
One of the pressur e tran sd uc ers me as ur es the patie nt circu it pressure. Thi s pres sure is an input to the
contr ol ler. A dif f erentia l pr essure tr ansd ucer measur es th e pres sure across the tur bi ne. T his pres sure is
also a n i np ut to the co ntroll er. A secon d d ifferential pressur e transducer is used to m ea su r e the fl o w at
the o utl et of th e ex ha lat io n valve. Th is pr essure is al so an inp ut to the co n t roller.
Analo g to di git al c onverter s a r e us ed to cha ng e th e ana lo g press ur e si gn als i nto m e asur ed bi nary
num eri c valu es for use by th e micropr oc ess o r in th e co ntroll er.
Digita l to A na lo g conv erters ar e us ed to chan ge th e bin ary n umeric comma nds ge n erat ed by th e
micropro ce ssor in the con t rolle r in to analog   si g na ls whic h dr ive th e tur bi n e and ex ha lat io n valv e.
The Input-Output Processor is a sma ll mi croc ontroll er w hi ch, under s oftwar e co ntrol, pe rfo r ms sever al
repetitiv e tas ks such as generating the refr es h signals for the display system, cycling t he A-to-D
convert ers thr o ug h a pattern o f meas ureme nt s from the multipl e si g na l sour ces, and s ca nn in g the
contr ol panel for pressed buttons. Suc h repetitive ta sks are ther eby off loaded from t he M ain Process or.
Solen oi d V alv e s and Va lv e Dri vers (i nclu di ng the A uto Zero valv es) are empl oyed o n th e Circuit
Pressur e tran s ducer an d o n the Tu rb in e Diff erenti al Pr essu re Transd uc er. These va lv es a llo w the
contr ol ler software to c om p en sate for lo ng te rm drift and te mper at ure i n du ced z er o shift in the pressure
trans du cers by peri o dical ly rechecki ng the z ero pressur e re ad in gs. Sim il ar sol en oi d valv e s are
emp lo ye d i n th e Oxyg e n Bl en di ng System. T he v alv e driv er s for the A uto Zero an d Blen der v alv es are
similar.
The Mai n Pro c essor is a 38 6- type CPU whic h co ntrols a ll ventilat or fu nctio ns. All us er sett ings for
al arms, contr ol s, ventilat io n mod e, waveform , and m o nitori e d d ata ar e sto r ed here and ar e combi n ed
with me asur e d pres sure, flo w, an d sp e ed data to ca us e the ventil ator to function. The alg orithms,
formula e, a nd contr ol functio n s whi ch defin e vent il ator be ha vior are c ontai ne d i n the soft ware pr ogram
execut ed by th e CP U.
The Watchdog Timer and Hardware Fault
Monitors sh ut do wn the v entil ator if a m alf u n cito n is d ete cted. The W atchd og Tim er c on si sts of two
timers an d a P AL co ntain in g a state mac hi n e. The Ma i n C ontroll er C PU must co mmun i cate with a state
machi ne at int e rvals withi n a ti me w in do w set by the t wo tim ers. The CP U must obta in a key from the
PAL an d se n d the correct ad d r ess a n d d ata resp o nse ba ck to the st ate ma chine at each i nterv al. If the
resp o nse is inc orrect, or com e s at an inval id t ime, the Watc h do g shuts d o w n the CPU an d forces th e
vent il ator har d ware to a s afe state. The Har dw are F au lt Monitors che ck the status of th e pow er su p pli es
to the v entil ator electornics. If any is out of the sa f e oper ati o ng range, the v enti lat or w ill s h ut down and
ca nnot b e made to oper at e until the fa ult is co rrected .
Exhalation System
The electrical portion of the ex halation system is com prised of the Exhalat i on V alv e Dr iv er Circuitry.
The dr iv er co n verts the low volta g e si gn al o utp ut by a D-to-A co nvert er i nto a controll e d c onst ant
curre nt w hic h energizes the l in ear s ol en oi d p ositi o ner i n th e exhal ati on v al v e.
Flow Delivery System
The ele ctrical portion of the flo w d eliv ery s ystem is c om pris e d of a 3 Ph as e Brus hl ess Mot or Dri ver, a n d
an O ptic al S pe ed Tr ansd ucer.
The 3 Phas e Br ushle ss D C M otor Driv er co n verts the low volta g e si gn al o utp ut by a D-to-A co nvert er
into t hre e co ntr oll e d curr ents which en er gize the thr ee m oto r ph ases a nd c ause the motor to creat e a
torq ue, r esu lti n g in motor r otat io n. The to rq ue generated is a function of curr ent, and theref ore of the
contr ol v olt ag e from th e D-to- A con vert er. The s pe e d of rotatio n is m o nitor ed by th e optic al S pe ed
Transd ucer. Th e transd uc er outp uts a tra in o f puls es with a freq ue ncy prop ortion al to the r otation al
spee d of th e motor. Th is p uls e trai n is a co nt rol fe ed b ack in put to th e controll er.
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22   Vela Ventilator s
Oxygen Blending System
The electrical portion of the optional oxygen bl ending system is made up of a saf ety solenoid, a
pres sure re g ul ator s et to 40 PSI, an O2 Inlet Transdu ce r, five Solen o id   Valves, on e Nebu lize r so le no id ,
an d the dri ver circu itry for the sol en oi d valv e s.
The Oxyge n In l et Pressure Trans d ucer me a sures the inco ming g as pressure s o th at O2 de liv ery c an be
com pe ns ate d for in let pres sure fluct uatio ns.
The Sol en oi d Valv es are en e r gized an d de e nergize d und er softwar e control b y the M ai n contr ol ler to
suppl y the corr ect am ou nt of oxyge n to s atis f y the curr e nt O2 setti ng an d curre nt gas flo w d eman d.
The dr iv er circuitry tra nsl ates the bin ary lo gic sig na ls pres en ted b y the co ntroll er to lar ger voltag e and
cu rren t s su itab le fo r en ergizing th e So leno id   Valves.

L1534 Revision B December 2004

Chapter 3 Disassembly & Assembly
General Instructions and Warnings
When p erform i ng th e proc ed u r es in this ch ap ter, re fe r to th e Ve la wiring and tu bing diag rams.
Refere nc e co pi es of th es e are loc ate d in Ap p en dix B of this manu al. E nsure that y ou foll o w the se safety
warn in gs and precau tio n s:

F i g u re 3.1 Battery Dis co n n ect Molex Co nnector
WARNING
Always disc o n nect th e mai n power c a bl e be f ore r emovi ng the instr ument cover a nd disc on ne ct the
battery o nce th e top c ov er and batte ry tray ha ve   been re moved to p r even t in ju ry an d/ or   da mage to the
VELA V e ntilator System (s ee fig ure 3.1).

CAUTION
Th e Ve la con t ains ESD suscep tible componen ts. Ensu re you a r e p r op er ly g r ou nded bef or e perfo r ming
any s erv ice or mainte na nc e pr oced ures a nd store E SD sus ceptib le el ectri cal com po ne nt s in a n a nti-static bag to prevent da mage to the component.

Note
When the batteries are disconne cted, the system will automatica ll y re-set the battery status memory and will
initiate an 18-ho ur re-charge cycle upon re-connect. During th is p eriod, the red DC status light will remain on.
If the DC status light remains lit after the initial c harging period has expired, cont act VIASYS tech support as
described in Appendix A for a replacement battery.
Note
Do not cut the main harness tie wraps since the entire harness is regarded as on e component.
Note
The terms left and right refer to a view from the front of the unit looking towards the rear.
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24   Vela Ventilator s
Required Tools
Lo ng & sh ort P hil ip s screw drivers
Flat bla de d scr ewdriver
¼” Nut Dirver
5/ 16” Nu t Driver
7/8” N ut Dri ver
11/32 ” Nut Dr iv er
Digital Volt Meter
Tack p ul ler or Ne ed le no se d pli ers
Diagona l cu tte rs
1 ” a nd ¾ ” o pe n ende d wr en ch es

Disassembly and Reas sembly Procedures
To perform a complet e d isa ss emb ly of the unit, fol lo w al l of the ste ps i n e a ch rem oval section, in the
order pres ente d in t his c ha pte r. To reas sem b le th e unit, fol lo w al l of the ste ps i n e ach inst all ati on
section, st arting with the last co mpon en t and finishing with th e power ca ble insta l la tion instru ctions.
Power Cab le

Figure 3 . 2   P ow er Ca ble Connect or w ith Guard
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e (2)Phi lli ps pa n- h ea d scr ews in the to p porti on of the po wer c ab le gu ard at the r ear of
the u nit (s ee fi gure 3.2)
2.   Remove the gua rd   an d unplug th e power ca ble.
Installation
1. Plug th e pow er cab le i nto the rear of the un it.
2. Instal l the pow er ca bl e gua r d with t he (2) Ph i lli ps p a n-h ea d scre ws i n the t op porti o n.
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Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 25
Top Cover Part number 15893
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le.
2.   Remove the (3) Ph illip s pan -hea d scre ws in th e up per rea r o f th e fron t pane l (if p r es ent ).
3. Rem ov e th e (4) Phil li ps p a n-h ea d scr ews in the back pan el.
4. Rem ov e th e (3) screw s from t he botto m of each s id e of th e vent il ator (if pr esent).
Note
The configuration of the screws securing the cover will depend on the model of Vela that you are working with.
5. When all screws have been removed, slide the top cover towards t he rear of the unit and lift off.
CAUTION
The SVGA outp ut ribbon cable lies directly bene ath the top co ver assembly running from the front of the Vela to
the rear. It can be damaged if care is not taken when removing the cover. Make sure that the cover clears this
cable before slid ing it back.
Installation
1. Instal l the top c over by sl id in g it tow ard th e front of th e unit, over the s id e r ail s, an d sna p i nto p la ce.
2. Instal l the (4) P hil li ps p a n-h ea d screws i n th e back pa n el.
3. Do not re -install the (3 ) Ph illips p a n- head scre ws in the upper rea r o f the front pan el if p r esent.
Th ey hav e been re move d from la te r ve rsions o f th e Ve la .
4. Instal l the pow er ca bl e.

Cover mo unting s c rews
on re ar of ins tr um ent
F i g u re 3.3 Cov e r As sembl y fro m the rear
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26   Vela Ventilator s
Battery Tray Part Number 10633
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le an d t op c ov er.
2. Rem ov e th e (4) Phil li ps p a n-h ea d scr ews in the battery tray.
3. Lift the battery tray out of the un it.
4. Disc on n ect th e batter ies fr om the w hit e Mo le x DC p ow er c o nn ector (s e e fi gure 3.4

Tab
F i g u re 3.4 L arg e w hite Mo lex b atter y d i sco n n ect
To rele ase c o n nect or, push in lock in g tabs
To attac h p us h unti l lo cking ta bs e ng a ge.
Note
When the batteries are disconne cted, the system will automatica ll y re-set the battery status memory and will
initiate an 18-ho ur re-charge cycle upon re-connect. During th is p eriod, the red DC status light will remain on.
If the DC status light remains lit after the initial ch arging period has expired, conta ct VIASYS tech support as
described in Appendix A for a replacement battery.
Installation
1. Conn ect the white M ol ex DC po wer c o nn ector.
2. Ensure the M ol ex co n nect or is pus he d do wn i nto th e unit be hi nd th e muffler tube s and ins t all th e
battery tray. The tray is c orr ec tly inst al le d wh en th e wire s run tow ar ds the rear of the un it.
3. Secure the battery tray to t he l eft & rig ht pa nels with (4 )   Phillips pa n- head scre ws.
4. Instal l the top c over an d r e-conn ect th e pow e r cab le an d the power c ab le g uard.
Battery Tray Parts List
Item Part number   Des c ription Qty U M
1 21363 Tray, battery 1 Ea
2 52000-0019 0 Grommet 11/16 id 0 Ea
3 21543 Battery 12v, 2.7 Ahr, ni-m h 4 Ea
4 15719 Cable assy, battery tray 1 Ea
5   2 0 7 42   Bracket, capac i t o r   2   E a
6 21068 Foam pa d, capacito r bracket 2 Ea
7 64084 Cap a cito r ele c t 0.1f 63vdc 1 Ea
8 04383 Washe r , lock int #6 4 Ea
9 07212 Nut, 6-32 x .0 93 depth 8 Ea
1 0   0 5 0 38   Ti e , s t r a p   4   Ea
11 08231 Mounting b r ac ket, cable tie    2 Ea
1 2   0 7 8 03   Cable t i e   2   E a
14 09349x Tape, adh-2 s,2" x .045" 0 Ft
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 27

F i g u re 3.5 Batter y T ra y a n d large cap acitor asse mbly
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28   Vela Ventilator s
PCMCIA Cards
The PCMCIA c ard is lo cated insi de the un it. It conta ins the Vela soft ware.

Card re le as e
butto n
F i g u re 3.6 PCMCI A Card in p l ace
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, an d batt ery tray.
2. Push in t he button u n der the card to rel e ase. (see fig ure 3.6)
3. Gentl y slid e the car d o ut of it s socket.
Install ation
1. Sli de th e card i nto th e so cket i n the dir ecti on of the arro w pri nte d on the car d.
2. Click car d i nto pl ace.
3. Instal l the batte ry tray, top c ov er, an d po wer cable.
Left Panel
The l eft pa n el i s structur al on l y and has no c ompo ne nts att ach e d to it.
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, an d batt ery tray.
2. Rem ov e th e (2) Phil li ps c ou nt ersi nk scr ews at the rear of th e pan el.
3. Rem ov e th e (1) Phil li ps c ou nt ersi nk scr ew in the upp er fro nt of the p a ne l.
4. Lift o ut the left pa ne l.
Installation
1. Sli de th e fro nt of the l eft pan e l behi n d the li p on th e fro nt p a ne l a nd ali g n the back of th e pan el with
the re ar pa ne l ed ge.
2. Instal l the (2) P hil li ps c ou nters ink scr e ws i n the r ear of the r i ght p a ne l.
3. Instal l the (1) Philli ps c ou nter sink s cre w in the up per fr ont of the ri g ht pa n el.
4. Instal l the batte ry tray, top c ov er, an d po wer cable.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 29
Right Panel Containing the Power PCB P/N 15894
Note
The internal battery fuse is lo cated on the power PCB. Call Viasys if this fuse nee ds replacing.
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, an d batt ery tray.
2. Rem ov e th e (2) Phil li ps c ou nt ersi nk scr ews from the right si de of the r ear p an el.
3. Rem ov e th e (1) Phil li ps c ou nt ersi nk scr ew in the upp er fro nt of the ri ght pa ne l.
4. Rem ov e th e (1) Phil li ps p a n-h ea d scr ew i n th e low er ce nter of the ri g ht pa n el.
5. Gentl y lift o ut the pa ne l a nd the po wer PCB. Lay th e pa ne l flat and m ak e the fo ll owin g
discon ne ctions:

Ref on Pwr
PCB
Conn ector Des c Conn ection made
Cable Assy
P/Number
J1 26-pin ribbon cable to J2 on main PCB P/N 15494
J2 3-pin to fan assembly
J5 14-pin to J5 on main PCB (in main harness)
J6 10-pin to P2 on turbine motor driver PCB
J7 small 2-pin to main power switch
J300 large 2-pin to battery DC po wer (in main harness)
J400 4-pin quick disconnect to SVGA PCB
P1-L/N AC line in   to power (black-power, white-ne utral) P/N 15890
    to ground lug (ground)
Note
Do NOT re move the connector from J4 of the power PCB.
Installation
Make the f oll o win g con n ecti o ns to th e Po w e r PCB.
Ref on Pwr
PCB
Conn ector Des c Conn ection made
Cable Assy
P/Number
J1 26-pin ribbon cable from J2 on main PCB P/N 15494
J2 3-pin from fan assembly
J5 14-pin from J5 on main PCB (in main harness)
J6 10-pin from P2 on turbi ne motor driver PCB
J7 small 2-pin from main power switch
J300 large 2-pin from battery DC power (in main harness)
J400 4-pin quick disconnect from SVGA PCB
P1-L/N AC line in   to power (black-power, white-ne utral) P/N 15890
    from ground lug (ground)

WARNING
Ensure that the power c ab le s are corr ectly con ne cte d to prevent i nj ury a n d/or d am a ge to the unit.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
30   Vela Ventilator s
CAUTION
Ensure that J 5 is pi n ne d pr op erly s inc e an i n corre ct co nn ec tion c o ul d dam ag e th e pow er PCB.
6. Sli de th e rig ht pa ne l i nto th e front pa ne l, en s uri ng th at it res t s on th e botto m rail.
7. Instal l the (1) P hil li ps p a n-h ea d screw i n th e l ow er ce nter of the p a ne l.
8. Instal l the (1) P hil li ps c ou nters ink screw in the uppe r fron t o f th e pane l.
9. Instal l the (2) P hil li ps c ou nters ink scr e ws i n the sid e of th e r ear pa ne l.
10. Instal l the batte ry tray, top c ov er, an d po wer cable.
Note
The Vela right panel assembly with the power board attached is supplied as a sin gle complete assembly part
number 15894.   Do not attempt to disassemble o r to replace individual component s.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 31

Figure 3 . 7 Ri ght Panel and Po w er PCB
L1534 Revision B December 2004
32   Vela Ventilator s
Front Panel Part number 15869
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, right p a ne l , and left p an el .
2. Disc on n ect th e foll owin g from the mai n PCB:
JP2   40-pi n ribb o n c ab le   to JP1 on th e SVGA o ut PCB
J301   12-pi n   to J3 01 on th e blen der PCB P/N 1 54 97
Note
Disconnect the video cable from JP2 on the main PC B rather than from JP1 on the SVGA out PCB.
3. Disc on n ect th e gre en oxyge n ne bu liz er tu be.
4. Rem ov e th e (2) Phil li ps p a n-h ea d scr ews be hi nd th e fro nt p an el at the l o w er left a n d ri ght.
5. Disc on n ect th e 1/8 ” si lic on e tube # 4 from P2 an d #5 from P 1 o n the ex ha l atio n d ifferential
trans du cer, an d #1 from th e t urb in e.
6. Disc on n ect th e 1/16 ” s il ico n e tub es from t he common (fr ont) ports of th e tur bi ne outlet a ut o-zer o
solen oi d (to the ma in tu bi n g har ne ss), the turbin e i nl et aut o-zer o s ol en oi d (to the tur bi n e), and the
air way pressur e a uto-z er o so l en oi d (Nafi an tub e to th e ex h al atio n v alv e recept acle).
7. Disc on n ect th e foll owin g from the mai n PCB:
J4   8-pin   to J1 o n th e FIO2 mo nit ori ng PCB
J900   2-pin    (al arm l ou d ness) to al arm potentiom eter
J701   5-pin   to turb in e optic enc od er an d therm istor
J4 01 4- pin to e x ha la tion valve
U719   fib er op tic to re ar pa ne l co nn ecto r
J5 14- pi n to J5 on power PCB
J3 02 2- pin to in sp ira t or y ho ld soleno id   on ma nifold base
J2 26- pi n to J1 on power PCB P/N 1549 4
J9 05 3- pin to J2 on remote a l ar m (nur se   ca ll) PCB
AL901 (h ar d- wired )   2- pr on g to a l ar m ca ble co nnector
Installation
1. Conn ect the gree n ox yg en ne bu liz er tu be.
2. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he m ai n PCB:
J401   4-pin   from ex ha lat io n valve
J701   5-pin   from tur bi ne op tic en co der an d thermistor
U719   fib er op tic fro m rea r pane l co nn ecto r
J5   14-pi n   from J5 on power P CB
J2   26-pi n   from J1 on po wer PCB   P/N 154 94
J905   3-pin   from J2 on rem ote a lar m (nurse call) P CB
3. Sli de th e fro nt pa ne l i nto p la c e and s ec ure the (2)   Phill ips panh ea d scr e ws beh in d th e front pa ne l
at the l o wer l eft and rig ht.
4. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he m ai n PCB:
J302   2-pin   from in sp irator y ho ld s ol en oi d on man ifol d b ase
J4   8-pin   from J1 on the FIO2 mon itor in g PCB
J301   12-pi n   from J3 01 o n the bl en der PCB P/N 154 97
AL901 (h ar d- wired )   2- pr on g fro m a l ar m cable conn ecto r
J900   2-pin    al arm l ou dn ess cab le fro m al a r m potentiom et er
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 33
5. Conn ect the 1/16 ” s ili co ne tub es to the co m mon (fr ont) ports of the turbi n e outlet auto-zero
so le no id (from the ma in tu bing harness), the tu rb ine in let a uto-z er o sol e n oi d (from the turbi ne), an d
the a irw ay pres sure auto-zero solen oi d (Nafi a n tub e from the exh al ati on v al ve rec e ptac le).
6. Conn ect the 1/8 ” silic on e tu be # 4 to P2 a n d # 5 to P1 o n the exhal ati on diffe renti al tr ansd u cer, a nd
#1 to the turbine.
7. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he m ai n PCB:
JP2   40-pi n ribb o n c ab le   from JP 1 on th e SVGA out P CB
Note
Ensure that the fiber optic cable runs under the turbine muffler, that the tubing runs over the nebulizer line and is not
pinched in betw een the front and base panels, a nd that the cabl e from J701 is se curely connecte d to the turbine.
Parts List – Front Panel Part Number 15869
Item Part Number Part Description Qty U/M
1 21374 PANEL, FRONT 1 EA
2 52130 PCBA, MAIN 1 EA
3 53002-16206 SCREW, 6-32 X 3/8 STL ZN PL T PPH PNH 12 EA*
4 52000 PCBA, VELA VI DEO (SVG A PCB) 1 EA
5 15532 IC, PAL, PROGRAMMED 1 EA
6 15868 DISPLAY MODULE ASSY 1 EA
11 21368 BEZEL, DISPLAY 1 EA
12 80435 SWITCH, MEM BRANE 1 EA
15 44027 NUT, 4- 40,LOCKING, HEX, STEEL 2 EA*
16 71046 NUT, 1/4- 28, E-KEPS 1 EA*
21 66100 TOUCHSCREE N, 10.4" RESISTIVE" 1 EA
23 52000-01177 TAPE FOAM .025 THK .31 WIDE TWO SIDE D 0 RL*
25 56060-30011 OPTICAL ENCODER 1 EA
26 52000-00475 NUT HEX 1 EA*
27 53027-13802 WASHER, LOCK 3/8 1 EA*
28 20415 CONN, FTG 1/8 TUBE TAPER 1 EA
29 15991 CONN ASSY, FLOW SENSOR BHD, VELA 1 EA
30 15961 CABLE ASSY, FLOW SENSOR - MAIN BOARD 1 EA
31 15962 CABLE ASSY, VIDEO BOA RD TO POWER 1 EA
32 15963 CABLE ASSY, VIDEO BOA RD TO MAIN BO ARD 1 EA
33 21560 KNOB, SPINNER-1.50 1 EA
34 53002-46204 SCR 6-32X1/4 SS PPH PNH 4 EA*
35 10632 TUBING ASSY, 1/8 X 1/16 3 EA
* Commonly found hardware ite ms are not supplied by VIASYS Healthcare.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
34   Vela Ventilator s

Figure 3 . 8 Fro n t pa nel w ith main PCB
Main PCB (on Front Panel) P/N 52130
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, right p a ne l , left pa ne l, an d front pa ne l.
2. Disc on n ect th e foll owin g from the mai n PCB:
J801   20-pi n   to J8 01 on th e flow se nsor PC B (in harne ss)
J1 210 5- pin (g ray top, g r ee n)   to th e flow senso r PCB (in P/N 1596 1 har ness)
J3   10-pi n   to the fl ow s e n sor PCB (in P/N 159 61 harn e ss)
J1 211 5- pin (b lu e wire-top ) to th e SVGA PCB
J1   5-pin ( ora n ge wire)   to SVGA P CB (pos iti on wire o n 2
nd
pi n from r ig ht)
J1 5-pin (gray-left) to SVGA P CB
J6 01 5- pin to SVGA PCB
3. Lo os en (7) Ph il lip s pan-he a d s crew s o n the m ai n PCB.
4. Lift the main PCB out of the front panel.
Installation
1. Posit io n th e mai n PCB onto the st an doffs in the fro nt p an el.
2. Tight en (7) Phil lip s pan-he a d s crew s o n the m ai n PCB.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 35
3. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he m ai n PCB:
J801   20-pi n   from J8 01 o n the flow s e nsor PCB (in har ness)
J1 210 5- pin (g ray top, g r ee n)   fro m the flow se ns or PCB (in P/N 1596 1 har nes s)
J3   10-pi n   from th e flo w s ensor P CB (in P/N 159 61 harness)
J1 211 5- pin (b lu e wire-top ) fro m the SVGA PCB
J1   5-pin ( ora n ge wire)   from SVGA P C B (po siti on wire o n 2
nd
pin from right)
J1 5-pin (gray-left) from SVGA P C B
J6 01 5- pin fro m SVGA PCB
Note
The J1 position on the main PCB is lo cated abo ve the J601 con nector and acce pts two 5-pin connectors; the
connector with one wire above the connector with three wires.
4. Instal l the front pane l, left p an el, right p a ne l, batter y tray, to p cov er, and p ow er ca bl e.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
36   Vela Ventilator s

Figure 3 . 9 Fro n t Pa nel w i ri ng dia g ra m
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 37
Flow Sensor PCB assembly P/N 15991

Figure 3. 10 Flow Se nsor PCB as sembl y
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, right panel, left panel, fron t p anel, an d main PCB.
2.   Disconnect the (2 ) 1 / 16” ID tub es to th e ma in tu bing harn ess.
3. Disc on n ect th e foll owin g from the fl ow s en sor PCB:
J1   6-pin ( gre y)   to mai n P CB   P/N 159 61
4. Rem ov e th e (2) 1/4 ” n uts o n t he fl ow s e nsor PCB.
5. Lift off the flow sensor PCB.
Installation
1. Posit io n th e flo w sens or PCB onto the two stan doffs.
2. Instal l the (2) 1 / 4” nuts on the flow se nsor PC B.
3. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he fl ow s en sor P C B:
J1   6-pin ( gre y)   from th e ma in PCB   P/N 159 61
4. Conn ect the (2) 1/16” I D tub e s from the mai n tub in g h ar ne ss, # 2 and #3 ( with a black li n e o n it).
5. Instal l the ma in PCB, front pa ne l, left p an el, ri g ht pa n el, bat t ery tray, to p cover, an d pow er ca bl e.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
38   Vela Ventilator s
Exhalation Valve Assembly P/N 15871

Dryer tube
Figure 3 . 11 Exhala tion Va l ve Asse mbly
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, right p a ne l , left pa ne l, an d front pa ne l.
2. Disc on n ect th e foll owin g from the FIO2 mon it ori ng P CB:
J2   2-pin (cle ar co nn.) to oxyge n s ensor
J3 2- pin (b lu e conn.) to o xyg en in le t so le no id on blen de r a s se mbly
J4   2-pin (red c o nn .) to ne b uli zer s ol en oi d assem bl y on up per r e ar of bl en der
3. Rem ov e (2 P hi lli ps p a n-h ea d scre ws on th e valve cover.
4. Lift o ut the exhal atio n v alv e assem bly.
Installation
1. Ensure the dryer tub e is s ec u rely attac he d to the ni pp le on the ex h al atio n valv e assembl y.
2. Seat th e valv e onto the st an d offs, with t he P CB towar ds the insi de of the un it.
3. Instal l the va lv e cov er u si ng (2)   Philli ps pa nh ea d scr ews.
4. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he FI O2 monit ori ng PCB:
J2   2-pin (cle ar co nn.) from oxyg en s ensor
J3   2-pin ( bl ue c o n n.) from oxyg en inl et sol e no id on bl en der assem bly
J4   2-pin (red c o nn .) from n eb ul ize r sol en oi d a ssembly on up p er rear of bl e nd er
5. Instal l the front pane l, left p an el, right p a ne l, batter y tray, to p cov er, and p ow er ca bl e.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 39
Inspirator y Hold Solenoid and Check Valve Assembly P/N 11382
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, a nd
le ft pa ne l.
2.   If th e front panel is in stal led, d iscon ne ct the cable from
J302 on the main PCB.
3. Rem ov e (2) Ph ill ips pa n- he ad scre ws and lift out the
so le no id .
4. Lift o ut the s pri ng an d ch eck v alv e as sem bl y.

              Fi gure 3.12 Inspiratory Hold Solen o id

Installation

F i g u re 3.13 Umbrella check   val ve (P/N 21 950)

1. Plac e the sp ri n g (P/N 2 1 97 1) i nto th e ce nter of the c he ck va lve (P/ N 2 19 50 ) .
2. Sli p the sol e no i d over th e spr i ng using the g ui de an d se at into p la ce.
3. Instal l (2) P hi ll i ps pan-h ea d s crew s.
4.   If th e front panel is in stal led, conn ect the cable from J302 on the main PCB.
5. Install the left panel, battery tr ay, top cov er, an d pow er c ab l e.
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40   Vela Ventilator s
Manifold Base assembly

Replace three o-r i ngs
Nut se cu ri ng O2
s ensorl
F i g u re 3.14    Man i fo ld b ase assembly (ea rly   mod el Vela u n i ts o n l y) ,
bottom panel & O2 hose removed

O2 s ensor pl ac ed
horiz on tal ly for ea s y
access from re ar   of
v entil ator
F i g u re 3.15    Man i fo ld Base asse mbly   show ing ho rizontal O2 cell for eas y re moval.
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Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 41
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, an d
battery tray.
2. Carefu lly tur n t he un it ont o its side.
3. Rem ov e (2) Ph ill ips c o untersink screws t hat
hold the safety check valve gua rd , and re move
the g u ard.
4. Rem ov e (4) r u bb er fe et.
5. If the left panel is inst al led, remov e (3) Phi lli ps
pa n-he ad sc re ws o n th e left side of the bottom
pa ne l, and if th e front pa ne l is insta ll ed,
remo ve (2) Ph il lip s pan-he a d s crew s at th e
front of th e bott om p an el.
F i g u re 3.15 Remo val of saf et y ch eck val ve gu ard
6. Rem ov e (7) Ph ill ips pa n- he ad scre ws on th e outsid e of th e botto m pan el.
7. Gentl y rem ov e the bottom pa n el.
8.   Remove the thre e visib l e o - ring s fro m the   un der side o f the   un it, p ar t nu mber 3001 8,   30023 and
04 35 8s ee fi g ur e 3.X.
9. Pull off the oxyge n d iffus er tube from th e nip pl e a nd rem ov e it from th e ch an ne l b as e, se e fig ure
3.15

F i g u re 3.16 Remo vi n g the O2 di ffuser tube
Installation
1. Carefu lly tur n t he un it up si de do wn.
2. Attach the curv ed porti o n of th e oxy g en diffus er tub e to th e n ip pl e a nd push into pl ac e. Plac e the
rema in in g porti on of the tu b e i nsi de the c ha n ne l b ase in th e un dersi de of th e unit.
3. Insert th e thr ee o-rin gs- int o th e und ersi d e of the u nit, n oti ng that e ach o-rin g h as a differ e nt sh ap e.
4. Ensure that a ll thre e o-r in gs are in pl ac e and positi on th e bot t om p an el over the thr ee sc re w hol es
at the front.
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42   Vela Ventilator s
5. Instal l (7) P hi lli ps p an h ea d screws on the bo ttom pa n el.
6. If the left p an el is inst al le d, in s t all (3) Ph il li ps pa n-he ad sc re ws o n th e left sid e of th e botto m pa ne l,
an d if the front pa ne l is i nst all ed, i nstall ( 2) Phil li ps p a n-h ea d screws at the front of th e bot t om
pa ne l.
7. Install (4) r ubber feet.
8. Instal l the saf ety check va lv e gu ard with (2)   Philli ps c ou nter sink s cre ws.
9. With the unit upright, install the battery tra y, top c ov er, an d po wer c a bl e.
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Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 43
Oxygen Sensor part number 15972
For early model Vela units do the following:
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, left pa ne l, an d bottom pa ne l.
2. Turn th e unit o n its si de.
3. Rem ov e th e 1” mou nti ng nut f r om the ma nif o ld b as e (se e fi g ure 3.14) a nd p ull t he s en sor fr om the
manifold.
Note
To rem ov e the O2 sens or only wh en c om pl ete di sassembl y is n ot req uir e d, simp ly gr as p the s en sor in
pl ace an d unsc rew fro m the r e tain in g nut l eavin g the nut i n p l ace in th e bas e .
Installation
1. Ensure the o-ring is in stalle d i nto th e ox yg en sen or.
2. With the unit on its si de, pl ac e the s e nsor in to the m an ifo ld and install the 1” mo u ntin g n u t.
3. Install the bottom panel, left panel, ba ttery tr ay, top cov er, an d pow er c ab l e.
For later model Vela units (usually 1400 series or later) do the following:
Removal
On the bottom rear of the V el a, un scre w th e EMI shi el d con t ainin g th e foa m amb ie nt a ir filter an d lift out
the s hi el d a nd filter to g eth er.
The O2 se nsor is visi bl e on th e left . Usi n g nee dl e n os e pl ie rs, disc on n ect the O 2 filter c o n nect or. Pu ll
firmly straight back on th e O2 sensor to remove.
Installation
Seat th e ne w O2 filter an d r e -con n ect.
Repl ac e the E MI shi el d containi n g the f oam amb ie nt a ir filte r and re- attac h the scr ews sec uri ng it i n
pl ace.
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44   Vela Ventilator s
Rear Panel part number 15892
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tray, right p a ne l , and left p an el .
2. With the unit upri ght, disc on n ect the f oll o wi n g from the tur bi ne m otor driver PCB:
P2 10-pi n   to mai n P CB and po wer PCB via m ai n h arn e ss
3. Cut the two ti e wraps that hol d the ma in ha rn ess a n d the tie wrap th at ho ld s the ble nd er c a bl e to
the tur bi ne.
4. Turn th e unit o n its si de.
5. Rem ov e (3) Ph ill ips pa n- he ad scre ws on th e rear pa ne l.
6. Sli de th e fiber optic cabl e fro m unde r the tur bi ne m uffler as sem bly.
7. Rem ov e th e rear pan el fr om the man ifo ld ba se.
Installation
1. Carefu lly pl ace the unit on its side a nd run th e fib er o ptic c a bl e und er the muffler t ub es.
2. Direct the bl en der ni pp le on the rear pa n el t hro ug h the hol e in t he m an ifo l d b ase.
3. Instal l (3) P hi ll i ps pan-h ea d s crew s o n the r ear pa ne l, ens uri ng th at th e ble nd er n ip pl e is cent ered.
4. With the unit upri ght, i nstall th e ble nd er ca bl e tie wrap to th e turbin e, and i nstall th e tw o tie wr aps
th at hold the ma in harness on to th e tie mounts, n ot in g tha t th e tie wra p s ar e position ed wh er e the
wires all run parallel.
5. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he tu rbi ne m otor dri ver PCB:
P2 10-pi n   from main P CB and pow er PC B via m ai n h ar ness
6.   In stal l the le ft pa ne l, rig ht   panel, ba tte ry tra y, top cove r, and p o wer ca ble.
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Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 45

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46   Vela Ventilator s

F i g u re 3.17 Rea r Panel vi ew s
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Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 47
Turbine and Muffler Assembly
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le,
top c over, battery tray, rig ht
pa ne l, le ft pane l, an d
bl en der.
2.   If th e front panel is in stal led,
disc o nn ect th e cable from
J701 on the main PCB,
disc o nn ect th e gre en
oxyg en nebu lize r tube , an d
disc o nn ect th e blen der
cable.
3. If instal le d, us e a 3/4"
wrenc h to rem ove the hi gh
an d l ow pres su re oxyg en
fittings from the rear of the
un it, noti n g tha t the hi g h
pressure fitting is located
ab ov e the low pressure
fitting (see figure 3.18).
F i g u re 3.18 T urb in e & Muffle r ass embl y

4. Rem ov e (5) Ph ill ips pa n- he ad scre ws.
5. Disc on n ect th e gray s ili co ne i ntake a nd outp ut
el bo ws by g ently p ull in g them out from the m uffler
tubes.
6. Lift the assem b ly off the ma nif ol d b ase.
7. Gentl y p ull up the el bo ws to re move.
Installation
1. Insert the elbows int o the manifold base.
2. Set the turb in e an d muffl er as sem bly onto the
manifold.
3. Instal l (5) P hi lli ps p an-h ea d s crew s.
F i g u re 3.19 Hig h & low p ressure
O2 fittings on b ack p an el
4. If remov ed duri ng th is pr oc ed ure, use a 3/4 " wrenc h to i nstall th e hig h a nd low pres sure oxygen
fitting s to the rear of the un it, noti n g that th e hi gh pres sure f itting is l oc ate d above t he lo w pressure
fitting.
5. Conn ect the gray si lic on e i nta ke a nd output el bo ws by inse rting them int o the muffler t ub es. Push
once i n th e ce n t er of each el b ow to prop erly seat.
6.   If th e front panel is in stal led, conn ect the cable to J701 on the main PCB, co nn ect the gr ee n
oxyge n n eb ul iz er tub e, a nd c o nn ect the ble n der c ab le.
7. Instal l the ble n der, l eft pa n el, rig ht pa n el, bat t ery tray, to p cover, an d pow er ca bl e.
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48   Vela Ventilator s
Over Pressure Relief Valve assembly

F i g u re 3.20 O ve r Pre ssu r e Relief Val ve ass embl y w i th o -ring
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, right p a ne l , left pa ne l, an d front pa ne l.
2. Use a flat scre wdr iver t o pry t he v alv e from its location at the front left side of the manifold base.
3. Rem ov e th e o-ri ng (P/N 089 63 ).
4. Using a flat screwdriver in th e middl e sl ot, unscre w the ad ju ster in t he m id dl e of th e va lve and
remo ve th e tw o o-ri n gs (P/N 30 00 5 i n th e relief v alv e po pp et an d P/N 30 0 17 on th e bras s ad just er).
Installation
1. Instal l the two o-rings ( P/N 3 0 00 5 i n the r el ie f valv e pop pet an d P/N 30 01 7 on the brass a dj uster).
2. Sli de th e ho usi ng over the po pp et and scre w clockwis e i nto the h o usi ng, ti g hte ni ng with a flat
scre wdr iver.
3. Sli de th e valv e into pl ac e in t h e ma nif ol d b as e, en surin g th a t the adj ustme nt scre w is i n t he notc h.
CAUTION
Do not a dj ust the scre w in t he reli ef va lve, s i nce it must be f actory c al ibr ated.
4. Push u ntil th e valv e is s e ated into pl ace.
5. Instal l the front pane l, left p an el, right p a ne l, batter y tray, to p cov er, and p ow er ca bl e.
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Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 49
Turbine Motor Driver PCB part number 71597
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, right p a ne l .
2. Disc on n ect th e foll owin g from the tur bi ne motor dri ver P CB:
P1 8-pin   to the tur bi n e
P2 10-pi n   to J6 o n th e po wer P CB
3. Rem ov e th e (2) keps scr e ws.
4. Lift off the PCB .
Note
Do not remove t he turbine from t he turbine muffler assembly. They are supplied complete.
Installation
1. Posit io n th e tur bi ne m otor driver PCB on the rig ht sid e of th e turbin e assembly, on to p of the filt er
ho ld er, with th e board tow ard the turbi n e.
2. Instal l (2) k eps screw s.
3. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he tu rbi ne m otor dri ver PCB:
P1 8-pin   from th e turbin e
P2 10-pi n   from J6 on the po wer PCB
4. Instal l the rig ht pa ne l, battery tr ay, top cov er, an d pow er c ab l e.
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50   Vela Ventilator s
Muffler/Filter Assembli es part number 10364
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover,
battery tray, and left panel.

2. Rem ov e (6) Ph ill ips pa n- he ad scre ws on
the filter co ver.

Figure 3.21

3. Rem ov e th e cover an d the two o-r in gs (P/ N
30 02 0).

Figure 3.22
O-rings P/N 30 02 0
4.   Use needle -nosed pl ie rs to pull ou t bo th the le ft
an d right filter assembli es. The rig ht as sem bl y
has t he fi lter s o ck

Figure 3.23
Installation
1. Insert the muffler (out put) into the left tube (see
picture) an d the soc k filter ( in put) i nto th e rig ht tub e.
The rig ht an d l eft muffler/fi lter asse mbli es ar e so ld
to ge ther a s par t n um ber   10365 .
2. Install tw o o-rings (P/N 30 0 20).
3. Install the cover usin g (6) Philli ps pa n-he ad
screws.
4. Install the left panel, b attery tray, top c ov e r, and
po wer c a bl e.
Figure 3.24
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Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 51
Blender Assembly Part Number 15895
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, battery tr ay, a nd ri g ht p an el.
2. If the rea r p an e l is i nstall ed, remove the hi gh an d l ow pres su re oxyg en fittin gs from the r ea r pane l
using a 3/4" wr ench, noti ng th at the hi gh pressur e fittin g is l ocated ab ov e the lo w pressur e fittin g.
3. If the rea r p an e l is i nstall ed, d i sconn ect the 40-p in ri b bo n c a bl e from the SVGA o ut PCB.
4.   If th e front panel is in stal led, d iscon ne ct the g r ee n oxyg en   ne bu lize r tub e.
5. Disc on n ect th e foll owin g from the b le n der P C B:
J3 01 , 12 -pin conn ecto r to J 3 01 on th e mai n
PCB

6. Rem ov e th e bo ttom strip ambi ent a ir i nl et filte r
by pin c hi ng and pulling it ou t.

F i g u re 3.25 Amb i ent air filter

7. Rem ov e (3) Ph ill ips pa n- he ad scre ws on th e rig ht sid e of th e rear pa n el.
8. Use ne e dl e-n o sed pl iers t o di sconn ect the oxygen diffus er t ub e as y o u remove the bl en der
assembly.
9. If the ex ha latio n valve assem bly is in stalle d, disc o nn ect th e foll owin g from t he FIO2 P CB:
J3 2- pin (b lu e conn.) to o xyg en in le t so le no id on blen de r a s se mbly
J4   2-pin (red c o nn .) to ne b uli zer s ol en oi d assem bl y on up per r e ar of bl en der
Installation
1. If the ex ha latio n valve assem bly is in stalle d, conn ect the f oll owin g to the FIO2 PCB:
J3   2-pin ( bl ue c o n n.) from oxyg en inl et sol e no id on bl en der assem bly
J4   2-pin (red c o nn .) from n eb ul ize r sol en oi d a ssembly on up p er rear of bl e nd er
2. Posit io n th e blen der assem bl y ins id e th e uni t.
3.   Use needle -nosed pl ie rs to fee d the oxygen d iffu se r tub e thro ug h th e ho le   in the rea r panel and
co nnect it to the b l en de r nipple .
4. Instal l (3) P hi ll i ps pan-h ea d s crew s o n the r i ght si d e of th e rear pa n el.
5. Instal l the botto m strip ambient a ir inle t filte r .
6. Conn ect the fol lowin g to t he bl en der PCB:
30 1   12-pi n   from J3 01 o n the m ai n PC B
7.   If th e front panel is in stal led, conn ect the gr ee n oxyg en nebu lize r tube.
8. If the rea r p an e l is i nstall ed, c o nn ect the 40-p i n ribb on c ab le to the S VGA o ut PCB.
9. If the rea r p an e l is i nstall ed, i n stall t he hi gh a nd lo w pressur e oxy g en fitting s to the rear pa ne l us in g
a 3/4 " wren ch, notin g that th e hi gh pres sure f itting is l oc ate d above t he lo w pressure fittin g .
10. Instal l the rig ht pa ne l, battery tr ay, top cov er, an d pow er c ab l e.
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52   Vela Ventilator s

Figure 3 . 26 Bl ende r Assem bly
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Disassembly & Reassembly Pr ocedures 53

Fan Assembly part number 15500

Fan

EMI Shield Filter h ol d er Filter Filter Grid
Figure 3 . 27 Fa n Assembly blo w ou t
Removal
1. Rem ov e th e po wer cab le, to p cover, an d batt ery tray.
2. Use a 5/16 ” nu t driver t o rem o ve th e insi de n uts a nd a sh ort (# 2) Philli ps sc rew driv er to r e move the
(4) Ph ill ip s pa n-h ea d outsi d e screw s on the fan a ssembly.
3. Rem ov e th e fan and E SD shi el d from th e i n side of th e unit, and the fi lter g r id fro m the r ea r of the
unit.
4. Disc on n ect th e fan ca bl e fro m J2 o n the po w er PCB.
Installation
1. Plac e the fan filter i nsi de the e xtern al fa n cov er. Ali gn with 4 attac hm ent h ol es, and ho ld it aga in st
the rear pa ne l.
2. Hold th e ES D shiel d to th e i n side of th e rear pane l wit h th e copp er co ntact strips touc hi ng the re ar
pa ne l.
3. Plac e the fan onto th e ES D sh iel d with the label to the in side of the unit and the wire at the bottom.
4. Use a 5/16 ” nu t driver t o in stall the nuts fro m the i nsi d e a nd a sh ort (# 2) Ph ill ips s cre wdriv er to
inst all the (4) Phil li ps p a n-h ea d machi n e screws onto th e fan asse mbly from the outsi de.
5. Conn ect the fan ca bl e to J2 o n the po w er PCB.
6. Instal l the batte ry tray, top c ov er, an d po wer cable.
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54   Vela Ventilator s

L1534 Revision B December 2004

Chapter 4 Operational Verification and
Calibration
Operational Verification Testing
Prior to usin g the V el a venti la t or on a new p atie nt the fol lo win g checks sh ou ld be c arri e d out to e ns ure
optimum performance. V erification testing should always be performed “off patient”.
WARNING
Disc on n ect pat ie nt from the ventilat or b efor e performing v er ificat ion testing.
Note
All personnel pe rforming prevent ive maintenance and product rep air must be trained and certified by VIASYS
Healthcare to service the product
Note
If any portion of the following performance check fails, and you are unable to correct the problem, contact your
VIASYS Healthcare Certified Service Technician.
First perform the User Verification T ests (UVTs) . To access the UVTs, do the following’
1. After di scon ne ctin g the patie n t, turn the venti lator OFF (i.e., STAND BY).
2. Press an d hol d the Acce pt button.
3. While hol di ng the Accept   button, turn th e ve ntilator ON. Co ntinu e to h ol d the butto n unti l the
vent il ator complete s the P o wer On Se lf Tests (POST).
4. Rel e as e the Acce pt b utto n whe n th e UVT men u a pp e ars in the scr ee n. The Aud ib le Al ar m
soun ds. Pres s Alarm Reset b utton t o cl ear.

F i g u re 4.1 UVT Startup Screen
5. Press t he Patient Removed touc h scr ee n icon, the UVT test sel ecti on scree n disp la ys (s ee
figur e 4.2).
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56   Vela Ventilator s

F i g u re 4 2 Th e UVT Screen with the Main screen in Serv i c e mod e

6. Press t he ap pr opriat e tou ch screen ic o n to b eg in a test.
Lamp Test
Run thi s test to chec k the fr on t lamp s to ma k e sur e th ey ar e function in g prop erly.
1. Press t he LampTest to uc h sc reen ic on to start the test. The ve ntilator ill u min ates al l fron t pan el
LED s.
2. Press t he LampTest to uc h sc reen ic on ag ai n to tur n the LEDs off and exit the test.
Switch Test
Run thi s test to chec k the fr on t pan el m em br an e sw itch es to mak e s ure th ey ar e worki n g pro pe r ly.
1. Press t he SWI T CH TEST icon.
2. Press each me mbra n e sw itch contr ol i n turn. Watch for t he n ame of the c o n t rol to a p pe ar i n the
mess ag e bar a t the bottom lef t of the touch s creen a s follo w s:

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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 57

3. Press t he SWI T CH TEST icon again to exit t he test.
Alarm Test
Run thi s test to chec k the au di bl e alarm.
1. Press t he Al ar m Te st touch screen icon to st art the te st. The aud ib le al ar m soun ds.
2. Press t he Al ar m Te st tou ch screen ic o n a ga i n to sile nc e the audi bl e alarm an d ex it the t es t.
Filter Test
Run thi s test to chec k the diffe renti al pressur e acr oss th e turbi ne inl et filt er. A high d ifferen t ial pres sure
may i nd ic ate a dirty or occlu de d filter.
1. Press t he Filter Test t ouch sc reen ic on. Th e turbi ne accel e rates fl ow t o 1 4 0 lp m and c he c ks the
differ entia l pre ssur e to ma ke sure it is withi n ran ge. At the en d of the test, the ve nti lat or displ ays
a pass or fail m ess ag e. If the test p ass es, the foll owin g me s sag e ap pe ars:
x.x Passed
where x.x is th e av erag e turbi ne differ entia l pressure a n d P ind ic ates the t est pass ed.
If the test fails, the fo ll owin g mess ag e app e ar s:
x.x   Failed
where x.x is th e av erag e turbi ne differ entia l pressure a n d F indic ates the t est fai le d:
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58   Vela Ventilator s
2. If the test fails, check the rotat i on of the turb ine inlet filter to make sure that the seam is
horizonta lly ori ented an d run t he te st ag ai n. If the te st fai ls aga in, contact a Bird Certif ie d Servic e
Technician.
Leak T est
Note
This test should be performed with all circuit accessories install ed (e.g., humidifier, water t r aps, and so on.)
Make sure al co nnections are secure and all ope nings occluded before beginning the test.
Run this test to make sure the patient breath i ng c ircuit is n ot lea ki ng.
1. Attach a one-lit er test l un g (P/ N 3 37 54) at th e patie nt breathi ng c ircuit wy e.
2. Press t he Leak Test to uc h scr ee n icon to ru n the test. Th e test b eg ins by increas in g th e
pres sure i n th e pati ent breath i ng c ircuit to 6 0 cmH 2O. The ventilat or th en d isp lays the f oll owin g
mess ag es in s eq ue nc e:
Le ak te st re quested
Le ak test i n pr ogress
3. The ventilat or the n w aits 10 s eco n ds and m easur es th e cir cuit pr essur e a ga in. If the differenc e
bet ween th e sta r ting and ending me asur em en ts is le ss than or e qual to 6 cmH2 O, the te st
passes an d the venti lat or disp l ays th e fol lo wi ng m ess ag e:
xx.x   Pass ed
where x x.x is t he en di ng m e a sureme nt.
4. Otherwise, if th e diff erenc e is more tha n 6 c mH2O, th e test fails an d the ventilat or disp la ys the
followin g mess ag e:
xx.x Failed
5. If the test fai ls, check a ll con n ecti ons t o mak e sur e th ere ar e no le aks an d repeat the test.
6.   It the test fai ls ag ai n, refer to Chapter 5, for tr ou bl es ho oti ng proc ed ur es
Exit
To exit the UV Ts press t he EXIT touc h screen ico n.
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 59
Extended Functions
The Ext en d ed Functio ns me n u may be acce ssed via the U VT Test Sel ect scree n as d es crib ed in th e
prev io us s ecti o n. Pres s the E XTENDED FUNCTIONS icon from the UVT scre en.

Figure 4. 3 Ac ces si ng the E xte nde d Functions Sc re en from the UVT menu
You ca n also a ccess t he exte nd ed funct io ns scre en v ia the Scre en s me nu durin g norm al op eratio n.
Press t he scre en displ ay are a on the top ce n t er of the t ouch scree n to activ ate Scre en S el ect menu.

Figure 4 . 4 Ac ces si ng the E xte nde d Functions s creen from the Sc re en Se le ct me nu
Press t he EXT ENDED FU NCTIONS touch screen ic o n to d i splay the Extend ed F unct io n s scre en.
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60   Vela Ventilator s

Figure 4 . 1 Ex te nde d Functi ons s creen me nu
Events
To access the Events list, press th e Events scre en icon

F i g u re 4.2 Press the Events to u ch screen ico n
A list of chronolog ical even ts disp la ys with the la te st ev en t at the to p as sho w n in figu re   4. 11

F i g u re 4.3   T he Events scre en
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 61
Transducer Data
Press t he Tran sdu cer Data screen ic on.

F i g u re 4.4 Press the Transdu cer Data scr een ico n
Th e Tran sd ucer Se le ction scre en displays.

F i g u re 4.5 Transdu cer data selectio n scr e en
From h ere y o u can s et the an al og data disp l ay as sociat ed with ea ch trans ducer. For exa mpl e, if you
pres s the SET ANALOG 0 scree n icon as s h own i n figure 4. X, the follo wi n g opti on s di sp la y in a drop
do wn m e nu.
Exhl Flow Diff Press
Exha la tion Flow
Turbine Flow
Tu rb ine Speed

Figure 4 . 6 Tra n sduc er da ta s el ect ion opti ons
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62   Vela Ventilator s
In this examp le , the transd uc e r asso ci ated with An al og 0 is set to d isp la y Turbin e Spe ed.
Set e ach an al o g valu e to on e of the tra ns du c ers i n the dr op do wn m e nu. Pr ess EXIT to r e turn to th e
Extend ed F unction s scree n.
For instructi o n s on ho w to vie w this data as a disp laye d wa veform, see Chapter 5, M ai nte na nc e &
Trou bl esho oti n g.
Transducer Tests
To access th e t r ansd ucer t est scre en pres s the Tr ansd ucer Tests scre e n ic on.

F i g u re 4.7 Press transdu ce r tests ico n
The tra ns du cer tests scre en a pp ears wit h ic o ns for th e Tur bi ne Differ entia l, Exhal atio n D iffere nti al a n d
Circuit Pr essur e tran sd uc ers.

F i g u re 4.8 Transdu cer test scre en
Press t he Turbi ne Differ entia l (TURB DIFF) s creen ic o n.
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 63

Figure 4 9 Press TURB DIFF icon
The foll owin g mess ag es ap p ear i n s eq ue nc e in t he m ess a ge area at th e botto m left of the to uc h
screen.
Turb Diff Pressure Xdcr T est – Requested
Turb Diff Pressure Xdcr T est – In Progess
Turb Diff: XXX Passed ( wh ere X XX is th e trans du cer r ea di ng within ran ge)
Or
Turb Diff: XXX Failed (wh ere X XX is th e trans du cer r ea di ng O UT of rang e)

Press t he Exh a lati on Differ e nti al Pr essure (E XHL DIFF) screen icon.
The foll owin g mess ag es ap p ear i n s eq ue nc e in t he m ess a ge area at th e botto m left of the to uc h
screen.
Exhl Diff Pressure Xdcr T est – Requested
Exhl Diff Pressure Xdcr T est – In Progess
Exhl Diff: XXX Passed     (wher e XXX is the transduc er reading within range)
Or
Exhl Diff: XXX Failed (wh ere X XX is th e trans du cer r ea di ng O UT of rang e)

Press t he Circ uit Pr essure (CIRC PRESS) s creen ic on.
The foll owin g mess ag es ap p ear i n s eq ue nc e in t he m ess a ge area at th e botto m left of the to uc h
screen.
Circ Pressure Xdcr Test – Requested
Circ Pressure Xdcr Test – In Progess
Circ Press: XXX Passed (wher e XXX is the transduc er reading within range)
Or
Circ Press: XXX Failed   (w h ere X XX is th e trans du cer r ea di ng O UT of rang e)
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64   Vela Ventilator s
Version Information
To access th e softw are v ersi o n inf orm ation screen, press t h e VERSION INFO screen icon .

F i g u re 4.10 Press th e Versio n Info icon
The Versi o ns s creen, sh o wi ng the ver si ons of all s oftwa r e i n stall e d on the machi ne, d is pl ays.
Note
The version information shown in figure 4.X is an exampl e only. Your machine will have different versions of
software depending on the date of sale and the updates loaded.

Figure 4 1 1 Sa mple Ve rs ion informa tion s cree n

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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 65
Date & Time
The date an d time can be s et an d the ve ntilat or hours of us e (Ho ur Met er) can be v ie we d b y pres si ng
the D ate/Ti me scre en ico n.

F i g u re 4.12 Press D ate/T ime ico n

F i g u re 4.13 Date/Time and Ho u r Meter sc reen
To adju st the d ate a n d time, s el ect by pres si ng th e touc h sc reen d irect ly ov er the c o ntrol to b e a dj usted
(see fig ure 4.X) .

F i g u re 4.14 Select the mon th co n tro l
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66   Vela Ventilator s
Adjust by turn i ng th e Data Di al cl ockwis e to incr ea se, or c o unter cl ockwis e to decr ease, the v al ue.

F i g u re 4.15 Data Dial
FiO2 Calibration
See t he Cali br ation secti on of this Cha pter.

Ventilator Setup
To access th e vent il ator setu p opti on s, pre ss the V ent S etu p scree n ico n.

F i g u re 4.16 Press Ven t Setu p ico n
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 67

F i g u re 4.17 Ven tilator Setu p Screen
Low Min Volume Off
Ther e are two r an ge s p ossibl e for the L o w Minute Vo lu me A l arm. The y ar e OFF to 99.9 lit ers a nd 0.1
to 99.9 liters. The L o w Min Vol Off Dis ab le/ Enabl e scr e en icon, allo ws y o u to togg le between the tw o
ra ng es.

F i g u re 4.18 L ow Min Vol Off Enabled
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68   Vela Ventilator s
Locks Disabled
Toggles the control Locks on and off.

F i g u re 4.19 L ocks Enable/Disab le
FiO2 Monitor Disabled
Disab les or E n ab les t he FiO 2 Monitor F unct i on.

F i g u re 4.20 Mon i to r en able/d isab le
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 69
Altitude Adjustment
All ows for a dj u stment of altitu de in fe et or m eters ab ov e se a leve l.

F i g u re 4.21 Al titu d e feet/meters

The Altitude s c r ee n icon tog gl es betw ee n Fe et an d Meters
an d the se lect i on is refl ecte d i n the co ntrol la be l (se e figur e
4.22)

Figure 4 . 22 Al tutude i n Me te rs

To adju st the v al ue, s el ect the control,

then adjust using the data dial.

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70   Vela Ventilator s
Language Selection
A choic e of 5 lan gu a ges is av ail a bl e (se e figure 4.23). Se le ct a lang u ag e by pr essin g th e appropri ate
scre en ico n. P r ess EXIT to l e ave t he V entil a t or Setup scre e n a nd retur n to the Ext en de d F unct io ns
screen

Figure 4 . 23 Ex it Ventilator Setup
Press E XIT ag ai n to ex it the Speci al Fu nctions me nu

F i g u re 4.24 Exit Special Fu nction s

The ventilat or wil l b eg in op er ation at prev io usly sel ect ed s ettings.
Set u p th e pati ent a n d ventilat or operati on al settin gs per the instructio ns y our Operator’s Manu al.
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 71
Verification tests
1.   Befor e attach in g the V el a to a ne w pati ent, pe r form th e fol lo win g Operati on al v erific ati on c hecks.
2.   Turn on the Ve la, choose New Patient and Accept.   This w ill retur n al l sett ings to the defaults.
3. To check mon itor p erform a nce, allow the ventilator to o p erat e for tw o mi nutes. Vie w th e
monitore d pa rame te rs. The values should app ea r a s fo llows:
Parameter Value
Minute volume 6 L+ 1.2 L
Tidal Volume 500 ml + 100 ml
I:E Ratio 1:6.1 + 10%
Breath Rate 12 bpm + 2 bpm
PIP Should equal m anometer display + 5 cmH2O
MAP N/A
PEEP 5 cmH2O + 2 c mH2O
Inspiratory Time 0.68 seconds + . 05 seconds

3. Check the alar ms as foll ows:
a.   Power Fai l Che ck
i. Rem ov e th e po wer cord fr om the wall. Th e ve ntilator sho ul d do th e foll owin g:
1. Switch to battery power.
2. Soun d th e aud i bl e alarm.
3. Turn th e AC P ow er So urce i n dicator OFF.
4. Displ ay the BA TTERY ON me ssage in th e al arm win do w.
5. LED for int ernal batt ery w ill li ght.
ii.   Press t he A lar m Reset b utto n to clear the alarm.
iii.   Plug the AC power c ord back into the w al l socket.
b. High Pressure Limit Ch eck
i. Lo wer t he H ig h Press ure A lar m settin g to 5 cmH2O be lo w the P ea k Ins pir atory
Pressur e (PIP). When t he ventilat or cycles to inspiration and the high pr essure
limit i s vi ol ated, the h ig h pr essure al arm sho u ld occur. W he n this hap p ens t he
vent il ator sho ul d:
6. Immed iat ely c y cle into the expirator y p hase.
7. Soun d th e aud i bl e alarm.
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72   Vela Ventilator s
8. Displ ay the HI GH PRES mes sag e i n th e ala r m wi nd ow.
ii.   Return th e Hig h Pre ssur e Al a r m settin g to 5 cmH 2O above PIP, an d press the
Alarm   Reset b utton t o cl ear t he al arm.
This complet es the performan ce ch eck. Th e followin g Ventil ator P erform a n ce Che cklist may be use d to
document each Performance Ch eck for your records.
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 73
Vela Ventilator Performance Checklist
This checkli st i s for us e duri n g the Vel a Op e r ation al V erifi c atio n Proc ed ur e.
Seria l Number __ ______ _____ __           Ho ur s_ _____ ________            Da te __ _____ _____ _
Verification Steps:
Verification Ste p   Check & I n itial
1. Insp ect the ve n t ilator a nd c om po ne nts for ap pe aranc e a nd clean li ne ss.
Confirm th e Ex ha latio n valve, di ap hragm, an d air int ake fi lte r and test lun g s
are c orr ectly in stall e d. Wipe the ventil ator clea n if n ee d ed using a cloth
moiste ned with a n app ro ved clea ning solu tion .

2. Enter the U ser Verifi catio n Test (UVT). Press the P atie nt Remove d touch
screen icon.

3. Test the al arm volum e. Adj us t as req uir e d.
4.   Conf irm the p r op er fun ctio n ing o f the front   pa ne l lamps and L EDs.
5. Confirm th e prop er fu nction in g of the me mbran e sw itch es.
6. Complete t he internal filte r performan ce   check.
7. Check the pati ent bre athi n g circuit on t he v e ntilator an d co nd uct a le ak te st.
Make sure all need ed component s ar e firmly atta ch ed in th e circuit.

8. Exit the UVT and c on d uct per f orma nc e test.
Set the p aram eters to t he fo ll owin g rec ommen de d settings:
Mode
A/C
Inspiratory Pause
OFF
Tidal Volu me 50 0ml
Sigh
OFF
Peak Flow
60 lpm Square Waveform
OFF
Breath Rate
12 bpm
Bias Flow
10 lpm
PEEP/CPAP
5 cmH2O
Altit ude
Curr ent
Sensitivity
OFF
Inspiratory Time 0.3 s ec
Pressure Support
OFF
Terminat ion Se nsitivit y
25 %
Pressure Contr o l
OFF
Variable Time Terminati on
3.0 s ec
% O2 21
Flow Ter m inat ion
OFF

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74   Vela Ventilator s
Set the var ia bl e al arm control s as follo ws:

Alarm Co nt ro l Sett ing
High Pressure   PIP plus 5 cm H2O
Low Pressur e PIP minus 10 c mH2O
Lo w Mi nute Vo lum e 4 Lit ers
High Breath Rate 16 bpm
Apnea Interval 20 secs

Verification Ste p   Check & I n itial
9. After at least two min utes of op eratio n co m pare the disp la yed r ea di n gs to the
following:

Display Reading
Minute V ol um e   6L +/- 1.2 L
Tida l Vo lume   50 0ml +/-100ml
I:E Rati o 1:6.1 +/-1 0 %
Breath Rate 12 bpm +/-2 bpm
PIP Equa l to Manome t er +/- 5
MAP NA
PEEP 5 cmH2O +/-2 cmH20
Inspirat ory Tim e 0.68 sec +/-0. 5 sec

Verification Ste p   Check & I n itial
10. Ch eck alar ms
A. Power Fail Check
B. High Pressure Limit Check
Signatur e: _____________________________________________________
Procedure Complete

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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 75
Calibration
Note
All personnel pe rforming prevent ive maintenance and product rep air must be trained and certified by VIASYS
Healthcare to service the product
Test Set-up

Figure 4.34 Callibration setup #1

To c ali bration por t
To pr es s ure mano meter
(0 to 60cmH2O)
High press ure g as
s ourc e (wall or bot tled)
with 0-50 ps ig re g ulat or
attac h ed
To c ali bration por t
To pr es s ure mano meter
O-60 ps ig
F i g u re4.35 Calibration setu p #2

Power Up Verification/Service Verificatio n Tests
1. Rem ov e th e top cov er and battery tra y a s described in   Chap te r 3 .
2. Locate DIP Sw itch 1 on the M ai n PCB A o n the r ear of the f r ont p a ne l. Pla ce it i n the O N positi on,
as sh o wn i n fi g ure 3.
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76   Vela Ventilator s
11
PAL P/N 15532
TBIR D
TM
1995
BIRD C 1995
TURBINE EEPROM
S/N: XXXXXXXXXXXX
PT 500 PT 501
P1 P1 P2 P2
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
ON
3. Conn ect the Vel a to a prope r l y gro un d ed A C sourc e. Tur n on po wer t o th e unit.
F i g u re 4.36 Main PCB

P1 P2 P1   P2
Zer
o
Pea k
/ Conti nuou
s
5 lp m
O
2(%)/ N 2
180 lp m
Ai r
20 l p m
O
2 (%)/ N2O
Hi g h
Ra nge
GAS FLO W RATE
3 lite r s
O
2(%)/ N 2
3 lite r s
Ai r
M i nute
O
2(%)/ N 2O
Rat e
BPM
in s p ir at o r y
e xp irat o ry
I: E
Rat i o
Lo
wFl o
w Ran g
e
Hi g
hFlo
w Ran g
e
VOLUME RATE/TIME
Cl ean ,
dry gas
only 5
lp m max
.
Cl ean , d ry
gas onl
y180
lp m max
.
0
Res e
t
Ent e
r
F
2
F
1
4 ps i
max d i ffer e n ti
al
P-P
+
P-P
+
100 p s i
max di f f e r e nt i
al
Lo
w Pr e ssu r
e Ran g
e
Hi g
h Pr e ssu r
e Ran g
e
GAS PRESSURE
20
cmH2O
250
cmH2O
185 mm
Hg
20
psi
100
psi
5170
mmHg
Hi g h
Ra nge
Low
Ra nge
5 lp m
O
2 (%)/ N 2
5 lp m
Ai r
5 lp m
O
2 (%)/ N2O
Low
Ra nge
6 5 4
789
Ov e rran g
e
Mea su r e me
nt
Mod
e
Unde r r a ng
e
T
T
15
psi ma
x
100
psi ma
x
123
PRE SSU RE
MANOMET ER
P/ N 33903
Attach to the
t r a n sducer n eedi n g
ca li br atio n
Turbi ne
Di ffer ent i al
T r ansduc er
Ex hal at i on
Flow
T r ans duc er
Exhalation
Pressu re
Tr ans ducer
ON
1 234 5678

F i g u re 4.37 L ocation o f transd u cers
4. The ventilat or performs its Po wer On Se lf Te st. When the s elf-test i s com p lete, th e scr ee n disp lays
“fl at ” w aveform s an d the ve ntilator make s no attempt to d eli v er a b r e ath. Thi s in dicates t hat you are
in a “Serv ic e ” mode
5. The au di bl e al arm sh o ul d soun d, pr ess the al arm reset b ut t on to s il ence alarm.
6. Press t he MAI N ico n at the to p of the tou ch
screen
7. The SVT TEST SELE CT screen displ ays.
8. Press CALI BRATION to acc e ss the
trans du cer c al i bratio n scre e n (see fig ure 4.7)

F i g u re 4.38 SVT T est Select Screen

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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 77

F i g u re 4.39 Calibration selectio n screen
Exhalation Pressure Transducer
1. Press t he EXH PRESS XDCR touc h screen icon fr om the CALIBRATION SELECT Scr een. The
EXH L PRESS CALIB scre en displ ays s ho wi ng both pressu res as “Pe nd in g ” a nd with t he
instr ucti on “A p ply 0 cmH 2O a nd pres s b utto n ”.

F i g u re 4.40 Exh alation Pressu re T ransdu cer Calibration screen #1
2. Disc on n ect tu b in g from th e ex ha latio n pr essu re tra nsd uc er befor e conti nu in g wit h th e proc ed ure
(see fig ure 4.6 for loc ati on of the trans du cer s ).With no t ub in g attach ed to the exhal ati on p r essure
trans du cer, press the P RESS URE APPLIED touc h scree n i con for zer o c a librati on.
3.   When the calibra t ion is co mple te , the screen le gend change s to read   “App ly 60 cmH2 O, Press
Butto n ” a nd th e zer o pr essur e valu e now sa ys “OK ” wit h a n A/D v al ue ad de d.

F i g u re 4.41 Exh alation Pressu re T ransdu cer Calibration screen #2
5. Attach the cali brati o n set up s ho wn in fi gure 1 to the Exhal a tion Pr essur e Trans d ucer p ort (see
figur e 4 f or l oc atio n).
6. Turn th e cali br ation syr in ge h an dl e cl ockwis e to gen er ate p ositi ve pres sure.
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78   Vela Ventilator s
7. When the pres sure m a nometer reads 60 cmH2O +/- 0.6 c mH2O, pres s the P RESSURE APPLIED
touc h scr ee n icon.

F i g u re 4.42 Exh alation Pressu re T ransdu cer Calibration screen #3
8. When the calibration is c o m pleted, the scr een displays OK for both calibrat ions. SAVE
CALIBRATION and CA NCE L CALIBRATION.   Press SAV E CALIBRATION to save and return to
the tra ns ducer calibr ati on s el e ction scree n.
CAUTION
Make sure that your pneumatic connection is to the Exhalation Pr essure transducer before applying 60 cmH2O
pressure. If the 60.0 cmH2O pre ssure is inad vertently applied to the Exhalation Differential (Flow) tr ansducer it
will perman ently damage the transducer.
Turbine Pressu re Transducer
1. From the CA LI BRATION SE LECT screen, pr ess TURB PRESS XDCR.
2. The first Turbi n e Pre ssur e c ali brati o n scree n displ ays s ho wi ng both ca li brat ion pressur es as
pe nd in g an d with the l e ge nd “App ly 0 c mH 2 O an d press b utton ”.

F i g u re 4.43 Tu rb in e Pressure Z ero calib ration screen # 1
2. Disc on n ect tu b in g from th e tra nsd uc er befor e conti n ui ng with the proce du r e. Se e fig ur e 4. 6 for
locati on of the t r ansd ucers
3. With no tu bi ng attac he d to th e turbi ne pr essu re tra nsd uc er, pres s the PRE SSURE APP LI ED touch
scre en ico n for zero c al ibr ati o n.
4. The scr ee n l e g en d cha ng es t o re ad “A p ply 6 0 cmH 2O, Press Butto n ” a n d the stat us of th e zer o
calibr ati on lin e no w read s “O K ” w ith a rec ord ed A/ D va lu e.
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 79

F i g u re 4.44 Tu rb in e Pressure 60 cmH 2O calibration screen #2
5. Attach the cali brati o n set up s ho wn in fi gure 1 (av ai la bl e as a kit from VIA S YS Healt hc are) to the
port P2 o n th e turbin e pressur e tran sd uc er (s ee fi gure 4.6 for loc atio n).
6. Turn th e cali br ation syr in ge h an dl e cl ockwis e to gen er ate p ositi ve pres sure.
7. When the pres sure m a nometer reads 60 cmH2O +/- 0.6 c m H2O, press t he P RESSURE APPLIED
touc h scr ee n icon.
8. The scr ee n displ ays OK for b oth pr essur es an d SAVE CA LIBRATIO N an d CA NCE L
CALIBRATION. Press SAVE CALIBRATION to sav e a nd re turn to th e tra n sdu cer c al ibr ati on
selection s creen.

F i g u re 4.45 Tu rb in e Pressure 60 cmH 2O calibration screen #3
9. Reco nn ect tubi ng to the port a fter cal ibr ati on.
CAUTION
Make sure that your pneumatic connection is to the Turbine Differential transducer before applying 60 cmH2O
pressure. If the 60.0 cmH2O pre ssure is inad vertently app lied to t he Exhalation Differential (Flow) Transducer it
will be permanently damaged an d require replacement..
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80   Vela Ventilator s
Exhalation Flow Transducer Calibration
1. From the CA LI BRATION SE LECT screen, pr ess EX L FLOW XDCR. The first Exhalation
Differ entia l Pre ssur e (Flo w) cali br ation scr ee n disp lays.

F i g u re 4.46 Exh alation Differ en tial Pressu r e (Flo w ) screen #1
2. Disc on n ect tu b in g from th e tra nsd uc er befor e conti n ui ng with the proce du r e. Se e fig ur e 4. 6 for
locati on of the t r ansd ucers
3. With no tubing attache d to th e transducer, pr ess the PR ESSURE APP LIED tou ch scr e en ico n for
zero cal ibr ati on .
4. When th e ca li b r ation is c om pl ete, th e statu s of the z ero pr e ssur e li ne rea d s “OK ” an d an A/D valu e
is re co rded . The screen lege nd cha nges to re ad   “A pp ly 3 cmH2 O, Press Button . ”

F i g u re 4.47 Exh alation Differ en tial Pressu r e (Flo w ) screen #2
5. Attach the cali brati o n set up s ho wn in fi gure 1 to the Exhal a tion Differ e ntial (Flow) Tr ansd ucer po rt
P2 (s ee fi gure 4.6 for l oc ati on ).
6. Turn th e cali br ation syr in ge h an dl e cl ockwis e to gen er ate p ositi ve pres sure.
7. When the pres sure m a nometer reads 3 cm H2O +/- 0.6 c m H2O, press t he P RESSURE APPLIED
touc h scr ee n icon.
8. When th e ca li b r ation is c om pl ete, th e statu s of the z ero pr e ssur e li ne rea d s “OK ” an d an A/D valu e
is rec orded. The screen displays SAVE CALI BRATION and CANCE L CA LI BRATION. Press SA VE
CALIBRATION to sav e a nd re turn to th e tra n sdu cer c al ibr ati on s el ecti on s c r ee n.
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 81

F i g u re 4.48 Exh alation Differ en tial Pressu r e (Flo w ) screen #3
9. Rem ov e cali br ation setu p fro m exh al ati on di fferent ia l pressure (fl ow) tr ansducer port an d reco n nect
tubi n g b efor e c ontin ui ng.
Oxygen Pressu re Transducer Calibration
1. From th e CA LI BRATION SE L ECT scre e n, press O2 PRESS. The Oxyge n Pre ssur e Tra nsd uc er
Calibra t ion scre e n #1 appears.

F i g u re 4.49 O2 Pres sure c alibration scree n #1
2. With no tubing attac hed to the Vela, pr ess the PRE SSURE APPLIE D touch screen ic on for zer o
calibr ati on.
4. When th e ca li b r ation is c om pl ete, th e statu s of the z ero pr e ssur e li ne rea d s “OK ” an d an A/D valu e
is re co rded (see figu re   4. 19 ). Th e scre e n lege nd change s to rea d “A pp ly 50 cmH2 O, Press Button . ”
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82   Vela Ventilator s

F i g u re 4.50 O2 Pres sure c alibration scree n #2
5. Attach the cali brati o n set up tub e to th e
ne bu liz er port on th e fro nt of t he V el a (s ee
figur e 4.20 ).
6. Press t he N e b uli zer mem bra ne butto n on th e
front panel t o open the solenoid.
7. Apply gas from the hig h pr essure gas s o urce
at 50 psig pr es sure.
8. When th e pres sure m a no meter read s 50
psig, pr ess the PRESSURE APPLIED touch
screen icon.
9. When th e ca li b r ation is c om pl ete, th e statu s
of the 50 psi g pres sure li n e r ea ds “OK” and
an A/ D va lu e is record ed (s ee figur e
4.21).Th e screen displ ays S A VE CALIBRATIO N and
CANCE L CA LI BRATION.   Press SA VE CALIBRATION to
save a nd retur n to th e transd ucer cal ibr ati on
selection scr een.   Figure 4 . 51 Ne bulize r port on t h e Ve la

F i g u re 4.52 O2 Pres sure c alibration scree n #3
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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 83

Regulator calibration:

High press ure g as
s ourc e (wall or bot tled)
with 0-50 ps ig re g ulat or
attac h ed
Connec t to hig h
pres s ure in let on r ear
of Ve la
To Pre ssure
Manom eter 0-60 p si g
Meas ur e pres s ure at
Nebuliz er p ort o n Vela
Figure 4 . 53 Ca libration s et up f o r Re gulat or Calibration
1. Enter the SVT mode a s d etai l ed in th is pr oc e dure then pres s the MAI N ic o n. From th e
CALIBRATION SELE CT screen, press t he S O LENOI D tou c h scree n ic on to e nter th e so l en oi d
mode.
2. Conn ect g as sourc e to th e hi gh-pr essu re po rt on th e rear pan el (see fi g ur e 1 8). Usi n g a 0-50 psig
regul ator, ap pl y 50 psig g as pr essure. In tur n, press the O2-0, O2-1, and O2-2 s ol en oi d t ouch
screen icons.
3. Using a ca li brat ed m an om eter , meas ure t he pres sure at th e Ne bu liz er port on th e fro nt of t he
vent il ator for e ach s ol e no id (s ee fi gure 17). It must read 40 psig +/- 1. Ad ju st the in te rn al
ad justm e nt re g ul ator to achie v e the c orr ect pressure at the N eb ul izer port (see fi gure 4.22 )

High Pres s ure
O2 Port

F i g u re 4.54 Vela Rear Pan el

3. Perform the O perati on al V erif icatio n Proc e d ure descri be d i n this ch apter once the ca li br ation is
complete. .
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84   Vela Ventilator s
Note
All personnel pe rforming prevent ive maintenance and product rep air must be trained and certified by VIASYS
Healthcare to service the product

F i g u re 4.56 In tern al adju stmen t reg u l ator location

L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 85

Figure 4 . 57 Lo cat ion of O2 Ble nde r so le noids
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86   Vela Ventilator s
Oxygen Sensor Calibration
From th e Sp ecial Fu nction s men u, press the FIO2 MON CALIBRATIO N touch s cre en icon

Figure 4 . 58 Sp eci al Func ti on s me nu,
The foll owin g screen w il l a pp e ar.

Figure4. 59 FiO2 Se nsor Calibra tion   Ambien t Ai r

Attach 10 0 % O 2 at 5 0p si g to the hi gh-pr essu re in let on th e r ear of the V el a.
Press t he STA RT AMB CA LI BRATION touch screen ic on.   The machine w ill take 3-5 minutes to
perform the cal ibr ation and the fol lowing sc r een w ill appear whi le t he c ali bration is in progres s.

F i g u re 4.60 Amb i ent Calibration in p rogress.

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Service Manual   Chapter 4 O p er ational Tes t in g and Calibrati o n 87
When cali brati on is com pl ete, the fol lo wi n g screen w il l a pp e ar sh owin g the ne w am bi e nt val ue.

F i g u re 4.61 Amb i ent calib ration co mplete show ing n ew va lu e
Press t he STA RT 100% CALI BRATION touch screen ic on.   The cali br ation will t ake 3- 5 minutes during
which time the followin g scr ee n wi ll ap pe ar.

F i g u re 4.62 100 % F IO2 calibration in pro gres s
When th e ca li b r ation is c om pl ete the fo llowing screen will ap pe ar .

F i g u re 4.63 F IO2 calib ration co mplete, n ew v alu es sh o w ing.
If the calibr ati o n va lu es ar e ac cept ab le, pres s EXIT to exit th e ca li brati o n se qu en ce.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
88   Vela Ventilator s

L1534 Revision B December 2004

Chapter 5 Maintenance & Troubleshooting
Routine Maintenance Procedures
Replacing the software PCMCIA cards
Occasio na l sof t ware u pgrad e s may re q uir e r ep lac ement of the i nter na l PC MCIA card th at driv es th e
Vela. This i s e asi ly ac cess by remov in g th e scre ws hol di ng the ve nti lat or cover an d slid in g the c ov er off
tow ards t he re ar as s ho w n in figur e 5.1.

F i g u re 5.1 Slide co ve r to w ard s rear

CAUTION
The SVGA Outp ut ribbon cable lies directly bene ath the top cover assembly running from the front of the Vela to
the rear. It can be damaged if care is not taken when removing the cover. Make sure that the cover clears this
cable before slid ing it back.
The card is located towards the front of the Vela beneath the righ t p anel.   To re pl ace the card, refer to
figur e 5.2 and do th e foll owin g:

Card ej ect b utto n
F i g u re 5.2 PCMCI A c ard s in p l ace
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90   Vela Ventilator s
Note
If a new version of software is installed, it can ta ke up to two minutes for the software to download to the
ventilator. During this time the ventilator is inope ra tive and the audible alarm will sound. The ventil ator will
resume normal operation once the download is complete.
1. Press t he protr ud in g b utto n ben eath the car d to e ject.
2. To instal l, mak e sur e th e arr o w on the car d i s pointin g u p th en push the ca rd int o th e
applicable slot until it clicks int o plac e.
WARNING
It is essent ial when working insid e the ventilator t o protect against static discharge , which can dam age the
ventilator and ca use it to become inoperative. AL WAYS take stan dard ESD preca utions before removing the
ventilator cover .
Replacing the externa l A/C fuses.

Rem ov e th e po wer cord prote ctive c ov er. Un pl ug th e
A/C power cord.

F i g u re 5.3 Remove the pow er co rd g u ard

Th e AC po wer modu le is a univer sa l mo du le fo r A/C
voltag es from 10 0-24 0 volts. Usi ng a flat bl a de d
scre wdr iver, pr y op en the c ov er. Usi n g the s ame
scre wdr iver, l o osen a n d p ull o ut the red fu se ho ld er as
show n in fi g ure 5.4.
Rem ov e th e fuses from both sides of the fus e h ol der
an d repl ac e wit h fus es P/N 71 61 2(ava il ab le f r om
VIASYS Healthcare c ust omer support.
F i g u re 5.4 Pry o u t th e fu se h o l d er
WARNING
It is important that the fuses are replaced with the same type and value as those removed. Failure to do so can
result in ventilat or malfunction.
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Service Manual   Chapter 5 Main tena nce & Troubleshooting 91

To insert th e fuse h ol der c o ntaini ng th e ne w fuses, m ak e sure
the 4 m eta l tab s are fa ci ng up as shown i n fi gure 5.5 and
caref ul ly pus h the fu se ho ld er in to the A/C po wer modu le until it
seats

F i g u re 5.5 Insert fuse ho l d er w ith metal tab s sh ow ing
The Annual 5000 hour P.M. Procedure
Replacing the ambient air filter.
The Am bi e nt Air Filter i s lo cated at the r ear o f the ve ntilator be lo w the rear pa ne l. It is a hi gh-de ns ity
foam i ns ert. To rem ov e it, pi nch an d pul l a way fr om the ventilat or as s h o wn i n fi gure 5.6 .   The filter wil l
lift out. R ep la c e wit h a cl e an filter. To p rev e nt the entry of dust i nto the v e ntilator, pr ess t he fi lter i n
ar ou nd the edges to ensu re   a sn ug fit.

Figure 5 . 6 Re move high density foa m ambien t ai r fIlter
Replacing the fan filter

Pop out t he fa n filter ret ai ni ng gri d, usi n g screwdr iver.
Pinc h & pu ll ou t the foa m filte r (see fi gure 5.7)
To instal l a n e w filter, c aref ul l y pl ace t he ne w filter ov er
the fan hou si n g and pl ace t h e retain in g gr i d back onto
the fan hou si n g. Ch eck t o ma ke sure th er e ar e no
creases or fol d s in the foam fil t er as this will reduce its
effici en cy a nd cou ld allo w co ntam in ants int o   the
vent il ator bo dy. Push t he reta i ni ng gri d u ntil a ll fo ur
“tabs ” c lick int o place.

Figure 5 . 7 Pin ch and remove foa m fan filter
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92   Vela Ventilator s
Replacing the filter, retaining ring & check
valve on the low pres O2 fitting

Using a ¾ i nc h open-en d ed w r ench, unscrew the l ow-pres sure oxyg en fitting fr om t he back pan el as sh o wn i n
figur e 5.8.

F i g u re 5.8 Unscrew the lo w p ressure O2 fi tting

Rem ov e th e white c o ne fi lter an d disl od g e & remov e th e white Delri n
re ta in ing ring (u se   needle nose p l ie rs if ne eded) .
Using ne e dl e n ose pl iers, th e bl ack d uck bi ll e d check v alv e shoul d c ome
out e as ily.

Figure 5.9 W hite Delrin retaining w ash er
and duck bille d check val ve
To re pl ace, pl a ce the black du ck bi ll ed c he ck valv e an d in sert it into the fitting. Tap l ig htly w ith th e end
of a scr ewdrive r to mak e sur e it is se ated th e n pl ac e the Del r in ret ai ni ng rin g over it with th e “lip ” fac in g
into t he V el a a s sho w n in fi g u r e X.X. Pla ce t he ne w co n e fil t er onto the De lrin r in g a nd p u sh gently u ntil
you are s ur e it has s e ated cor r ectly. R ep la c e t he fitting and tighten down with t he ¾ inch wrench.
Replacing the filter, retaining ring and check
valve on the hi pressure fitting
Using a ¾ i nc h open-en d ed w r ench, unscrew the tw o-pi ece hi gh-pr e ssur e oxy g en fi tting. R em ove the w hit e
cone filter, the white Delr in washer & the bl ac k duc k
bil le d c heck va l ve as de scribe d a bove.

F i g u re 5.9 Unscrew the h i gh p ressure O2 fittin g

Instal l the blac k che ck va lv e an d ma ke s ur e it is se ated. Install t he
white Delr in washer wit h the li p dow n as s h o wn i n fi gure 5.1 0.
Plac e the cone filte r on the delrin   washer and pus h gent ly to   se at.
Repl ac e and ti ghten do wn th e fitting wit h a ¾ inc h o p en-e nd ed
wrench.

F i g u re 5.10 Installin g the Delrin Wash er
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Service Manual   Chapter 5 Main tena nce & Troubleshooting 93
Replacing the muffler and muffler filter assemblies
Note
Always tak e prec a utio ns agains t s ta ti c dis c harge when work ing wit h th e
v entil ator. Reta in all hardware f or re-ass embly .
From th e back pa ne l, remov e the p o wer cord guard by
unscrewi ng the two ret ai ni ng s crew s as s ho w n in fi g ure
5.11. Un pl u g th e pow er cor d.   Figure 5.11 Re movi ng the power cord guar d

Unscrew the screws holding on the Vela cover. Slide cover towards the rear of the machine and off.

F i g u re 5.12 Slid e co ve r off to w ard s th e rear
Rem ov e th e 4 scre ws se curin g the battery tr ay & lift it, and the att ach e d la rge c ap ac itor a ssem bly out.
Le an the batte r y tray a nd c ap acit or ass em bl y agai nst the left side of the V el a w hil e yo u d iscon nect th e
lar ge white M ol ex DC p ow er c on ne ctor. S et the c om pl ete a s sem bly aside.
Note
When the batteries are disconne cted, the system will automatica ll y re-set the battery status memory and will
initiate an 18-ho ur re-charge cycle upon re-connect. During th is p eriod, the red DC status light will remain on.
If the DC status light remains lit after the initial c harging period has expired, cont act VIASYS tech support as
described in Appendix A for a replacement battery.
Rem ov e th e rig ht pa n el. Th ere are tw o scr ews in the rear of the v entilat or, one i n the front top and on e
on th e l ow er l ef t side in th e ce nter.
Pull the panel out from the rear first, then ease to the back & tilt out. Lay the assembly flat. The
Mufflers are no w acc ess ib le.
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94   Vela Ventilator s
Replacing the muffler/filter assemblies.

To rem ov e & replac e the muff lers and filter, first ease out the two
sili co ne el bo ws from the muffl er assem bly fr ont p a ne l.

Lo os en th e 6 s crew s o n the front p lat e,
& remove the fr ont p lat e. R e move a nd
replac e the tw o bla ck o-rin gs on the
fro nt pane l.

Silicon e Elbow

Using ne e dl e n ose pl iers, fir ml y gras p the me tal
grid inside the R side muffler/f ilter assy. Pull
firmly towards you and the muffler/filter should
slide out. Repeat wit h t he left side muffler.

You wi ll see th at on ly th e Rig ht sid e m uffler has a filt er attached,
the L side has wire muffler only.
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Service Manual   Chapter 5 Main tena nce & Troubleshooting 95
To instal l the n ew filt er/m uffler
assembli es, p u sh the left si d e
muffler (wit h no filter) firmly in and
make sur e it is push ed all the way
into t he ho usin g. Insert the right
side muffler wit h the filter, ensure
that th e se am on th e filt er lay s
horizonta lly an d press h om e.
Repl ac e the fr o nt cov er with th e
ne w O-rings an d reattac h wit h six
screws.

Instal l the two sili co ne el bo ws into th e muffler
cover a nd push in t he c enter to mak e sur e
they are s eate d.

Replacing the left panel w/power PCB.
1. Le an the ri g ht pa ne l u p to th e Vel a, sli de in the front then p ush in th e rear.   Reatt ach the scre ws
on th e rear (2), front (1) an d at the lo w er e dg e of th e rig ht side (1).
2. To instal l the b attery tray, r e-a ttach th e l arg e white Mol ex co nn ector an d make s ur e it la ys
between the m uffler el bows as you replace the batte r y tray onto the Vela.   This will ensure that
ther e is e n ou g h spac e for th e larg e cap acit o r a ttached to the Battery tray. Re-attach the 4
screws ho ld in g the batte ry tray in place . Re co nn ect the ribbon cable.
3. Sli de th e cove r in p lac e from t he rear an d pu sh the top fr ont edge hom e un der the l ip. Attach the
screws.
4. Reattach the power cord a n d re-attach t he p ow er cor d guard wit h the two screws.
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96   Vela Ventilator s
Troubleshooting
If The Ventilator Does not Turn ON
If you turn the po wer s witc h ON a nd th e ON in dicato r d oe s not i ll umi nate , perfor m the trou bl es ho oti ng
proc e dures given in Tabl e 5.1 .

Table 5.1
Trou bleshooting Po wer-Up Proble m s
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE ACTION
Ventilator plugg ed into an AC
source but does not power up.
No power at AC outlet, or the
AC/DC select switch is in the A LT
PWR SOURCE position, or the AC
Line Voltage switch is set to the
wrong voltage.
Try connecting to a known good AC
power source. Make sure the AC/DC
switch is in the A C position. Make
sure, the voltage setting of the
ventilator match es the voltage of your
power source. Check the fuse
assembly if the ventilator still doe s not
power up, Contact your Bird Products
Certified Service Technician. Ch eck
the DC voltage output supply fro m
transformer at J 9. Check DC voltage
at J3. Black is gr ound. Red is 5 volts
DC and Yellow is 14.7 to 20 DC. If
voltage is not pr esent, replace Power
Supply PCB.
Ventilator attach ed to alternate
external DC power source but
does not power up.
If the external source is a battery,
the battery may not be charged, or
the AC/DC select switch may be in
the AC position.
Plug the ventilat or into a known good
AC source, or to a known good
battery and see if it powers up. If
using a 12VDC power source, set the
AC/DC select switch to the ALT PWR
SOURCE position. Check the fuse
assembly. If the ventilator still do es
not power up, contact your Bird
Products Certified Service
Technician. Che ck DC voltage at J3.
Black is ground. Red is 5 volts D C
and Yellow is 14 .7 to 20 DC. If
voltage is not pr esent, replace Power
Supply PCB.
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Service Manual   Chapter 5 Main tena nce & Troubleshooting 97
Reviewing the Transducer Wavefor m s
To re view th e trans du ce r wave fo rms se t in Ch ap te r 4, in   nor mal op er at ional mod e pr es s the tou c h
scre en imm ed i ately ov er th e wavefor m h ea di ng displ ay on the MAIN s cre en.

F i g u re 5.13 Select w a vefo rm d i splay ed
A scrolli ng dr o p d ow n me n u dis pl ays all the poss ib le wave form ch oices. To scro ll thr o u gh th e cho ice s
use t he Data D ial.

Figure 5 . 14 Drop d ow n me nu
From th e ch oices disp la ye d, sel ect the tr ansducer you wish to revi ew ( in this case, tra nsd ucer 0) an d
pres s the Acce pt mem br an e b utton.

F i g u re 5.15 Selectin g Xducr
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98   Vela Ventilator s
The wav eform immedi ately ch an ge s to disp la y the si g na l associ ated w ith the s el ected transd uc er (in
this c ase it is Turbine Speed).

F i g u re 5.16 T urb in e Speed w a vefo r m d i spla yed
L1534 Revision B December 2004

Appendix A Contact & Ordering Information
How to Call for Support
To get he lp on performin g any of the pr ev enti ve ma int en a nc e ro utines, o r to re qu est servi ce on your
vent ilator, cont act VIASYS Healthcare Customer Care:
Technical Support
Hour s:    7: 00 AM to   3: 30 PM (PST) Mond ay th roug h Friday
Phone:   (7 60 ) 778 -720 0
Fax: (760) 778-7377

VIASYS H ealthcare Customer Care Helpline
Hours:    24 ho urs, se ve n days a week
Phone:    (8 00 ) 934 -247 3 (From within the US)
Fax:    (760) 778-7377

VIASYS Healthcare Critical Care
11 00 B ir d Ce nt er Dri ve
Palm Spring s, CA 92 262-809 9
U.S.A.
Phone: (7 60 ) 778-720 0
(800) 328-4139
Fax: (760) 778-7274
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100   Vela Ventilator s
Ordering Parts
To obtai n Vel a vent il ator parts cont act cust o mer se rvic e at:
Customer Service:
Hours:    7:00 Am to 3:30 PM (PST)
Monday thro ugh Friday
Phone:   (8 00 ) 328 -413 9
(760) 778-7200
Fax:        (760) 778-7274
L1534 Revision B December 2004

Appendix B Diagrams & Schematics
Wiring Diagram
Tubing Diagram
Pneumatic Schematic
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102   Vela Ventilator s

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Service Manual   Appendix A Contac t & Orderin g In format io n 103

L1534 Revision B December 2004
104   Vela Ventilator s
L1534 Revision B December 2004

Appendix C Specifications
Oxygen Supply
High Pressure Connector
Pressu re Range : 40 to   85 psig (Sup ply Oxygen)
Temper ature: 10 to 40
o
C (50 to 1 0 4
o
F)
Humidity: Dew Point o f   ga s shou ld be 1 . 7
o
C (3
o
F) bel o w the ambi ent t emper ature
(minimum)
Minimum Flow:   80 LPM at 20 p sig
Inlet Fitting:   CGA DISS-type body, No. 1240
Low Pressure Connector
Pressu re Range : 0 to 0 . 5 p s ig (Sup ply Oxygen)
Maximum Flow: 80 LPM
Inlet Fitting:   ¼ inch tapered
Electri cal Supply
AC Power Supply
The ventilat or op erates w ith in spec ific ati on w he n con nect ed to the foll owin g AC po wer s u pp li es:
Nomina l Vo lta g e Range Freq ue ncy Rang e
10 0 VA C   (85 to 11 0 VA C)   47 to 65 Hz
12 0 VA C   (102 to 1 3 2 VA C)   55 to 65 Hz
23 0 VA C   (196 TO 253 V AC)   47 to 65 Hz
24 0 VA C   (204 TO 264 V AC)   47 to 65 Hz
DC Power Supply
The ventilat or can also o p era te from a 48 V DC p ow er s ource (i nterna l b at t ery).
Internal Battery:
The ventilat or op erates w ith in spec ific ati on for a pproximat e ly 3 h o urs w ith a fresh, full y ch arged battery
un der moderat e loa d. Maxi m um ch ar ge ti m e for a fu ll cha r ge is 8 to 12 h ours.
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106 Vela Ventilator s
Data Input / Output
Analog Inputs
The ventilat or prov id es up to 8 programm a bl e ch an n els for an al og s ig n al i np uts. Eac h c ha nn el s h all be
scal a bl e for th e inp ut rang es s pecifi ed.
Rang es: 0 to 1 V DC
0 to 5 V DC
0 to 10 VDC
Resol uti on: 0.25 mV (for 0 to 1 VD C )
1.37 mV (for 0 to 5 VD C )
2.5 mV   (for 0 to 10 V D C)
Analog Outputs
The ventilat or prov id es 4 sign als at the an al o g o utp ut co nn e ctor:
1. Airway Press ure, P AW:

Rang e:   -60 to 14 0 cm H 2
O
Scal e: 1 cmH 2
O/25 mV
Accuracy: ± 50 mV or ± 5% o f re a di ng, which ev er is gr eater
Zero Offset: 1.5 V DC at 0 cmH 2
O
2. Flow
Insp iratory/Exp irator y :
When select e d , the ve ntilator prov id es a co nt in uo us a n al og voltag e repr es entative of i nsp irator y
flow m in us expiratory flow.
Rang e:   -3 00 to 200 L P M (Adu lt)
Scal e Factor:   1 LP M / 10 mV   (Ad ult)
1 LP M / 25 mV   (Pe di atric)
1 LP M / 50 mV   (Ne on ate)
Accuracy: ± 10 % of re ad i ng or ± 30 mV, whic h eve r is g r eater
Zero Offset: 3.0 V DC at 0 LPM
Machi ne:
When select e d the ve nti lat or prov id es a co nt in uo us a n al og voltag e repr es entative of ma c hi ne
de liv ered fl ow.
Rang e:   0 to 200 LPM   (Ad ult)
Scal e Factor:   1 LP M / 25 mV   (Ad ult)
1 LP M / 50 mV   (Pe di atric)
1 LP M / 100 mV (Ne on ate)
Accuracy: ± 10 % of re ad i ng or ± 30 mV, whic h eve r is g r eater
Zero Offset: None
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual   Appendix B Specifications 107
3. Volume:
Rang e:   -1.0 0 to 4.00 L   (Ad ult)
Scal e Factor:   1 L / V (Ad ult)
1 mL / 5 mV (Pediatric)
1 mL / 10 mV (Neo na te )
Accuracy: ± 1 0 % of re ad i ng or ± 30 mV, whic h eve r is g r eater
Zero Offset: 1.000 V DC
4. Brea th Phase
The ventilat or prov id es a co nt in uo us a n al og voltag e repr es entative of bre ath p h ase (I ns pir atio n = 5
VDC, Expiration = 0 VDC).
Digital Communication
The ventilat or is con struct ed with on e RS -2 32 port for bi- di r ection al commun icat io n of dat a.
CAUTION
This is a non-operational port. Do not make conn ection.
Printer
The ventilat or is con struct ed with a sta nd ar d 25- pi n femal e Centronics p ar all el pri nter port.
CAUTION
This is a non-operational port. Do not make conn ection.
Remote Nurse Call
The ventilat or has a mo d ul ar jack co nfigur ed to interf ac e wit h ext ern al sy stems that ar e ei ther w ire d for
norm al ly op en (N.O., clos e on alar m) or normally clos ed (N.C., op e n o n al arm) si g na ls.
Video Output
The ventilat or is con struct ed with a vide o ou t put con nect or.
CAUTION
This is a non-operational port. Do not make conn ection.
Atmospheric & Environmental Specifications
Temperature and Hu midity
Storag e
Tenperature:      −20 to 60
o
C (−4 to 14 0
o
F)
Humidity:      10 to 95 % R H non-con de ns in g
L1534 Revision B December 2004
108 Vela Ventilator s
Operating
Temper atire   5 to 40
o
C (41 to 1 04
o
F)
Hum id ity   15 to 95 % R H non-con de ns in g
Barometric Pressure
76 0 to 54 5 mm Hg
Physical Dimensions
Overall Size
13 ” W x 14 .5”   D x 12” H
Weight
< 38 l bs.
L1534 Revision B December 2004

Appendix D Service Event Codes

CODE DESCRIPTION
1 MSP got an unr e c ognized packet from IOP
2 IOP did not r emove the high priorit y packet last sent to it
3 IOP did not send the event packet in time
4 MSP detected a checksum er ror in a high priori ty packet
5 MSP detected too many checksum er ro rs in lo pr iori ty communications
6 MSP unknown breath phase
7 MSP unknown mode
8 MSP unknown breath typ e
9 An msp task didn’t run. Detected by the backgnd ta sk.
10 userint task got an invalid enumeration for a switch or an alarm
11 Servos detected an invalid servo type
1 2   TEPRO M   detected checksum er ror in tur bine eeprom
13 All required queues we re not active on powe r up
14 A queued "pass around" message did not get back
15 A queued "pass around" message was responded b y the wrong task
16 The queue of IO P messages was full
17 Turbine out of control, flo w para m eter
18 Turbine out of control, speed par a m eter
19 Turbine out of control, exhl pressure param eter
20 Turbine out of control, turb pressure param eter
21 Indicates a problem wi th the spee d encoder
22 Indicates a problem wi th the tur bine differential pr essure transduce r
23 The turbine is running in reverse
24 The O2 sensor is disconnected
25 Ambient air reading is too low
26 The 100 % cal A/D reading is too low
27 The A/D readings never stabilized during a calibration
28-39 UNUSED
40 MSP code ran awa y, hit runa wa y trap, CPU can't r ecover
41 MSP addressed a nonresponsive memor y/dev ice or a none xistant memory/ device
42 IOP did not interr upt MSP wi thin 2.1ms
43 MSP undefined interrupt err or
44 MSP invalid opcode error
45 MSP spurrious interrupt erro r
46 MSP divide by z ero interrupt
47 MSP parity e rror
4 8   U N U S E D
49 MSP watchd og p al error
50 MSP BACKG ND task found a ROM checksum error
51 MSP INTO instru ction executed, o v erflow flag was set
52 MSP GP fault
53 MSP Stack fault
54 MSP Bound err o r
55 MSP task MSG tried to enqueue a message, but the message queue was full
56 MSP configuration key was rem oved or changed
57-59 UNUSED
60 MSP discovered that there was no cal data
61 Transducer f ault occurred
62 User svt calibration failed
63 User interface could not use settings from non-volatile ram
64 Vent   power ed-up
65 Self reset occurred
66 Turbine S/N in eeprom doesn 't m atch teprom
67 AC powe r alarm occurred
68 External battery alarm occurred
69 Internal batte r y medium alarm occurred
L1534 Revision B December 2004
110 Vela Ventilator s
70-199 UNUSED
200 MSP POST: CPU command failure
201 MSP POST: CPU timer failure
202 MSP POST: Internal RAM failure
203 MSP POST: Ext ernal DPRAM failure
204 MSP PO ST: Program Memo ry   C hecksum calcu l ation failure
205 IOP e xecuted unused code space
206 IOP Background checksum test fa iled
2 0 7   I OP c h e c k s u m
2 0 8   I OP c h e c k s u m
209 IOP e xternal 32k sram failure
210 Three consecutive exhalat ion pressure mismatches
211 Three consecutive exhal ation flow mismatches
212 Three consecutive turbine pressure mismatches
213 Three consecutive internal batter y charge mismatches
214 Three consecutive external batte r y charge mismat ches
215 Three consecutive oxygen pres mismatches
216 Three consecutive temperatu re mi smatches
217 Three consecutive exhalat ion valve DAC mismatches
218 Three consecutive turbine DAC mismatches
219 Three consecutive 48 vo lt supply mismatches
220 Three consecutive O2 m onitor voltage mismatches
221 Three consecutive internal refe ren c e voltage mism atches
222-229 UNUSED
230 IOC OMM: No se rvo data for t he DACs written to memory
231 IOC OMM: A/D data not ret rieved from memor y
232 IOC OMM: Incorrect checksum
233 IOC OMM: Illegal command
234 IOC OMM: Incorr ect packet size
235 IOC OMM: Incorr ect command ha ndler called
236 IOC OMM: Para meter was out of range
237 IOC OMM: IOP did not receive an MSP packet for ov er 100 ms
238 No MSP sync wi t hin 2sec of IOP post finished
239-247 UNUSED
248 IOP discovered a fan failure
249 IOP discovered a fan failure condition has ended
250 Three consecutive IOP discovered DAC loop-back f ailure
251 IOP discovered p ower supply over -temp
252 IOP discovered DAC loop-back is ok
253 IOP discovered p ower supply is ok

L1534 Revision B December 2004
Operat ors Ma nu al Appendix D Ev ent Codes   111
L1534 Revision B December 2004

Glossary
Breath Int erval   Elaps ed time fr om the start of on e breath to t he st art of the next.
Pres et An o pe r at or se t ventilat or par ameter.
Trigg er Value at w hic h the v entilat or in itiat es del ivery of a br eath as a res ult of
measur ed p ati ent eff ort.
BTPS Body Tem pera t ure at A mb ie nt Press ure, S at urat ed.
ATPD Ambi e nt Temp erature, Am bi e nt Pressure, Dr y.
Dem a nd Fl ow The flow ge nerated by the ve ntilator to me et the pati ent’s fl ow dem a nd
in or d er to mai ntai n PE EP at the pres et leve l.
PEEP Posit ive E n d Expir atory Pres s ure.
AC Alter natin g Cur rent (mai ns e le ctricity).
Bias Flo w A contin uo us fl ow thro ug h the pati ent breath i ng c ircuit.
Bpm Bre aths per m i nute.
Breath P eri od The l en gth of time b etw ee n mach in e-i nit iat ed bre aths. De pe nds on the
Breath Rate setting.
Breath R ate The num b er of breaths de liv er ed in a m in ute.
BTPD Body Tem pera t ure at A mb ie nt Press ure, Dry
Button A push button switch used t o toggle a function on or off.
cmH 2O Centim eters of water pressure .
Controls Any butto n, to u ch scr ee n icon, switch, or kn o b that all o ws y ou to
modify the ven t ila to r’s behavior.
Event An a no ma lo us condit io n that occurs durin g ve ntilator op er ati on.
Flow The r ate at w hi ch gas is de liv ered. Me as ured in liter s per min ute (l pm).
Indi cato rs A visual el eme nt sh owin g ope r ation al stat us.
L Liters. A unit of volume.
LED Li ght Emittin g Diod e
L/min Liters per minute. A unit of flow.
Mode An o pe r ati n g state of the ventil ator th at deter min es th e all o wabl e
breath types.
Monitor ed P ar ameter A me asur e d valu e disp laye d i n the scre en.
O2 Oxygen
Patient Breathi ng Circuit The tubi ng that prov id es th e ventilat ory i nterface betwee n th e patie nt
an d ve nti lat or.
Paw Airw ay Pr essur e. Me asur e d i n cmH2O at the exhal ati on v al v e.
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual     113
PEEP See Positiv e E nd Expirat ory Pressur e.
PIP Peak Inspir atory Press ure . S hows the high est circuit pr essu re to
occur d uri ng in spirati on as measur e d at th e exha lat io n valv e . The
disp la y is updated a t the end o f in sp ira t io n.   PIP is not up date d fo r
sp on tane ou s bre at hs.
Pplat Platea u Pr essu re. Me asur e d d uri ng an In sp ir atory Hold m an euver.
Used to c alc ul ate Stat ic C om pli a nce. ( Cst).
PSIG Pounds pe r squ ar e in ch   gauge . 1 PSIG = .07 b ar
Sigh Breath A Vol um e C ontrolle d mac hi n e bre ath havin g a tid al v ol um e equa l to
on e-an d-a-h alf times ( 15 0 % of ) the cu rrent tid al v ol ume s etti ng.
User Verif icatio n Tests (U VT) A gro u p of test s to ch eck v entilator p erformance pri or to c o nn ecting
the v entilat or to a pati ent.
WOB Patient Wor k o f Breathi ng i. e. a me as ure of P atie nt Effort.

L1534 Revision B December 2004
114 Vela Ventilator s

Index
A
AC power · 71
active matrix LCD · 18
alarm window · 71, 72
alar ms check · 71
B
back light i n verter · 18, 20
battery status · 23
battery   tray · 26
breath rate · 71
breathing circuit · 5 8
C
calibrat i on curves · 15
co mp lete disassem b ly of the unit · 24
customer service · 100
D
dam p ener gasket · 39
DC power connector · 26
DC voltage · 96
differential pressure · 17
disconnect the   battery · 23
display · 71
drawings, diagrams and schem atics · 16
E
electronic · 18
ESD susceptible electrical co mponents · 23
exhalation s y stem · 17, 21
exhalation valve assemb ly · 38
external battery · 71
F
filter check · 57
filters · 16
flow delivery sy stem · 21
Flow Delivery S y stem · 17
flow sensor PCB · 37
G
green oxy g en nebulizer tub e · 32
H
high and low pressure oxygen fittings · 47
high pressure · 71
high pressure lim it · 71
I
inspirator y h ol d solenoid · 39
inspirator y h ol d valve · 18
inspirator y ti me · 71
intake and ou tput elbows · 47
J
J1 position on the main P CB · 35
L
leak test · 58
left panel · 28
light em itting diodes · 20
liquid cr y stal display · 19
M
main controller system · 20
maintenance schedules · 16
manifold base asse mbly · 40
L1534 Revision B December 2004
Service Manual     115
manomet er · 71
MAP · 71
memb rane key panels · 18
memb rane panel · 20
monitor perform ance · 71
monitored parameters · 71
mu ffler (output) · 5 0
N
NIST · 15
O
O2 sensor · 43
optical encoder · 18, 20
over pressure relief valve a ssemb ly · 48
oxy g en blendi ng s y stem · 18, 22
oxy g en diffuser tube · 41
P
PCMCIA card · 28
peak inspiratory pressure · 71
PEEP · 71
performance checklist · 73
PIP · 71, 72
pneum atic system · 17
power cable guard · 2 4
power fail check · 71
power PCB · 29
power sy stem · 20
power-on prob lem s · 96
R
rear panel · 44
resistive touch screen overlay · 18
right and left mu ffl er/filter assemblies · 50
S
safety check valve guard · 42
safety system · 18
service c alls · 99
sock filter (input) · 50
SVGA output ribbon cable · 25
switch check · 56
T
the main PCB · 34
three o-rings · 41
three visible o-rings · 41
tidal volum e · 71
tools & equip ment · 15
touch screen · 20
transform er · 96
turbine & m u ffler asse mbl y · 47
turbine gas delivery s y stem · 17
turbine m o tor driver PCB: · 49
U
UIM · 18, 19
umbrella valve · 39
W
watchdog timer · 21

L1534 Revision B December 2004

Multicore softwa development kit

2012-07-08T07:46:00.001-07:00

Introduction
Multicore digital signal processors (DSPs) are
starting to find increasing acceptance in various
market segments, including test and measure -ment, mission critical, industrial automation,
medical and high-end imaging equipment, and
high-performance computing.    As processing
demands of these applications continue to
increase, Texas Instruments has responded with
a new generation of scalable, high-performance
TMS320C66x multicore DSPs. The C66x devices
are based on TI’s KeyStone architecture which
is the platform for true multicore innovation
by providing full processing capability to every
core in a multicore device. TI’s C66x high
performance DSPs include pin-compatible and
scalable devices available in one, two, four and
eight-core configurations.
Multicore software
development kit
TI has taken a very holistic view of the multicore DSP programming model and has developed
an extensible suite of tools and software to enable rapid development on TI’s multicore
DSP platform. This paper introduces TI’s Multicore Software Development Kit (MCSDK)
by outlining the various software packages available, along with utilities and tool chains that
can aid programmers in development for high-level operating systems such as Linux, and the
real time operating system SYS/BIOS.
Sanjay Bhal
Strategic marketing manager,
Multicore and Media
Infrastructure business
Raj Sivarajan
Software engineering manager,
Multicore and Media
Infrastructure business
Raghu Nambiath
Software design engineer,
Multicore and Media
Infrastructure business
W H I T E   P A P E R
MCSDK benefits
TI’s MCSDK aims to provide a software development environment that enables rapid
development and faster time to market with TI’s high-performance multicore DSP platforms.
The MCSDK accomplishes this goal by:
•   Providing   well-integrated   and   tested   common   software    layers   to    the   customer   so    that
    customers do not have to develop common layers from scratch. For example, TI’s
    MCSDK integrates and tests various drivers to configure and control various on-chip
    peripherals and accelerators. Customer can use the driver interfaces to enhance on-chip
    input and output (I/O) mechanisms and acceleration. Since the software is optimized for the
    device, customers using the MCSDK benefit through optimum performance entitlement.
   •   Integrating    support    for    the   SYS/BIOS   real    time    operating   system    and   Linux    high    level
    operating system.
   •   Providing   well-defined   application    programming    interface   for    ease    of    programming    as
    well as future portability on TI’s scalable multicore DSP platforms. For example, the APIs
    provided for intracore communication can be scaled to support two, four or eight core
    versions of TI’s multicore DSPs without any code changes. The same APIs can also be
    used to realize inter-device communication using industry standard IOs like Serial RapidIO
®
.
   •   Documenting    examples   to    enable   programmers    to    develop    their    application.   These
    examples will provide help in running RTOS on multiple cores as well as running RTOS
    and HLOS simultaneously on multiple cores. The examples will showcase application
    scenarios and enable customers to develop new applications, and also provide a migration
    path from single core to multicore system or vice versa.
   •   Integrating    with   TI’s   tools    like   Code    Composer    Studio
™
as well as TI’s third party tools
    ecosystem.
Multicore software development kit     May 2011
2 Texas Instruments
Linux MCSDK
Fig. 1 – TI’s MCSDK components
The following picture (Figure 1) aims to provide overview of the MCSDK and various components
described above.
TI’s MCSDK is actually comprised of two software ecosystems. The first ecosystem is based on Linux, and
the second one is based on SYS/BIOS. Both include all of the foundational software to get a customer started
with development quickly and easily. Each ecosystem includes mechanisms for programming multicore
devices (e.g. interprocessor communication) and can be used independently or in combination on different
cores of the same device. The following sections will provide an overview of each MCSDK component.
The Linux Multicore Software Development Kit (MCSDK) provides the necessary foundation for support of
a Linux ecosystem on TI’s C66x generation of high performance, multicore DSPs. The kit includes a ready-to-use Linux kernel, drivers, sample applications, and verified tools for customer product development. The Linux
MCSDK is available as an open source distribution at www.linux-c6x.org and includes pre-built binaries
ready to run on reference platforms to demonstrate the capability of TI high performance multicore DSPs.
In general, Linux for C66x multicore DSPs is intended to be a collaborative, community-driven effort among
C66x multicore customers and independent developers and vendors to engage and strengthen the overall
development ecosystem. Multiple participants are currently involved in development and upstream alignment
for both kernel and tool chain. This includes CodeSourcery (now part of Mentor Embedded
™
) for GCC tool
chain and Linux developers well known to the kernel community.
Code
Composer
Studio
™
Eclipse
Third
party
plug-in
Editor Polycore
ENEA
Optima
3L
Critical
Blue
Codegen
Profiler
Debugger
Remote
debug
System
analyzer
Visualization
Multicore Software Development Kit
SYS/BIOS
multicore demo
Demonstration
SYS/BIOS Linux
Linux
mulitcore demo
Libraries – DSPLIB, Image, Math, Media, Simulink
Inter Core communication
Host computer
XDS 560 V2
XDS 560 Trace
Target board
Peripheral drivers
Linux,
SYS/BIOS demo
Operating system with boot loader
Multicore programming model
Silicon entitlement
Multicore software development kit     May 2011
3 Texas Instruments
Ecosystem
components
Inter Process
Communication
Tools
GCC tool
chain
(C/C++)
complier
Binutils
GDB
Debugger
Code
Composer
Studio
TI codegen
tools
(C/C++)
compiler
Demo and applications
Customer
applications
Open
SSL lib
Polar
SSL lib
IPC user
land lib
Drop
bear
Net
SNMP lib
HTTPD
CPU
Emulation Host computer Target platform
Memory
NAND
Flash
HyperLink SRIO
Hardware
PCIs GPIO UART SPI Ethernet
Busybox
Virtio FE
driver
Scheduler
NAND file
system
IPC driver
Device control
Kernel
Standard packages
Virtio
bridge
Network file
system
Networking
protocols
Linux to
BIOS
OOB demo
Linux to
Linux
Fig. 2 – Software ecosystem components for Linux MCSDK
One of the key programming requirements for multicore architectures is to have efficient communication
across the various cores. TI’s Linux MCSDK includes support for communication across the cores running
SYS/BIOS as well as other Linux cores, providing flexibility to address a range of potential product needs.
IPC between cores
TI’s Linux MCSDK includes an Inter Process Communication (IPC) driver through SYS/Link module to
communicate between cores running Linux High Level Operating System (HLOS) and multiple cores running
the SYS/BIOS Real Time Operating System (RTOS). An expected use case is to have control code running
on the Linux core while signal processing applications are executed on the BIOS cores. The software
Support for the Linux ecosystem is expected to be a key enabler for a richer set of high-performance
applications enabling customers to easily bring up their platforms based on TI C66x multicore DSPs.
Overall, the infrastructure allows customers to reduce cost of development and focus on increasing their
value proposition by adding market-driven applications.
The Linux MCSDK uses a uClinux-type kernel because its smaller footprint is ideally suited for multicore
DSP development. In addition, the Linux MCSDK includes device drivers to enable access to all peripherals
within the DSP, which will also vary based on the actual DSP. Figure 2 highlights peripherals and drivers that
will be supported for KeyStone devices.
Software
development tools
“Out-of-the-box”
demo experience
on TI’s C66x EVM
Multicore software development kit     May 2011
4 Texas Instruments
Fig. 3 – IPC usage in the case of multiple Linux Instances
architecture will allow the host core running Linux to distribute signal processing across multiple cores while
also continuing to do other tasks without blocking. SYS/Link IPC module provides MessageQ support for
sending and receiving variable length messages across multiple cores.
As highlighted in Figure 3, Linux MCSDK will also enable multiple instances of Linux running across cores
within a single DSP using virtIO which is a standardized Linux framework for IO virtualization.
The Linux MCSDK provides the user a number of options for compiler tools as well as debugging.
On the compiler side, GCC and binutils commonly used within the open source community are available for
C66x multicore DSPs through Mentor Embedded. In the case of applications such as signal processing code,
a developer would be able to derive higher performance using compilers from TI. Additionally, the GCC and
TI compilers are interoperable so that a developer could selectively use the TI compiler or GCC for different
parts of the application code and still retain the rest of the system built with GCC. This provides the user with
the flexibility to make trade-offs associated with code performance.
On debugging, applications in user mode can use GDB available through Mentor Embedded. For kernel
debugging or programs running without any operating system, JTAG-based debugging will be supported
using Debug Sprite from Mentor Embedded and CCS based debugger from TI.
A final component of the Linux MCSDK is the inclusion of “out-of-the-box” (OOB) demonstration software
and example applications. The OOB demonstration application includes a web-based interface that gives
users control panel access to an EVM through a PC connected over Ethernet to provide a variety of functions
after boot. In the initial releases, the control panel will provide an easy way for the user to update t he boot
loader and kernel. Later releases will include support for other basic functions that illustrate and demonstrate
capabilities associated with multicore, such as IPC communication between core running BIOS and/or Linux,
downloading and booting multicore applications, etc.
Virtio FE driver
Core 0 Core 1
AMP Linux #1
Virtio transport
Virtio FE driver
Virtio transport
Virtio
Bridge
AMP Linux #2
Virtio
Bridge
BIOS MCSDK
Multicore software development kit     May 2011
5 Texas Instruments
The BIOS Multicore Software Development Kit (MCSDK) provides core foundational building blocks in an
integrated fashion to facilitate application software development on TI’s high performance multicore DSPs
using the SYS/BIOS real-time operating system. The BIOS MCSDK bundles all the key embedded software in a
single downloadable package and is available for free on TI’s website. Software included in the BIOS MCSDK
is in source form along with pre-built libraries, and it is distributed under a BSD license. In addition to the
foundational software elements, the BIOS MCSDK provides demonstration applications that utilize the
components and show how a customer can create an application using the BIOS MCSDK.
One of the driving considerations in designing the organization of the BIOS MCSDK was to simplify the
development flow across platforms as well as consider customer migration across TI devices. TI understands
that customers may have multiple products with common software that span different devices, and the migration
strategy to leverage their software investment on existing and future TI devices is an important consideration. An
example of this flow is to begin by running the included TI demonstration software on the TI evaluation platform,
migrate the demonstration to the customer platform, then bring up the customer application on the customer
platform. One additional step is to port this application to the next generation TI architecture (Figure 4).
BIOS MCSDK uses TI Code Composer Studio
™
(CCS) as the Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
For software updates, BIOS MCSDK utilizes the Eclipse update feature to automate discovery and installation
of new software via CCS.
Fig. 4 – Porting an application to TI’s next generation SoC platform
Demo applications
EDMA
Etc.
LLD IPC
Network
development
kit
CSL
Tools
(UIA)
Customer
platform
Demo applications
EDMA
Etc.
LLD IPC
CSL
Tools
(UIA)
Demo applications
No modification is required
May be used as is or customer can
add modifications for their value-add
Needs to be modified or replaced
with customer version
TI demo application on
TI evaluation platform
TI demo applications
on customer platform
Customer application
on customer platform
Customer application
on next generation
TI SoC platform
EDMA
Etc.
LLD IPC
CSL
Demo applications
EDMA
Etc.
LLD IPC
CSL
Tools
(UIA)
Tools
(UIA)
Next generation
TI platform
Customer
platform
Network
development
kit
Network
development
kit
TI platform
Network
development
kit
Software
overview
The software components (Figure 5) in BIOS MCSDK can be categorized into the following:
   •   Device-specific    software   drivers
   •   Platform-specific    software
   •   Core    target   software
   •   Demonstrations    and   tools
6 Texas Instruments
Multicore software development kit     May 2011
Device-Specific Software Drivers – This set of software includes chip support library, low level drivers, platform
library and transports. The software in this set is focused on simplifying access to the device hardware, including
accelerators, and is offered as a minimum layer API for application development.
Platform-Specific Software – This software provides example implementations of platform-specific func -tionality for use with TI reference platforms, but with the intent to be used as an example for customer platform
development activities.
The Platform Library abstracts the platform using a common API to simplify migration across devices. It provides
software utilities to control hardware parts (e.g., EEPROM, FLASH, UART) and performs platform/device initialization.
The Platform Library API is leveraged by common tools spanning different platforms. These include EEPROM
writer, NAND/NOR writer, and Power-On Self Test. Thus, to add these tools for a new device or platform, the work
is isolated to adding a Platform Library unique to that hardware. As with other components, the Platform Library
comes with a unit test application that can be used when porting the module to a new platform.
Core target content – This set of software provides the next level of functionality and includes the real-time
embedded operating system, inter-processor communication for communication across cores and devices, basic
networking stack and protocols, optimized application-specific algorithm libraries, and instrumentation tools.
One key multicore enabler includes inter-processor communication to enable efficient communication across
cores and devices using shared memory (inter-core communication) and peripherals such as sRIO, PCIe for
inter-device communication. Interprocessor communication mechanism and API provide support for explicit
threading multicore programming models. A common IPC interface also allows for easier movement of application
processing nodes across core and or devices as required for a multicore application design and optimization.
A second key enabler is instrumentation tools which are critical for providing a user visibility into application
execution, and the ability to analyze and optimize for performance. BIOS MCSDK includes a System Analyzer tool that
Demonstration applications
Algorithm libraries
HUA/OOB
MathLIB
Software framework componets
Interprocessor
Communications (IPC)
Chip Support Library (CSL)
Hardware
Low Level Driver (LLDs)
Instrumentation
tools (UIA, DVT)
IMGLIB MathLIB DSPLIB
SYS/BIOS
RTOS
Platform Library
POST
Bootloader
Communication protocols
TCP/IP Network
Development Kit (NDK)
Image processing
CPPI
QMSS
NETCP-PA
HyperLink
SRIO
TSIP
EDMA3
PCIe
Platform software
Fig. 5 – Software components of the BIOS MCSDK
7 Texas Instruments
Multicore software development kit     May 2011
Fig. 6 – BIOS MCSDK System Analyzer tool
Fig. 7 – High-performance DSP Utility Application (HUA)
defines a set of APIs that allow instrumentation code to be inserted into the software in a portable manner that can be
reused across a wide range of TI platforms. An example of the graphical output of one application is below (Figure 6).
Demonstrations and tools – This set of software spans multiple devices and provides examples,
demonstrations and tools that build on top of the above software. The BIOS MCSDK includes demonstration
applications which are intended to serve as an example and show how to use foundational software to build
multicore applications. Demonstrations available for download in the current release include an “out of box”
application that showcases some key components of the BIOS MCSDK, and an image processing application
that displays multicore signal processing.
Tools include a common boot loader, FLASH and EEPROM writers, power-on self test for an evaluation board,
multicore/multi-image boot tool, and brief examples to boot from different modes (e.g., NAND/NOR, EMAC, SRIO).
Out of box demo
The “out of box” demo for BIOS MCSDK is the high-performance DSP Utility Application (HUA) which is
provided as a CCS project. Through illustrative code and web pages, it demonstrates how you can interface
your own DSP application to the various BIOS MCSDK software elements including SYS/BIOS, Network
Development Kit (NDK), the Chip Support Library (CSL), and Platform Library.
Upon execution, the HUA implements a web server that allows a user to connect via Ethernet to the
platform with a PC. The HUA allows a user to perform a variety of functions, such as read/write flash,
diagnostics, or provide statistics and information. Through illustrative code and web pages, it demonstrates
how you can interface your own DSP application to the various BIOS MCSDK software elements including
SYS/BIOS, Network Development Kit (NDK), the Chip Support Library (CSL), and Platform Library (Figure 7).
Image processing demo
Demonstrations
A042210
Important Notice: The products and services of Texas Instruments Incorporated and its subsidiaries described herein are sold subject to TI’s standard terms and
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(IPC message Q)
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A New Fully Integrated Power Module for Three-Phase Servo Motor Driver Applications

2012-07-08T07:41:00.002-07:00

1 www.irf.com

A New Fully Integrated Power Module for Three-Phase
Servo Motor Driver Application

Davide Giacomini, Enrico Bianconi, Luca Martino, Marco Palma
International Rectifier Corporation
corso Novara, 17, Venaria, TO 10078 (Italy)
Abstract
Today’s solution for Motor Control Applications
require more flexibility and a higher level of in-tegration that could be achieved only through
specialized products. In this paper a new family
of Intelligent Power Modules developed for Servo
Motor Drive Application is presented. The
module’s architecture includes several key de-sign features needed in these applications, such
as motor phase current sensing, DC bus voltage
control and short circuit protections while the
embedded DSP allows easy realization of the
current loop and even speed loop at the module
level without any exte rnal components.
INTRODUCTION
Today’s Servo Motor Driver application require
an increasing level of performances in a usually
limited space, integrated motor-control systems
(so called IMD i.e. Integrated Motor Drivers) are
becoming the real challenge for the future; the
benefit of this new approach has to be seen in a
lower system cost, by eliminating separated pack-aging and long cables, as well as in a cost effec-tive performances improvement thanks to the
easier matching of the motor – driver system and
EMI reduction due to the elimination of long and
noisy connections between the two parts.
     Power products today available on the mar-ket give motor driver manufacturer the opportu-nity to design their own driver, though still leave
the designer all control electronics to be defined
and designed, so called IPMs (i.e. Intelligent
Power Modules) often integrate IGBTs, Diode
and Gate Drivers while only few of them also
provide Current Sensing and fault/protection
feedback.
     The PI-IPMTM here presented is a new gen-eration Intelligent Power Module designed spe-cifically to implement itself a complete motor
driver system, the device contains all peripher-als needed to control a six IGBTs inverter, in-cluding voltage, temperature and current output
sensing, completely interfaced with a 40Mips
DSP, the TMS320LF2406A from Texas Instru-ments. All communications between the DSP and
the local host, including DSP software installing
and debugging, is realized through an asynchro-nous isolated serial port, either a CAN bus or an
isolated port for incremental encoder inputs is
also provided making this module a complete user
programmable solution connected to the system
only through a serial link cable.
     In the following we will describe the first de-vices realized and tested in our laboratories, Table
1 lists all features and Power rating of these first
samples.
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The PI-IPM
TM
is realized in two distinct parts:
the Power Module “EMP
TM”
(“EcoManyPack
TM
,”
to recall the idea of different configurations avail-ability) and the Embedded Driving Board
“EDB,” these two elements assembled together
Table 1: PI-IPM Features and Power Rating
IGBTs Collector-Emitter voltage
IGBTs continuous collector current
@T
C
=85 C
Diodes Continuous Fwd Current
@T
C
=85 C
Sensing resistors
Embedded DSP
Interfaces
Diodes reverse breakdown voltage
TMS320LF2406A
SCI
Incremental Encoder
1200 V
50 A
1200 V
50 A
2 mOhm
constitute the complete device with all
performances described in the following.
Before analyzing those two sections we
glance at the total block schematic showing all
function implemented in the product, as
represented in fig. 1. The new module concept
includes everything depicted within the dashed
line, the power module only includes IGBTs,
Diodes and Sensing Resistors while all remaining
electronics is assembled on the EDB that is fitted
on the top of it as its cover with also a mechanical
protection function.
Connections between the two parts are realized
through a standard connector from AMP, this
particular solution has been chosen not only to
speed up and ease the final product assembly in
the manufacturing line but also to maintain a
certain flexibility, always considered a big plus in
the motor driver market. In fact the EDB only,
without disassembling the power module from the
system mechanic, could be easily substituted “on
site” for an upgrade, a system configuration
change (different control architecture) or a board
replacement. Also software upgrades are possible
but this does not even require any hardware
changes thanks to the DSP programmability
through the serial or JTAG port.

THE “EMP
TM
” POWER MODULE
This module contains six IGBTs + HexFreds
Diodes in a standard inverter configuration. IGBTs
used are the new NPT 1200V-50A (current rating
measured @ 100C), irgc50b120kb generation V
from International Rectifier; the HexFred diodes
have been designed specifically as pair element for
these power transistors and the coupled part is the
hf50d120ace. Thanks to the new design and
technologic realization, this gen V devices do not
need any negative gate voltage for their complete
turn off and the tail effect is also substantially
reduced compared to competitive devices of the
same family. This feature simplifies the gate
driving stage as will then be described in a
dedicated chapter. Another not standard feature in
this type of power modules is the presence of
sensing resistors in the three output phases, for
precise motor current sensing and short circuit
protections, as well as another resistor of the same
value on the DC bus minus line, needed only for
device protections purposes.

Complete schematic of the EMP
TM
module is
shown in fig. 2 where sensing resistor have been
clearly evidenced, a thermal sensor is also
embedded and directly coupled with the DSP
inputs.
The package chosen is mechanically
compatible with the well known EconoPack
outline, also the height of the plastic cylindrical
nuts for the external PCB positioned on its top is
the same, so that, with the only re-layout of the
main motherboard, this module could be swapped
into the same mechanical fixing of the standard
Econo II package thus speeding up the device
evaluation in an already existing driver.

An important feature of this new device is the
presence of Kelvin points for all feedback and
command signals between the board and the
module, because of this the standard EconoPack
pin out couldn’t be used and a total redesign of the
package has been done. The cost of a non-common
configuration is however balanced by the
advantage of having all emitter and resistor
sensing points independent from the power path
giving the tremendous result of having all low
power signal from/to the controlling board
unaffected by parasitic inductances or resistances
inevitably present in the module power layout.
Fig. 2: EMP
TM
Power Module Schematic
Fig. 1: PI-IPM
TM
block diagram
Without this effort the realization of the system
would have been seriously compromised because
of false voltages spikes and voltages levels seen at
the DSP input pins though filtered by conditioning
circuitry.
The new package outline is depicted on fig. 3,
where the signal and power pins are clearly shown
and recognizable.
Fig. 4 shows the module layout, clearly
evident are the sensing resistors on the three output
phases and the DC bus minus, note that, because
of high current spikes on those inputs, the DC bus
power pins are doubled in size comparing to the
other power pins. Module technology uses the
standard and well know DBC: over a thick Copper
base an allumina (Al
2O3
) substrate with a 300?m
copper foil on both side is placed and IGBTs and
Diodes dies are directly soldered, through screen
printing process. These dies are then bonded with
a 15 mils aluminum wire for power connections
and 6 mils wire for signal connections. All
components are then completely covered by a
silicone gel with mechanical protection and
electrical isolation purposes.

THE “EDB” EMBEDDED DRIVING BOARD
This is the core of the device intelligence, as
previously described all control and driving
functions are implemented at this level, the board
finds its natural placement as a cover of the
module itself and has a double function of
mechanical enclosure and intelligent interface.
DSP and all other electronics are here assembled,
on fig. 5 the board schematic is presented and all
connection pins clearly shown.
Looking at the schematic, all diamond shaped
pins are signal connections, some belonging to the
RS485 port interface and some to the IEEE 1149.1
(JTAG) connector. All other pins are used for
communication between the board and the module,
they are positioned laterally in the board so that
the module doesn’t have any pins in the middle of
Fig. 3: the EMP
TM
package
Fig. 4: the inverter configuration layout
its body, in this way all PCB internal area is
available for components mounting and copper
lines layouting, to ease the board realization.
From the top left, in anti-clockwise direction
we identify the following blocks that will be then
described in details:
1. DSP and opto isolated serial and JTAG
ports
2. Flyback Power Supply
3. Current Sensing interfaces, over-current
protections and signal conditioning
4. Gate drivers
5. DC bus and Input voltage feedback

1. DSP and opto isolated serial and JTAG
ports.
This block is shown in fig. 6. The DSP used in
this application is the new TMS320LF2406A from
TI, it is a improvement of the well known in the
motor driver market “F240” used in many motor
driver applications. If we compare this new device
with the predecessor, the new DSP has some

Table 2: TMS320LF2406A vs TMS320F240
‘F2406 ‘F240
MIPS
RAM
Flash
ROM
Boot ROM
Ext. Memory I/F
Event manager
• GP timers
• CMP/PWM
• CAP/QEP
Watchdog timer
10-bit ADC
• Channels
• Conv. time (min)
SPI
SCI
CAN
Digital I/O pins
Voltage range

40
2.5Kw
32Kw
—
256w
—
Yes
4
10/16
6/4
Yes
Yes
16
500ns
Yes
Yes
Yes
37
3.3V

20
544w
16Kw
—
—
Yes
Yes
3
9/12
4/2
Yes
Yes
16
6.6?s
Yes
Yes
—
28
5 V


Fig. 5: Embedded Driving Board Block Schematic
added features that let the software designer
significantly improve the system control
performances, tab. 2 shows a list of relevant data,
for all other information the reader should refer to
the related device datasheet. Just to be noted here
is the increased number of instruction per second,
(40MIPS) and of I/O pins, the availability of a
boot ROM and a CAN, a much faster ADC and the
reduced supply voltage from 5V down to 3.3V, to
follow the global trend for this type of products.
The choice of the DSP has been done looking at
the high number of applications already existing in
the market using devices of this family, however it
is clear that the same kind of approach could be
followed using products from different suppliers to
let the customer work on its preferred and well
known platform.

The “2406A” has three different serial interfaces
available: SCI, SPI, and CAN bus. In this first
prototypes the serial communication is made
through the asynchronous port while three other
opto-isolated lines are occupied by the hall effect
sensor interface fed directly to the first three DSPs
input capture ports. Maximum bit rate for this
asynchronous serial port is 2.5Mbps while the SPI
(synchronous) could reach 10Mbps. The choice of
the SCI has been taken for easy interfacing with a
standard computer serial port, the only component
needed is a line driver to adapt the RS232 voltage
standard with the RS485 at 3.3V used on this
application. In this case the 100kbps PC RS232
port speed is not enough to handle the system
control properly but somewhat adequate for
demonstration purposes in a simple V/F control for
induction motors. In a real application with a
Brushless motor usually 1Mbps are far enough to
transmit all information needed for the torque
reference updates and other fault and feedback
signals at a maximum frame rate of 10kHz
(100bits/frame), in this way the on-board line
driver let us use long connecting wires instead of
short copper lines in a PCB, leaving the user the
possibility of having the PI-IPM
TM
displaced near
the motor, e.g. in its connecting box, avoiding long
ad noisy three phase cables between driver and
load.
The JTAG port is the standard one, neither
isolation nor signal conditioning are provided here
and all signal, except the Tck-ret, are directly
connected from the related DSP pins to the
connector; however, due to the limited board
space, the connector used in not the standard 14
pins at two rows header, then an adaptor has to be
realized to connect it to the JTAG adapter interface
provided by Texas Instruments.
Last but not least is the ADC speed and load
characteristic: as the table shows the conversion
time is 500ns, in fact this DSP has a single ADC
handling, in time sharing, all 16 inputs, then, if all
inputs are used and need to be converted, the total
conversion time for all inputs, which is a fixed
delay to wait for before having all data updated, is
around 8?s. The other characteristic to be carefully
taken into account is the capacitive load that the
input pin shows when the conversion is being
performed: accordingly to the device datasheet this
load is around 20pF, then, with an easy
calculation, whatever feeding this pin has to be
able to provide (within 500ns) the needed current
to this capacitor without showing a voltage
dropout higher than ½ LSB. Because of this in
many cases a further capacitor was inserted
between the ADC input pin and ground with a
value calculated as follows:

nF pF C 41
2
10 * 125 . 3
)
2
10 * 125 . 3
20 . 3 (
* 20 min
3
3
?
?
?
?
?


We used in all this cases a 47nF capacitor; the
added benefit is also that, in this way, we reduced
the local impedance towards ground thus
increasing the immunity to noise of all these pins.
Fig. 6: DSP and opto-isolated serial and JTAG ports

2. Flyback Power Supply
Though the board space is pretty limited (only
80mm X 44mm ca.) we found enough space to
accommodate a power supply for the floating
stages. The real limit however was the footprint
dimension, we couldn’t allocate more than a 10
pins (2 row of 5) transformer thus limiting the
maximum number of outputs to four. As the block
schematic in fig. 7 shows, we have three 15V
outputs for the floating stages, isolated from each
other at 1.5kV minimum, and a single 5V and
3.3V output.
The 5V supplies all low voltage electronics
and a 3.3V linear regulator is used to feed the DSP
and some analog and logic interfaces to it. This 5V
and 3.3V are directly referred to the DC bus
minus, so that all control circuitry is alternately at
one of the input lines potential, isolation (as
previously stated) is provided at the DSP serial
link level, then avoiding all delays due to opto
couplers insertion between DSP and control logic.
Note that also the required 15V input voltage is
referred to the same DC bus minus and directly
supplies the low side gate drivers stages, this is
necessary because of the already mentioned
limited space on the transformer footprint, then the
user should pay some attention on how this supply
line is realized in his application. Just for
completeness, fig. 8 gives a possible solution to
that that doesn’t impact heavily on the user
application: normally a 5V power supply is
already present, for displays, electronics and micro
processor, the same 5V could be used for the 5V
iso supply of opto-couplers and line driver, the
15V could be realized as an added winding in the
secondary side of the flyback transformer, the only
care that should be taken is in keeping its isolation
from the above mentioned 5V at the required level
(at least 1.5kV).
To avoid noise problems in the measuring
lines due to the commutating electronics during
normal functioning of the system, references are
kept separated. A 5V linear regulator, directly
supplied from the 15V input, is used to provide the
reference voltage to the current sensing amplifying
and conditioning components while a precise op-amp, configured as a voltage follower, acts as a
buffer of the partition at 3.20V created down the
5V reference. This 3.20V is used as a reference for
the DSP A/D converter. It is to be noted that in the
schematic we are using the same linear regulator
as a starting point for all reference voltages. In fact
if the 5V linear regulator derives in temperature or
time, then all references (even the 3.20V being this
a simple partitioning) follow in track and still keep
the overall chain precision. The trimming is then
done only once, in a single point of the measuring
chain, that is the conditioning op-amp collecting
the current sensing ICs signal as will be described
in the following chapter.

3. Current sensing interfaces, over-current
protections and signal conditioning.
This block is the real critical point of the
system. Current measuring performances directly
impact on motor control performances in a servo
application: errors in current evaluation, delay in
its measuring chain or poor overall precision of the
system, such as scarce references or lower number
of significant A/D bits, inevitably results in
unwanted trembling and unnatural noise coming
from the motor while running at lower speed or at
blocked shaft conditions.
Fig. 8: examples of power supply for PI-IPM
TM
15V and 5V iso inputs
Fig. 7: PI-IPM
TM
embedded flyback power supply
To avoid all these afore mentioned problems the
current sensing chain has to comply with usually
good performances that could be easily listed:

s s latency
kHz bandwidth
? ? 20 15
5
? ?
?

A common mistake is to look only at the band-with without taking too much care at the delay that
the information carries with it. This inevitably
leads to close the current loop with lower gains
than expected (to avoid instability and work with a
decent phase margin) and consequent poor
performances due to the limited system precision
in torque control. Most used devices for current
measuring are hall effect sensor, their precision
and bandwidth is far enough for a servo motor
driver application, closed loop ones have usually
100kHz BW measured at a phase lag of only
10deg, however their cost is pretty high and in
many cases also their dimensions does not fit in
the limited space available in the driver or in the
motor connection box.
Because of these simple reasons another
viable solution for current sensing is gaining
popularity: though not used for high current level,
because of power dissipation constraints, the
sensing resistor dropout measurement is still
adequate up to around 100A – 150A, with the
benefit of a lower area and somewhat a lower cost.
This is the solution chosen in the PI-IPM
TM
with
the added value of having the shunts element
embedded in the power module and all Kelvin
connections available.

As the block schematic in fig. 9 shows, the
voltage across each sensing resistor is applied,
through an anti-aliasing 400kHz filter, at the input
of a current sense IC. In this application we use the
HCPL788J because of their bandwidth, datasheet
shows 20kHz and we measured from these devices
a latency of 10?s at a frequency of around 3kHz.
As previously stated these performances are good
enough for servo-amplifier applications, these
integrated circuits also provide level shifting and
galvanic isolation through the internal high speed
opto-coupler; while the first function is essential
the second one is not really needed and useless in
this new type of intelligent power module where
isolation lies at the serial link level.
International Rectifier also has some current
sensing devices in its portfolio, however those
devices (e.g. IR2271 or IR2273) have been
developed for AC induction motor control and
their performances are not suitable for servo motor
driver application, driving a BLDC motor.
Signal outputted from the current sensing has a
0 to +5V dynamic, with a sensing resistor of
2mohms the input measured current range is +/-
100A then we have a situation as follows:

V A
V A
V A
0 . 5 100
5 . 2 00 . 0
0 . 0 100
? ?
?
? ?

The DSP ADC inputs have an external reference
of 3.20V then we must map this signal in a 0 –
3.20V frame and also filter the information to
recover the average value of the current flowing
to the motor phase. This is done in a single step:
though the block schematic shows a op-amp plus
an external passive filter this is simply realized
implementing a VCVS cell (i.e. a Constant Gain or
Sallen – Key cell) configured so that the offset and
gain could be trimmed by three on board resistors.
This is the setting point of all current measurement
chain: in a single easy step we set the precision
and recover the system offset through the
soldering of two SMD resistors in the op-amp
input lines, while the third one is used to re-center
the damping factor 2???and the resonant angular
frequency ?
?
of the second order filter.
The Sallen - Key cell is also pretty flexible and let
Fig. 9: Current Sensing and protections
us implement any type of second order (or even a
simple single order) low pass filter. We chose for
this first prototypes a second order Bessel filter
with 5kHz pole frequency, the reason for this is
that this type of polynomials are calculated with
the aim of having a constant group delay within
the pass-band frequencies, thus giving the
minimum waveform distortion to the output signal
up to almost twice the filter pole. In other hands
we could also say that the group delay of the signal
chain from the sensing resistor up to the ADC
input of the DSP is constant from 0 to 5kHz.
Summing up our current measurements
performances are shown in table 3.
By changing some resistors on PCB all parameters
could be changed: current range, type of filter,
pole frequency, leaving the flexibility of using the
same circuit for module of different power levels.
The “2406” DSP has a 10 bit ADC, that means
that, in our prototypes, the minimum appreciable
current step is approximately:

? ? ? 1953 . 0
2
100 * 2
10
LSB
That is

mA LSB 195 1 ?

Of course, reducing the maximum current range or
simply changing the sensing resistor value (for
lower power modules) this minimum current step
could be sensibly reduced.

Another used feature of the HCPL788J is the over-current output signal. The related fault pin goes
low when a 250mV voltage across sensing pins is
detected, this means an over-current detection
level of approximately 25%. Though the internal
opto-coupler the delay of this line is around 3?s
and fast enough to let the DSP react within the
10?s IGBTs short circuit rating, thus providing
full device protection for any phase-to-ground and
phase-to-phase short circuits. The only failure not
covered in this way is the cross through, where
high current levels are not seen externally the
module rather internally between two IGBTs of
the same leg. In this case the protection is
implemented by means of a fourth sensing
element, with the same resistive value of the other
shunts present in the power module, inserted in
series to the DC bus minus. The related dropout
voltage is then filtered by a 22kHz passive filter to
avoid false fault detections due to unwanted
induced voltage spikes and finally applied to an
operational amplifier configured as a comparator.

4. Gate Drivers
This is another critical part of the system, gate
drivers are responsible for correct turn on and turn
off of all inverter IGBTs, avoiding cross
conductions, false turn on during commutations
and dangerous propagation delays between input
signal and output commands. Devices used to
perform this task are the well-known IR2213,
capable of 2A sink and 2A source maximum gate
driving current, in a SO16W package; fig. 10
shows the block schematic of the gate driving
section of the module.
As previously described, the IGBTs used in
the PI-IPM
TM
(genV NPT 1200V - 50A from IR)
do not need any negative gate drive voltage for
their complete turn off, this simplifies the flyback
power supply design avoiding the need of center
tapped transformer outputs or the use of zener
diodes to create the central common reference for
the gate drivers floating ground. This is a big plus

Table 3: PI-IPM
TM
Current sensing
chain typical performances
value units
current range   +/- 100 A
precision 0.3 %
bandwidth 5 kHz
latency time 10 ?s
    ?
Fig. 10: Gate Drivers
remembering that the board space is very limited
and that drawing three electrically floating lines
instead of two (for each output phase) all across
the board is a potential source of increased noise
and isolation problems. Though the IR2213 do
have +/- 2A of gate current capability, an easy
calculation based on IGBTs gate charge, supported
by instrumental observation in the laboratories, led
us to use different gate resistor values for turn on
and turn off as follows:

ohm off turn
ohm on turn
6 . 7
33
? ?
? ?

Commonly realized through a diode-resistor series
in parallel with a single resistor used in turn on
only. Observed rise and fall times are around
250ns – 300ns depending on the output current
level and we considered this values pretty
adequate for a 50A application at 16kHz
symmetric PWM carrier, space vector modulation.

Contrarily to the current sensing devices, that are
opto-coupled, these gate drivers do provide levels
shifting without any galvanic isolation that is no
opto-couplers are built inside. This turns out to be
a major benefit in this stage where the usual 1?s
delay of optos impacts on the system control as a
systematic and fastidious delay. Only drawback of
these gate drivers is the 5V logic compatible inputs
that cannot be driven directly by the 3.3V logic
level DSP. This forced us to insert a level shifter
interface, 74HCT541 with the only purpose of
logic level adaptation. New gate drivers, a
substantial improvement of the IR2213, are
presently in development and will soon be
available to overcome this problem and also
simplify other aspect of the here described
schematic.

5. DC bus and Input voltage feedback
The purpose of this block is to continuously
check the voltage of the two supply lines of the
system: Vin and DC bus; it is shown in fig. 11.
Vin is the only external power supply needed for
all electronics in the EDB. The internal flyback
regulator has its own under-voltage lockout to
prevent all electronics from start working when an
insufficient supply voltage is present; this UVLO
is internally set at a typical voltage of 8.4V with an
hysteresys of approximately 0.8V, when this level
is reached the internal flyback turns on and the
board is alive. Remembering what described in the
previous chapter dedicated to the internal flyback
Power Supply, low side gate drivers are directly
fed from the Vin line and there is no further
control to this voltage than their own under-voltage lockout. This is typically set at 8.5V and
this level could be not sufficient to properly drive
the IGBT gates, then, through a standard resistor
divider, we check the Vin voltage and impose that
the system could start switching only when the Vin
voltage is between 10V and 18V thus providing
also an over-voltage control.

The DC bus voltage is also important for the
system functioning and needs to be continuously
kept under control, this is done through another
resistor divider that unfortunately is at high
voltage and had to be layouted on the EDB with a
particular care, unfortunately occupying some
precious space. The divider provides a partition
coefficient of 3.47mV/V, having the ADC
reference at 3.20V this yield a maximum mapped
voltage of:

V VDCbus 922
10 * 47 . 3
20 . 3
max _
3
? ?
?

As the block schematic shows, it has to be taken
into account that, to avoid false detections due to
voltage spikes inevitably present on the partitioned
voltage, a 1kHz passive filter has been inserted
between the divider and the voltage follower
buffer whose output is connected to one of the
ADC inputs. An easy calculation shows that the
precision reached in reading the DC bus voltage is:

V LSB 9 . 0
2
922
1
10
? ?

Which is more than enough for this purpose.
Fig. 11: DC bus and Input voltage feedback
PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD REALIZATION
AND COMMENTS
This so far described PI-IPM
TM
is a kind of
PEBB (i.e. Power Electronic Building Block) for
many motor driver applications and it is suitable
for any type of motor: Brush-less, Induction, and
Switched Reluctance. Because of the “on board”
presence of a high intelligence component such as
a DSP, it is also well positioned to become an
interesting component in many sensor-less
applications. Depending on the type of system in
which it is inserted, the performances level and
target cost should change to encounter the major
number of possible sockets in the market.
As already stated, one of the most important
features of this device is in fact flexibility, the
EDB could be designed and tailored to the
customer application, still leaving to the customer
the benefit of developing and downloading its own
proprietary software. However this is not such an
easy task and many critical factors challenge the
engineer in developing a good driving board for
this power module.
Fig. 12 and 13 show one of the first prototypes
realized and tested in our laboratories, their
performances evaluation and first experimental
results will be the subject of a further paper.
During the realization we faced two major
problems: isolation and noise of the environment.
The first was solved only through introducing
enough spacing between components and high
voltage copper lines, it was also in some cases
very helpful to add more layers in the PCB
stratification. The EDB is in fact a six layers
board: two internal layers are planes for ground
and supply voltages Vin and V5-iso; top, bottom
and a third layer are instead for low power signal
interconnections; the other remaining internal
layer is used for the high voltage floating lines of
gate drivers and current sense devices.
Components positioning is also a major issue,
some devices are noise and temperature sensitive
and cannot be placed in the board bottom side
while others are not so critical. Integrated circuits
such as the DSP and the current sensing have been
placed on top, following the above-mentioned rule,
while gate drivers and the flyback controller found
their socket on the bottom side.
Fig. 12: PI-IPM
TM
first prototypes
Not only the noise of the environment (IGBTs
switching in the underneath power module) is the
cause of potential problems but also the printed
circuit board itself. Some copper traces are a
relevant source of troubles, for example the
floating power supply lines of the high side gate
driver stages that are, in the system normal
operation, commutating between DC bus minus
and DC bus plus with a voltage swing of around
500V. In this case any inductive or capacitive
coupling, though very limited in absolute value,
could be enough to induce a considerable noise in
any analog high impedance line, thus inferring in
feedback and protection signals. Those 6 lines had
to be carefully drawn in the PCB layout, confined
in a single internal layer, and any crossing with
other lines in different layers was intentionally
forced to be perpendicular to reduce likely cross-talk of any type.
Again talking about the flyback power supply, also
its position in the printed circuit board is critical.
The controller is switching at 200kHz and
consequently is a relevant source of noise, having
sensitive devices (such as the current sensing and
the DSP) in the area is not advisable, then we
placed this block in one corner, at the opposite side
of the DSP and as much as possible away from any
other analog circuitry.

CONCLUSIONS
A new Intelligent Power Module, so called PI-IPM
TM
, using the well-known DBC technology has
been developed specifically for high performances
servo motor driver application. Thanks to its
considerable limited dimensions, it is particularly
suited for space saving solutions where the space
is a real constraint, such as Integrated Motor
Drivers or Motor Drivers of the new generation.
To include all functions and reach high-level
performances a new package, named EMP
TM
, has
been designed to accommodate the printed circuit
board on its top, with all needed connections for a
proper communication between the two parts.
With this new device a motor driver designer can
easily design and debug its system with an
excellent level of performances and a considerably
improved time to market.
Fig. 13: PI-IPM
TM
module and driving board

POWER POINTS TIPS

2012-07-08T07:37:00.002-07:00

POWER POINTS TIPS

Setting the Default Text Style
To change the style of the text that appears when you type things that aren't the title or the slide body, do the following:
Choose the first layout option and click in the title box. From the Format menu, select Font. Make all the changes that you want there, and then check default for new objects. Next click OK. From that point on, new text will be created in that font style and size.
Changing A Design Template
To change the design template for the title or slide body objects, on the menu select View…Title or Slide Master. Click the body of the slide then right click the slide and choose Group…Ungroup. Delete any part of the design you desire. Then right click and chooseGroup…Regroup. When completed choose the slide sorter view mode from the lower left-corner of the screen.
Using More than One Guide
If you like using guides, but wish there were more, you can create additional Guides by simply holding down the CTRL key while dragging on an existing Guide. This will create a new guide. To get rid of guides, just drag them off the edge of the slide.
Creating Pages with Slides and Descriptive Text
If you want to create printable pages that have notes or descriptive text associated each slide, PowerPoint has a feature designed to do just this called Notes Pages, or Speaker's Notes (depending on which version you're using). To view the Notes page for any slide, go to the View menu and select Notes Pages. You will see an image of your slide there, and a placeholder for adding your script, notes, or any other text you wish. You can cut-and-paste text from Word here if you like. To print these pages, bring up the Print dialog, and at the bottom of the dialog where it says "Print What:", select Notes Pages. These pages were originally designed to be used as audience hand outs. To return to the normal view click the Slide View button in the lower right corner.
Building Presentations for Distribution to Others

When making a PowerPoint presentation that will be distributed to other people, there are some important things to watch out for that will cause problems:

1. Stick with the fonts that come installed with Windows; Fancy fonts that appear on your machine will cause problems if everyone else doesn't have them.

2. Avoid embedding sounds and videos: these will not go from Mac to Windows gracefully, and you have to be very careful about how you insert the files in order to get them to "travel" properly. See the FAQ section for more information on this.

3. Design the presentation on the lowest version that you think might be in use. For example, if you want the presentation to be able to be viewed by Mac users (who may not have upgraded to the latest version), you will want to design your presentation in PowerPoint 4.0. If you don't have PowerPoint 4, then you'll want to save your presentation in the lowest format you think people will have. For cross-platform distribution, 4.0 is still your safest bet; for Windows-only distribution, save to PowerPoint 95. When you down-rev save, be prepared for some visual changes in your file--the previous version may not support some of the features you've put in, so be sure to sanity check your file on several different machines and versions BEFORE you distribute it!

Easily Changing from Caps to Lower Case (or Vice Versa)
If you have text that is in the wrong case, select the text, and then click Shift+F3 until it changes to the case style that you like. Clicking Shift+F3 toggles the text case between ALL CAPS, lower case, and Initial Capital styles. This useful trick works with Word too!
Nudging Objects
You can use the arrow keys to move objects very small distances. This is a big win for those laptop users who no longer have mice. Select the object, then use your arrow keys. Each press of the key will move the object on "grid unit" (1/12th of an inch, don't ask why); if you hold down the Ctrl key while nudging, or if you have the grid turned off, you can move the objects one pixel at a time.
Saving Across Multiple Diskettes
Since PowerPoint 7.0 (the one in Office 95, also known as PowerPoint '95) you have the option to save large files over multiple diskettes. From the File menu, select Pack and Go. This wizard will compress your PowerPoint presentation and copy the file onto as many floppies as are necessary.
Draw A Line Perfectly Horizontal or Vertical
Depress the Shift key while dragging to create your line.
Draw A Perfect Square
Depress the Shift key while dragging to create your square.
Draw A Perfect Circle
Depress the Shift key while dragging to create your circle.
Quickly Access the Slide Master
Click on the Slide View icon (at the top-left of the screen), while depressing the Shift key.
Create A New Design Template
Click on the File drop down menu, select New and then select the Design Template tab. Select an existing design template that most closely matches what you wish to achieve. Make changes to the slide master as required. Then save the file as a template using the SaveAs command to save the file as a dot file.
Preview A Presentation in Black and White
Click on View…Black and White.
Send to the Back or Bring Forward an Object
Right click on the object, select order, and choose the desired command.
Insert the Copyright Symbol
To insert the copyright © symbol, enter (c)
To insert the Trademark ™ symbol enter (tm)
To insert the registered ® symbol enter (r)
Saving Shows
Save your presentation as a ‘PowerPoint Show’ (.pps) and your presentation will open straight into screenshow mode. To change a .pps back to a presentation for editing, locate the file name, right click the file name, choose rename, and change the .pps extension to .ppt. A warning about instability will appear, but no harm will be done to the presentation.
Jumping to Screens
In show mode type a number then hit ‘enter’ to go to straight to that screen i.e. ’1’ to go back to the 1st screen. This is particularly useful if you have a large show for multiple speakers - just make a note of the slide number where each one starts - and during rehearsal, simply keying the number and pressing enter, jumps you straight to the right place. Quick and efficient.
Hiding Screens
In the show mode you can hide your first (or any other) screen until you are ready to start by pressing ‘B’’ to blackout the screen or (‘W’ to ‘whiteout’ the screen) then press the ‘B’ or ‘W’ again to reveal the screen when you are ready.
To Go to the First Slide or Last Slide
Ctrl+Home will take you to the first slide in a presentation, Ctrl+End will take you to the last slide.
Toolbar Tips
You can customize your toolbar to contain buttons for tasks that you routinely conduct. Click View…Toolbars…Customize. Click the Commands Tab and choose the desired task. Click and drag the accompanying icon to your preferred location in the toolbar. Close the customize window.
Setting up the Show
To set up the presentation to run continuously, click Slide Show…Set Up Show. Check ‘loop continuously until ESC’ and click OK.

To set up the presentation with timed settings on each slide, click Slide Show…Rehearse Timings. As each slide appears a rehearsal clock will appear in the upper left corner. When the desired time has expired click the mouse to progress to the next slide. After viewing the entire show you will be asked if you wish to save the rehearsed time. Click Yes.

To record your own narration for the presentation click Slide Show…Record Narration.
Printing the Presentation
You have many options for printing your presentation. Click File…Print. You can choose to print it as slides or handouts and choose how many will fit on a page, print it as a Notes Page, or print it in the outline view. Other options include to print it in Grayscale, Pure Black and White, or with Animations. You can also choose to print only specific slide numbers or print all slides.
Scrolling Credits
Scrolling text can be an effective means of ending or beginning a presentation. Click the desired text. When the Custom Animation text box opens, click the Effects tab. Click the arrow at the right side of the Entry Animation list box to expand the list. Locate Crawl From Bottom and select it. Check the list box labeled Introduce Text. If it isn't set to All at Once, click the arrow at the right side of the list box and select All at Once. Click the Timing tab and select the radio buttons labeled Animate and Automatically. Click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes.
Keyboard Shortcuts

Insert a new slide	CTRL+M
Switch to the next pane (clockwise)	F6
Switch to the previous pane (counterclockwise)	SHIFT+F6
Make a duplicate of the current slide	CTRL+D
Start a slide show	F5
Promote a paragraph	ALT+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
Demote a paragraph	ALT+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW
Apply subscript formatting	CTRL+EQUAL SIGN (=)
Apply superscript formatting	CTRL+PLUS SIGN (+)
Open the Font dialog box	CTRL+T
Repeat your last action	F4 or CTRL+Y
Find	CTRL+F
View guides	CTRL+G
Delete a word	CTRL+BACKSPACE
Capitalize	SHIFT+F3
Bold	CTRL+B
Italicize	CTRL+I
Insert a hyperlink	CTRL+K
Select all	CTRL+A
Copy	CTRL+C
Paste	CTRL+V
Undo	CTRL+Z
Save	CTRL+S
Print	CTRL+P
Open	CTRL+O

Generate Random Numbers
Need to create random numbers? You can do it in Excel.
To generate a number between 0 and 1, type =RAND() in a cell.
To generate a number between 1 and 100, type =RAND()*100.
After entering, use the fill handle to quickly populate as many cells with random numbers as needed. To use the fill handle, click the cell, move your pointer over the lower-right corner of the cell until it turns into a black plus sign, and drag it horizontally or vertically across the cells you wish to populate. The cells can then be formatted as desired.
No Formula, Please
When copying and pasting a cell that contains a formula, use the Paste Special feature. First, copy the cell (Edit...Copy). Next click in the desired location and click Edit...Paste Special. Choose Values to copy the number only and not the formula.
Insert Time/Date in Excel
Try these keyboard shortcuts to insert the time/date in an Excel spreadsheet:
Current date: Press CTRL+SEMICOLON
Current time: Press CTRL+SHIFT+ SEMICOLON
Current date and time: Press CTRL+ SEMICOLON then SPACE then CTRL+SHIFT+ SEMICOLON

Hide Worksheets in Excel 2002
To hide Excel worksheets to prevent unwanted changes, Select the worksheet, click Format...Sheet...Hide.
Color-Coding Excel Sheet Tabs in Excel 2002
In Excel 2002, color-code sheet tabs for easier identification or grouping.
Select the sheet(s) by holding down the CTRL key and clicking the tabs.
Click Format...Sheet...Tab Color. You can also right-click the sheet tab and choose
click Tab Color.
Pasting an Excel Table and Its Formatting into Word
In Excel, select the table and click Edit..Copy. Switch to Word, and click where the table will be located. Click Edit...Paste. Using the Paste Options smart tag, select one of the following options: To keep the formatting, select Keep Source Formatting. To automatically keep data updated as it is updated in Excel, select Keep Source Formatting and Link to Excel. To match the style of another table in the Word document, select Match Destination Table Style. To link the table instead of copying it, select Match Destination Table Style and Link to Excel.
Go To
To search for specific cells, such as ones that have formulas or ones that just contain values, use the Go To feature. Click Edit...Go to...and choose the desired feature.
Shortcut Keys
To see a complete list of shortcut keys in Excel, press F1 on the keyboard and type shortcut keys in the search box.
Customizing Toolbars
Right-click on any toolbars and click the customize the toolbar. Click the Command tab, select the desired category, and click and drag new features from the right command box to the toolbar.
Quick Graphs
Want to create a quick graph? Click anyway in the Excel data on the spreadsheet, press F11 key and presto! Right-click in the graph border to change the type, location, or data.
Basic Keyboard Shortcuts
F1 Help
F2 Edit current Cell
F5 Goto
F7 Spell Check
F12 Save file as
CTRL + A Select entire worksheet.
CTRL + B Toggle Bold Text.
CTRL + C Copies the item or items selected to the Clipboard and can be pasted using CTRL + V.
CTRL + F Displays the Find dialog box.
CTRL + H Displays the Replace dialog box.

Selecting Synonyms
A fast way is to locate a synonym for a word is to select the word and right click it. In the menu, select synonyms and click your desired replacement.
Remove All Formatting
To remove all of the formatting from a Word document, press CTRL+A (or select the portion of the document to be changed) then pressCTRL+SHIFT+N.
Double-Click to Format Bullets and Numbering
To open the Bullets and Numbering dialog box and adjust the numbering scheme, just double-click one of the
numbers or bullets in the list.
Sharing Documents with Non-Word Users
Click File...Save As. In the Save as type box, select the necessary file type. Rich Text Format (*.rtf) or WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS (*.doc) will work with almost any word processor program.
Customizing Toolbars
Right-click on any toolbars and click the customize the toolbar. Click the Command tab, select the desired category, and click and drag new features from the right command box to the toolbar. It is especially helpful to add the "insert picture... from file" button to the toolbar.
Screen Capture
How did I create that insert picture button above? I usedthe screen capture feature of Windows. Press the Prnt Scrn (Print Screen) key on the keyboard and open Word. Click Edit...Paste (Ctrl + V). The image can then be cropped using the Picture Toolbar (only available with later versions of Word).
Viewing the Document

There are 4 views for every Word document. These are found in the lower left corner of the screen. The most common is the print layout view.

Hold the mouse over the other buttons to find the Normal, Web Layout, Print Layout, and Outline Views.

Learn to Use Undo

Make a mistake? Press [Ctrl]Z or choose Undo from the Edit menu right away. Keep pressing [Ctrl]Z to backtrack through and undo the most recent editing changes you've made.

Templates

Creating professional documents in a limited amount of time is a challenge to everyone. Word makes this process easier than ever with the Template function.

Normally, when you create a new document, you click on the New Document tool on the toolbar. This simply creates a new blank document based on your Normal template. To use a formatted template, you must click on File, New. This opens the template dialog box. Double click on the template or Wizard you want to use, and Word will set everything up.

There is a huge assortment of templates available for you to use. You can create different styles of letters, memos, resumes, or other types of documents. There are even Wizards available for some of these document types that lead you step by step through the creation of a stylish, professional newsletter, resume, letter or fax.

· Document Zoom

Click View…Zoom… to choose the document zoom percentage. There is also a zoom tool on the standard toolbar.

· Selecting Text

ü To select a word, double-click the left mouse button on the word

ü To select a sentence, hold down CTRL and single-click the left mouse button on the sentence.

ü To select a line of text on the screen, single-click with the left mouse button in the left screen margin at the line you want to select.

ü To select a paragraph, triple-click the left mouse button in the paragraphs

ü To select the whole document, hold down CTRL and A, or triple-click the left mouse button in the left margin of the screen.

Using AutoCorrect

Right-click on a word that's flagged as misspelled. If a correct suggestion appears on the shortcut menu, choose it from the AutoCorrect submenu to create an AutoCorrect entry.

Find and Replace

Click Edit…Find to type in text you desire to replace. You have the option to replace the text one time or replace it every time it appears in the document.

Selective Word Count

Need to know how many words, characters, paragraphs, or lines appear in a portion of a document? Just select the text you want to run the count on prior to choosing Word Count from the Tools menu.

· Shrinking a Document to Fit

If you've created a document and one or two lines spill over unto a new page, you can use the "Shrink to Fit" feature to fit everything on the page. Choose File, Print Preview and click on the Shrink to Fit button.

· Create A Desktop Shortcut To A Document

Click File…Save As…Click the drop down arrow and choose Desktop.

Removing Formatting for a Portion of Text

To quickly remove character formatting, such as bold, italic, or underline, and reset text back to the normal style, select the text and press Ctrl+Spacebar (Ctrl+Shift+Z also works). To reset paragraph formatting, such as tabs and indents, back to the normal style press Ctrl+Q.

Toggle through CASE Changes
You can quickly change the case of text from Title to UPPER CASE to lower case by selecting the text and pressing Shift-F3. Each time you press Shift-F3, the case will change.
Standardized Fonts
Have you ever found the perfect font for a document and you want the viewer of your spreadsheet to see the same font, but you're not sure they have the same font? When you save your document select Tool / Options and on the Save tab select Embed TrueType Fonts and select OK. Now everybody will get it.
Date Code

Automatically keeps dates current in your letters, memos, etc. Choose Insert, Date and Time, and select the date format you want in your document. Then check the small box at the bottom that says “update automatically.”

Insert Pictures and Clipart

Click Insert to add pictures. Pictures and clipart can also be adding using the copy and paste feature from the Internet if using Internet Explorer Browser. Go to http://jc-schools.net and right click any picture. Select copy. Then click the Word button in the Task bar and click paste to instantly paste that image into Word. If using Netscape you must choose Save Image As instead of the copy command.

You can also insert Screen Shots by clicking the Print Screen button on your keyboard. This will send the image to the computer clipboard. By choosing Paste in Word that image can be inserted into the document.

There is a Picture Toolbar (click View…Toolbars) which permits image editing. The image can be wrapped, cropped, lightened, darkened, or made into a watermark.

Other Text Effects

To add text to a document you can use the textbox button in the Drawing Toolbar at the bottom of the screen. The textbox can be formatted with fill or no fill and have an outline or have no line. There are a variety of line shapes, textures, and sizes.

Animated Text

Select a section of text with your mouse. Right-click the text and choose "Font" from the popup menu that appears. On the multi-tabbed dialog box that follows, select the "Animation" tab. Now, select an animation that you would like to see. You can see examples of each animation in the preview window. When you are done, press "OK" to close the dialog box.

Adding Borders
Make sure you are in the Print Layout View. To add a border to page Click Format…Borders and Shading…From the Page Border tab choose the desired style, color, width, or if desired, choose an Art border.

· Getting Rid of Nuisances!

How do I get rid of these ¶¶¶¶? Click Tools … Options…Click the "Views" tab sheet. Under "Nonprinting Characters" unselect "Paragraph Marks".

How do I get rid of overtype? Choose Tools…Options…Edit tab…uncheck Overtype Mode.
Shortcut Keys in Word
CTRL + A Selects all in the current document.
CTRL + B Bold text.
CTRL + C Copies the item or text to the Clipboard + can be pasted using CTRL + V.
CTRL + D Displays the Font dialogue box.
CTRL + E Centre Alignment.
CTRL + F Displays the Find dialog box, to search the current document.
CTRL + G Displays the Go to dialog box, to go to a specific location in the current document.
CTRL + H Displays the Replace dialogue box.
CTRL + I Italic text.
CTRL + J Full Justification.
CTRL + K Create Hyperlink
CTRL + L Left Alignment
CTRL + M Tab
CTRL + N Creates a new document.
CTRL + O Displays the Open File dialogue box.
CTRL + P Displays the Print dialog box.
CTRL + R Right Alignment.
CTRL + S Displays the Save dialog box.
CTRL + U Underline text
CTRL + V Pastes the copied item or text from the Clipboard into the current position in the document.
CTRL + X Cuts the item or text selected to the Clipboard.
CTRL + Y Redo the last undone action.
CTRL + Z Undoes the last action.
CTRL + ENTER Insert Page Break.
CTRL + F2 Show Print preview.
CTRL + F4 Closes the active document window.
CTRL + F6 Opens the next document window.
CTRL + 1 Single spaces text
CTRL + 2 Double spaces text
CTRL + 3 Triple spaces text

How to Repair a Broken Base Station:

2012-07-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

How to Repair a Broken Base Station:

Early in 2001, my loyal Base Station at home gave up its ghost and started to cycle endlessly (red light at left, 3 amber, rinse, repeat). My unit was out of warranty, Apple told me they would not replace it, and I did not feel like spending another $300 unless I had to. Hence, I investigated what led to the early death of my base station. The repair was much cheaper and easier than I thought...

These repair instructions should also help owners of similar wireless base stations manufactured by Lucent technologies (AP-500, RG1000, and RG1100). The motherboards inside these Lucent units look exactly the same as the ones found in Airport base stations. Clickthis link for an image of the guts of a RG1000. HP apparently also uses this motherboard for the HP 802.11b Wireless LAN Small Business Access Point.

For an riveting read about the background of these capacitor failures, have a look at the following IEEE article. It is alleged that botched Taiwanese industrial espionage caused the rash of capacitor failures. Is it coincidence then, that the first version of Graphite ABS' sport Taiwanese-made Lelon capacitors, while repaired (or later) Graphite ABS' have Japanese-made Sanyo capacitors? This Toronto Star article describes similar failures with ABIT motherboards for PCs... Japanese capacitors manufacturers are sure to be happy, now that component buyers are once again willing to pay 4x more for Japanese versus Taiwanese-manufactured capacitors...

Furthermore, these sorts of capacitor failures are not limited to Lucent, Apple, or ABIT gear. For example, Benjamin Feist encountered the same sort of problem in a 3COM HomeConnect 10/100 5-port ethernet hub and has posted similar repair instructions (i.e. find dead capacitors and replace them). I guess we should consider ourselves lucky: According to this thread at Slashdot (Thanks Benjamin!), capacitors failures have been known to result in everything from explosive failure to outright fires.

However, your first strategy should be to get Apple to replace the unit rather than repair it yourself.

If your base station is broken but still under warranty, get on the phone at once and get a replacement sent to you. When you call (In the US: 1-800-275-2273), select technical assistance (option 1), then option 3 (thanks Rick Tom Greever).
If you bought an Apple laptop with an extended service plan, the base station is covered as a "peripheral", regardless of when you bought the base station. AppleCare telephone support people may not know this, but confirm it once they check, so if they say no, insist politely... (thanks Raúl Vera)
Some credit card companies automatically double the warranty coverage of products you bought with their credit cards (typical of "Gold" and above).
Apple used to replace broken, out-of-warranty base stations with like models under a semi-secret program that initially only covered units in the serial number range from PW940... to PW952.... Unfortunately, Drew Robison at Apple wrote to me in July 2003 to tell me the replacement program has been discontinued.

The informal Graphite replacement program was never publicized and was only described in a Apple-internal document (Knowledge Base Article #111785). Replacement units were refurbished base stations that, while functional, could be in pretty sorry shape aethestetically. While the program has apparently ended, it might still be worth a try to call Apple Customer support.

John Endahl writes that his replacement ABS contains SANYO capacitors and that its serial number starts with PW123... . These capacitors have a rated life of 5,000 hours... in theory good for at least a couple of years. Rick Getchell posted pictures and specifications of the new power supply with its OS-CON and AL-E series capacitors on his web-site. At its apex, the exchange program appeared to apply world-wide. However, success depended on the contact person on the Apple side. Sadly, it's little wonder that litigious and/or strong consumer protection environments like the US, Canada, and the UK were the first geographies to be covered by this informal exchange program.

Anyway, if your base station is not covered by Apple or other warranties, the following repair instructions may be of use to you. Note however, that whatever warranty you had is history once you open the unit.

Please remember that the following information is for educational/entertainment purposes only. I make no guarantees that my repair instructions will work for you. Furthermore, you have to be somewhat knowledgeable about electronics to properly extract and replace the components. The work involves hot soldering irons, tight working quarters, and could quite possibly hurt you or someone else. You could also damage a component inadvertently, disable your ABS, even cause a fire.

In other words, this information is provided for your use at your own risk.

If you are not competent and experienced enough to make these repairs yourself, go and find someone in a Hi-fi repair shop to do them for you (it will be at a reasonable cost compared to buying a new ABS). My first ABS took me two hours to fix, the second one twenty minutes (including the ventilation modifications described here). I am a manufacturing engineer by training and have relatively little soldering experience (though I am very good at burning my fingers!). Therefore, a fair number of people should be able to execute these repairs at home without problems (the 1000+ thank-you e-mails I have received overwhelm the 10 or so problem reports). Here is a excellent link on good soldering practices suggested by Bruce Hubbert.

I know of several online resources that offer ABS repairs in case you don't feel like doing the job yourself and do not have a local hi-fi/electronics repair facility.

Tech Superpowers in Boston, MA repairs ABS' for $99 with shipping and a 60 day warranty. They'll give you $50 for your ABS if they can't repair it.
Base Station Rescue is a service that offers to repair broken base stations for $50 with shipping and with a 90 day warranty. If they can't repair your ABS, then they'll refund most of the charges. You can even elect to have them fit your ABS with an external antenna. However, there seem to be some issues with the operator of this business, as several readers have been disappointed by them.
Base Station Repair offers a even less expensive service at $60 with shipping and a one year warranty. They even offer a $7 kit for those who want to repair the ABS themselves. The kit includes 4 capacitors, solder, and braid, and it may be cheaper to order the kit from them than to order the components yourself.
Ipes in Germany also offers repairs if Apple won't replace the base station. (Thanks Thomas Noy!)
In Denmark, you can contact Andy Vestergård who offers to repair the ABS for 300 dkr.
In Japan, Jonathon Fletcher reports that the fine folks at Pucebaboon also do a fine job of repairing base stations for $35.

If you chose to let someone else repair your ABS, please let me know how it went!

If you still want to repair the ABS, please read the instructions in their entirety. If you understand every step of the way, the repair should be pretty quick. If you have any questions, or anything is unclear, please use the e-mail address at the bottom of this page to contact me. Start by creating a good working environment with the following hand tools and supplies:

A big clear table with nearby wall outlets
15W soldering iron with a fine tip (Radio Shack #64-2051 or equivalent)
Fine solder (Radio Shack #64-026 or equivalent)
Desoldering braid (Radio Shack #64-2090 or equivalent)
Rosin soldering flux (Radio Shack #64-021 or equivalent)(Thanks R. Chang!)
Wire snips (to cut the tips off replacement capacitors once seated)
Small Phillips screwdriver for base station screws
Small flat-head screwdriver to assist with telephone plug removal
Needle-nose pliers to pull capacitor legs with during desoldering.
Some safety glasses to wear during the repair
At least two replacement capacitors (more on that below)
Optional: A digital multimeter that can measure resistance (an ohmmeter)
Optional but a good idea: Grounding strap - wear this whenever you handle the motherboard.

Here we have a range of capacitors you might want to consider.

In the top left corner is a leftover OEM capacitor (Lelon brand). Notice the puny size and the slight bulge at the top - a sure sign it is fried. Below it are two 25V Panasonic FC series capacitors followed by a rather large 220µF Panasonic HF series capacitor at the bottom. In the right column are four 35V Panasonic FC series capacitors. Centimeter scale.

Note the size differences. Evidently, the higher the voltage rating or capacitance, the larger the capacitor. However, why then is the 220µF HF series capacitor much bigger than the 220µF FC series capacitor of the same voltage rating?

The simple answer is that the HF series is supposed to last between 3,000 and 5,000 hours under 105°C conditions, while the FC series gets by with 1,000 hours. Naturally, if you go with other capacitor technologies (tantalum, other $$$ forms of electrolytic caps) form factors change. But for our purposes, reliability, voltage rating, and capacitance have a direct effect on the size of capacitor.

1. If you go with Radio Shack capacitors, I'd buy two 220µF electrolytic capacitors (#272-1029). However, I fear the Radio Shack components won't last very long enclosed in an ABS due to their low temperature rating (85°C) and suspect electrical qualities unless you retrofit ventilation.

2. Seth Stroh has designed similar power supplies and suggested substituting readily available 330µF, 25V, 105°C Panasonic FC series capacitors (Panasonic part number EEU-FC1E331 - thanks Lars Hoel). You'll need two and can buy them at Digikey in the USA (part number P10273-ND) or other fine electronic component sources such as RS Components in Germany (Thanks Holger Eiboeck). In the UK, Nick Harvey recommends ordering the Panasonics at www.rswww.com (part number 315-0568). The Panasonic capacitors are larger than the Lelon ones but will fit and are suitable for use inside an enclosed ABS. David Chatton recommends Elko 220uf 25V capacitors which can be ordered under part# 801803 at Distrelec in Switzerland. In Germany, Conradseems like a pretty good source for 330µF (P/N B41851) and 220µF (P/N 472522) capacitors (Thanks Silvio Martin and Andre Spiegel!) Thomas Noy notes that Neumerkel in Germany also carries Elko capacitors.

3. Apple now uses Sanyo capacitors in their ABS'. Thus, if you want to recreate the current Apple configuration, here are the two capacitors you want to order: Sanyo OS-CON 20SH68M (C51 - left Cap - 68µF) and Sanyo AL-E 16MV220AX (C52 - right Cap - 220µF). They have a rated life of 5,000 hours at 105°C. More info about the capacitors from Sanyo at their OS-CON and AL-Ecapacitor web-sites. (Many thanks to Rick Getchell and Alexander Traud!) You can find equivalent capacitors at Newark Electronicsunder the Sprague name 20V-68µF = Sprague P/N 94SA686X0020EBP, 10V-220µF = Sprague P/N 94SA227X0010FBP. United Chemi-Con markets theirs with the following part numbers: 20FH68M and 10FH220M. (Many thanks Tim Degraye!) Chris Valentinefound 220µF 25V Rubycon capacitors (stock # 580-480) at Farnell.

4. For those that want to use high-tech Tantalum capacitors, Brent Jones recommends 10µF Tantalum capacitors that are available from either Radio Shack or Digikey. Such capacitors are apparently the best choice with the type of power supply found on the motherboard of a Graphite ABS.

5. There is really no point in trying to replace the blown capacitors with like models since they don't seem to work too well. For the sake of history, here are their specifications: Lelon Industries RXJ series type 927L, 270µF, 25V, 105°C, low ESR (impedance), about 6mm wide, 10 mm long)

Initially, I installed the Radio Shack capacitors while I waited for the Panasonic replacements from Digikey. They worked fine and since I didn't need the base station to look pretty, this fix worked for me. However, in the interest of helping folks that want to reassemble their base stations completely, I yanked the Radio Shack capacitors back out and installed the 330µF Panasonic capacitors mentioned above. Here then the updated step by step instructions. They worked for me and perhaps they'll work for you too. Please read all instructions before you make any permanent modifications.

Disconnect the base station from all external cables (power, ethernet, phone). Undo the three screws on the bottom, take off bottom plate (see picture below)

Plug the power supply back into the base station, listen, but don't touch the components. If you are suffering from the same failure mode as I did you might hear a hissing sound. If the sound is there, you have a pair of damaged capacitors. Some readers had internal power supplies so dead that the supplies made no sound at all.

Next, undo the three screws that hold the inner carrier inside the base station:

Carefully disconnect the power and ethernet connectors on the top. The power supply plug simply pulls out of the motherboard connector. The ethernet plug has a "catch" like a phone plug that you'll have to depress before you can pull it out.

A bit trickier is the removal of the phone connection under the silver tape at the bottom of the carrier. While the plug has no catches or other retaining devices, it can jam against the carrier when you try to pull it out. Here, a small flathead screwdriver can work wonders to guide the white plug past the protruding lip of the carrier.

Now you can extract the carrier (the gray thing in the middle that has all those metal clips around the perimeter) by sliding it out in the direction of where the telephone jack used to be connected. The telephone jack is pretty flat and can be hard to disconnect (the carrier can get in the way) so using a fine-tipped flat-head screwdriver can help to push the carrier just enough out of the way to make pulling the plug a little easier.

Here is a further diagnostic:

Disconnect the power supply and extract the WaveLAN card on the underside. Now plug the power supply directly into the power jack on the carrier and see if the LED's go through their usual startup "dance" before settling into the green phase. Some readers power supplies were so dead that they didn't even make it into this phase. However, with any luck you'll note a lack of a hissing sound once the WaveLAN card is removed.

In my case, the base station booted flawlessly and was even available via the admin manager if the ethernet was plugged into the ethernet jack on the carrier. Thus, I knew that the inability of the base station to fulfill its task was not related to the FlashROM - it was a power supply problem. The hissing noise and the failure mode returned once I reseated the WaveLAN card. From the 800+ messages I have received so far, only one or two were from people with fried FlashROMs. Thus, the dominant mode of failure seems to be a internal power supply failure.

Undo all connections (power, etc.) and extract the WaveLAN card. Then undo the metal clips around the perimeter of the carrier and set them aside. Open the carrier and extract the motherboard. This picture shows the optional extender antenna sticking out of the WaveLAN card. A new base station will not have this, see the range extender part of the web-site for more info on how to add one.

Once all the clips are removed, you can lift off the top carrier piece. Below, you will see the motherboard in all its glory. Try to ground yourself before handling it, as even minute static charges can damage it. The best method is to wear a grounding strap. The next best way is to ground yourself before touching the motherboard. One way to do this is to touch a radiator or other grounded object that has a exposed metal skin. However, you have to do this without having to travel back to your workstation. Otherwise, you may build up static charge along the way.

Here we have the motherboard, powered by an AMD processor. Our area of interest is at the top of the board, right around the power supply jack. Under it you will find a 270µF capacitor, to the right a LM2596S-5 voltage regulator, and to the right of that another 270µF capacitor (which had been removed by the time I took this picture - note the half-filled circle).

The two OEM capacitors were bulging at the top. Even though they are rated for 105°C use, the OEM capacitors had been cooked to death. According to the National Semiconductor literature for the voltage regulator, one should use capacitors that have a low Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR). The 150 kHz switching frequency of the power supply does not help and requires the use of higher voltage capacitors than one would normally employ.

The two 270µF capacitors that came on the board are rated for use with 25 Volts but National Semiconductor recommends at least 35V tolerant capacitors. Trouble is, the higher the volt rating of a capacitor, the larger the body. As you can see, there is very little space left on the top of the board.

Here a close-up of the power supply with an inductor to the left, followed by the power jack and the C51 capacitor. To the right of those you can see the voltage regulator. In the top right corner is a diode while the empty circle under it outlines the missing C52 capacitor (removed).

The trick is to remove both capacitors and replace them with equal if not superior capacitors. I used a rocking motion to weaken the capacitors until they separated from their legs. Thus, when it was time to de-solder, I wasn't trying to heat the capacitor too (which is a great heat-sink).

After pulling off the capacitor bodies, start on the back and remove as much of the solder around the protruding capacitor pins as you can. Take care not to de-solder the wrong pins! The correct pins are circled in red on this picture. Place the braid on the corner where the pin meets the board, then press the hot soldering iron into this corner. Change the braid 2-3 times before attempting to pull the pins out. Take care not to burn anything, including yourself.

After de-soldering as much as you can, yank the capacitor legs out with a small tool while heating from the other side. Now de-solder the holes individually, as even minute amounts of solder will prevent you from inserting a new capacitor. Patience is a virtue, but don't heat the board too much or you might damage it. Use 5 seconds max. per touch with a 15W soldering iron, less for more powerful soldering irons. Garreth Richards and others recommend you heat up a pin with which to remove leftover solder from inside the holes. If you have a drill press, a really steady hand, and very small drill bits you could even drill the solder out of the hole.

Now you can repopulate the board with new capacitors. I bought my first set at Radio Shack because I didn't want to wait for an online shipment from Digikey. However, the advantage of online merchants over Radio Shack is the variety of components you have access to. For example, Radio Shack stores do not carry 270µF, 25V, 105°C capacitors.

Initially, I looked at the data sheet for the voltage regulator and decided to substitute a 470 µF capacitor on the Vin side (C51), while going down to a 220µF capacitor on the Vout side (C52). This allowed me to buy standard components at Radio Shack and this arrangement mimics a published steady state power supply diagram in the National Semiconductor literature for testing the regulator.

A number of readers commented that dual 220µF capacitors seemed to work fine. The subsequent decision by Apple to substitute 68µF and 220µF capacitors (albeit of a higher quality and cost) allows me to endorse the use of 220µF capacitors. Ideally, go out and buy the best caps you can find the first time so you won't have to repair the ABS again. If the capacitors are mounted from underneath (i.e. with their legs sticking up in the pictures above) larger capacitors will fit. Otherwise, go for the Panasonic, Sanyo, or equivalent capacitors which can be mounted easily in the same spot and with the same orientation. Mounting the capacitors from above, makes it harder to get the polarity wrong. Polarity is very important, as you'll otherwise fry the capacitors in no time.

Interestingly enough, Apple decided to replace the two capacitors with units from Sanyo that had very different capacitances. The 20V rated input capacitor has a capacitance of 68µF instead of 270µF. The output capacitor has a even lower voltage rating of 16V and a capacitance of 220µF. According to Brian Whitaker, Apple could chose these capacitance values because the "brick" external power supply used by Apple actually has a float voltage of 12.4VDC while the output voltage from the voltage regulator shouldn't rise above 6VDC. Thus there was no need for capacitors with a 25V voltage rating. Furthermore, the power drain on the downstream side is so steady that once again no capacitors with "high" voltage ratings (as per the National Semiconductor documentation which has to assume the worst) were necessary.

However, equally interesting was the choice of Apple to use a 12VDC external supply with a 5VDC regulator inside the ABS. According to Hac Da Le, no component inside the ABS uses 12VDC. So, the more adventurous among you could convert the base station to run off 5VDC, thus removing several points of failure, and allow the base station to run cooler. However, such work is beyond the skills of most people, so I cover it only on the power-supply discussion page. We speculate that the 12VDC path that Lucent chose has to do more with the potential features they wanted to offer with one mostly-common motherboard.

For example, powering the ABS via a ethernet cable (PoE = Power over Ethernet) is a feature that Lucent offered in its virtually identical AP500 for a very high premium. Interestingly, Airport Extreme Base Stations now feature 5.1VDC external power supplies. Perhaps they learned their lesson...

Anyway, let's get then to repairing your ABS.

Clean the replacement capacitor legs with alcohol, then coat them with a very thin layer of rosin solder flux. The flux sucks the solder into the hole, ensuring a good electrical joint. Stick the capacitors into their respective holes and take care to ensure polarity. On the electrolytic capacitors I used, a minus "-" sign on one side was a good clue which side of the capacitor belonged into the ground hole (see picture above). Otherwise, have a look at the leg length... the longer leg is the positive one on the Panasonics and all radial capacitors I know. Orientation is important as the capacitors will fail in a few minutes if they are inserted incorrectly.

After successfully substituting the 470µF and 220µF capacitors, my shipment from Digikey finally came in. Since I wanted to demonstrate a solution that allows you to close the ABS back up again (and, as you may recall, the 470µF Radio Shack capacitor is too tall to allow this if mounted in the same spot as the original caps), I yanked the Radio Shack capacitors back out again, and substituted the 330µF, 25V, 105°C FC series Panasonic capacitors instead.

Here is a close-up of the new Panasonic capacitors in place. I have soldered them only from the backside of the motherboard but the connection seems to be strong, and this allows the lowest profile possible. While the use of 35V capacitors would have made the ABS more robust when it comes to the switching power supply currents, the 35V version of the FC series capacitors would have been too large to fit within an enclosed ABS with the capacitors facing "up" like this.

Here is a picture of the Apple replacement capacitors. The 68µF capacitor (Vin) is mounted on the left, while the 220µF Vout capacitor is to the right of the voltage regulator. (picture credit: Rick Getchell, used w/permission)

One reader suggested mounting the capacitors on the underside of the motherboard, as a greater clearance exists below. He claimed his 45V rated capacitors fit without problems once the bottom half of the carrier was modified to allow them to poke through.

Here is an example of a underside capacitor mounting just to show how to do it. The left capacitor is a standard 220µF Radio Shack model, while the right is 470µF. Both are rated at 35V and 85°C so you'll want to ventilate the ABS. The power plug can be seen above the 470µF capacitor with the reset button to the right and the modem daughter-card below.

I bent the leads and the capacitor to lie on its side. The modem card edge can be seen on top of the picture. I then added glue to ensure that the capacitor could not rub against the underlying board and short out over time. Note: using two 220µF capacitors works great so there really isn't any need to resort to such mounting techniques. I just have them here for your viewing pleasure.

I had to cut a fairly large hole into the carrier to accommodate the large capacitor. Now there is no way that the unit still meets emissions or FCC requirements. But as you can see, I could have used even larger capacitors without hitting anything. The carrier hole is crude because I had no access to my tools while at my in-laws. Hence also the Radio Shack capacitors instead of Panasonic.

A benefit of mounting the capacitors below the motherboard is that they are further away from the hot voltage regulator (particularly if you choose to retrofit some ventilation holes). However, the modem card produces a lot of heat and you may consider removing it unless you have a dialup connection. The base station functions fine without the modem if it is hooked up via the ethernet port to broadband or an internal LAN.

Another reader soldered insulated wires to the holes and placed the capacitors elsewhere within the ABS. However, the technical notes for these sorts of power supplies ask for leads to be as short as possible. Thus, while a number of options exist for capacitor placement, the best one is probably to replace the broken ones in your ABS with drop-in replacements (Panasonic, Sanyo, etc.)

On with the instructions: Clean off the excess rosin flux with alcohol and cotton swabs, snip off the protruding capacitor legs within 0.25" on the other side of the board, and test. There are two tests, one of them with a multimeter, the other is more simple. The multimeter test is optional since it will be quite apparent if the ABS is functional or not. However, the multimeter test does warn of potential shorts and bad soldering jobs before they affect your ABS.

The multimeter test requires a digital ohmmeter. Place the leads on the protruding legs of the capacitors and observe the resistance. What you should see is a increasing resistance on one capacitor, decreasing resistance on the other. However, most importantly, the reading should NOT be zero OR infinity. Anything in between (as long as it increases, decreases) is OK.

The second test is more straightforward. Plug in WaveLAN card, then the power supply. If everything went right and the capacitors you replaced were faulty, the hissing noise should be gone and the LED's should go through their usual power-on sequence. Next, unplug the power, insert the ethernet, and reinsert the power plug. After boot-up, use the administrative tool to see if the base station is behaving itself, and if so, congratulations! Time to unplug everything and reassemble the base station.

Unlike the Radio Shack components, the Panasonic capacitors do not stick their heads outside the plastic enclosure. However, they are tall enough to warrant the holes you see here so that you can close the carrier w/o bulging it a little.

The capacitors after 6 months of continuous use - flat and happy!

Here is another view of the reassembled carrier. As you can tell, I went a little hog-wild with the dremmel tool. Ideally, no dremmeling would be required, as I imagine the carrier exists to shield the innards from stray radiation. Thus, the smaller the holes, probably the better. Also note that the carrier is quite conductive. Thus it is important to clean off the carriers and remove all burrs and shavings or they might short out your motherboard.

Now reassemble the carrier with all the thru-holes matching up, particularly if you don't intend to reassemble the ABS for heat reasons. Otherwise, you might short out the power supply or some other component. This is also the reason for cutting off the protruding capacitor legs fairly close to where they exit the motherboard (see paragraph above).

Now test the ABS for operational stability. Plug your ethernet jack back into the ABS and insert the power plug. The ABS should boot up with the usual parade of lights before settling on the familiar green center LED. If your ABS does not, there are three potential causes. Try to fix them in the following order:

1. The firmware got corrupted. Here are my tips on how to reset the base station to is factory default settings. If a reset does the trick, simply upload the latest firmware and configure the unit.

2. If a reset does not cure your problems, your WaveLAN card may have gone bad. The only way to test this is to get another WaveLAN card and swap it for the unit in the ABS. If the replacement WaveLAN card does the trick then you can simply buy a used one on eBay for about $25. (Thanks Keith Bhajat!)

3. If the ABS boots fine after the repair with the power supply attached directly to the carrier assembly but not once it has been re-assembled, see below for further damage that can occur when the ABS power supply goes bad.

4. Lastly, you may have a loose chip on the motherboard. For some reason this chip (circled red in the picture at right) may become loose or have corroded contacts. As shown, it typically is covered with yellow/orange kapton foil. If the chip is not flush with the bottom of the die it rests in, then carefully push it back into position. You can carefully extract it with a small screwdriver, working from its corners.

Here is a picture of the repaired base station in operation.

For several months I didn't have to use the modem in the base station and thus elected to leave the carrier outside the base station and facing up like in the picture above. That way the electronics benefit from much better cooling than inside the ABS (even with vent holes), which will prolong the life of all components in the carrier. From what I can tell, two of the three boards that interface the exterior ports in the plastics with the motherboard in the carrier are not necessary.

If you do put the exterior plastics back together, please remember to line up the "Reset Finger" with the "reset" pinhole in the bottom half of the plastics. The screw hole to the right is the "top"screw hole for the bottom exterior plastics in all the disassembly images at the beginning of the article. If you want to go on to the next project and retrofit ventilation holes also, click here.

Further Damage that can result when the power supply fails:

James Sokoll kindly sent along this tidbit of information showing how a power supply failure can do more than just cause the capacitors to bulge and explode. In fact, it can lead to other components like the F1 choke to burn out. So, if a capacitor repair doesn't bring your ABS back to life but you still feel like experimenting further, take a look at the following information. Alternatively, you can bypass the choke by plugging the ABS directly into wall wart.

Thank you for a most comprehensive and useful article. I'm from Australia, and have been involved in hardware design and maintenance for a considerable time. My contribution here may help those who have replaced the capacitors as described in this article, but the ABS is still dead-no lights at all. I had a dead ABS, (no lights), so I first checked the DC continuity. There was an open contact between the DC IN socket and the pins on the main circuit board.

I applied power directly to the main board, and got the light pattern described here. So I went back to the cause of the open contact. I removed the middle PCB behind the front panel-this board is the one which the DC IN plug connects to. This board is shown in the attached image. (below, ED)

Picture of card from top of ABS

It had a 4-pin SMD component, labelled "F1". Thinking that "F1" would be a fuse in a SMD package, I thought this would be easy to fix, so I removed it. The part number shown was not readily known, so I turned the component over, only to find that it was indeed a choke-two windings, wound bifilar, on a small toroid. One of the winding was open (burnt out). I was going to replace this device with two Pico fuses (the ones like a small resistor), but as I had some small winding wire, I decided to repair it. The wire is 0.15 mm diam (0.006inch), enamelled. Ten turns are required. I don't think the diameter matters much, but don't go too far over, as there is limited space on the toroid.

Now for the next part. The fact that the wire was burnt out worried me-too much current somewhere. It was at this stage I searched the web looking for a user manual to describe the light patterns etc., when I came across your excellent article. On removing the main board, I found the two culprit caps, both with extended ends. They obviously failed and caused excessive current to be drawn. Several have contributed to the reasons for this cap failure, and have added valuable info to this discussion.

It has been my experience that excessive temperature is usually the main culprit-this causes the electrolyte to dry out, followed by a loss of capacitance, and eventually arcing, and then a short circuit. I think the voltage rating is OK, but the 85°C temperature rating of these caps, and the poor ventilation is the root cause of the problem.

The modem

The modem used in this ABS is the same as that used in the G3 powerbook series (Lombard, Pismo). They are generally available on eBay. On Powerbook installations, the modems have to updated with the latest firmware, and then it is necessary to set the country where the modem will be used. I'm not sure if this is done with ABS utility software. I trust this helps in some way. Regards, James Sokoll

Ed. Note: From what James is suggesting, if you don't need the modem (because you have a high-speed connection, for example), you could kill two birds with one stone by removing and selling it. That way, you remove the considerable power draw of the modem from the power supply and the heat that the modem and the extra load produce inside the ABS. Either way, I'd still ventilate the plastic exterior shell with simple holes. The convective currents work greaty (no fan needed) and my ABS worked great until lightning struck my cable-provider and knocked out the ABS for good (RIP).

Conclusion

Best of luck getting your Graphite ABS back into working shape. From the thousand+ of e-mails I have received, it would appear that most people got their ABS' back into shape once they applied a bit of elbow grease and patience. Many thanks to"asxless" on the Apple discussion boards for putting me on the right track to hunt down this problem via a hint at macnn.com. Furthermore, credit where credit is due: Ken Fredholm and I came up with the same fix concurrently and independently, but he got there first.

Cheers! Constantin

Notes on the Troubleshooting and Repair of
Small Switchmode Power Supplies

Version 2.85 (20-Nov-07)

Copyright © 1994-2011
Samuel M. Goldwasser
--- All Rights Reserved ---

For contact info, please see the Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Email Links Page.

Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is permitted if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

This notice is included in its entirety at the beginning.
There is no charge except to cover the costs of copying.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Switchmode Power Supply Troubleshooting

Components Found in Switchmode Power Supplies

Items of Interest

Service Information

· Back to SMPS Repair FAQ Table of Contents.

Preface

Author and Copyright

Author: Samuel M. Goldwasser

For contact info, please see the Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Email Links Page.

Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is permitted if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

1. This notice is included in its entirety at the beginning.
2. There is no charge except to cover the costs of copying.

DISCLAIMER

Careless troubleshooting of a line powered switchmode power supply can result in severe electrical shock or electrocution. This is potentially more lethal than the high voltage section of a TV or monitor due to the high current availability. Even the charged on the main filter capacitors with the unit unplugged can kill.

We will not be responsible for damage to equipment, your ego, county wide power outages, spontaneously generated mini (or larger) black holes, planetary disruptions, or personal injury or worse that may result from the use of this material.

· Back to SMPS Repair FAQ Table of Contents.

Introduction

The switchmode power supply (SMPS)

Until the 1970s or so, most consumer electronic equipment used a basic power transformer/rectifier/filter capacitor type of power supply for converting the AC line into the various voltages needed by internal circuitry. Even regulation was present only where absolutely needed - the high voltage supplies of color TV sets, for example. Remember those old TVs with boat anchor type power transformers? (Of course, if you recall those, you also recall the fond days of vacuum tube sets and the corner drugstore with a public tube tester!)

Switchmode supplies had been commonplace in military and avionic equipment long before they found their way into consumer electronics. I have some DC-DC and DC-AC converter modules from a Minuteman I missile from around 1962 as one example. I suppose that the cost of the switching transistors wasn't as big a deal with a $100 million missile as a $300 TV (even in 1960s dollars).

Nowadays, all TVs, monitors, PCs; most laptop and camcorder power packs; many printers, fax machines, and VCRs; and even certain audio equipment like portable CD players use this technology to reduce cost, weight, and size.

Switchmode power supply repair

Unlike PC system boards where any disasters are likely to only affect your pocketbook, power supplies, especially line connected switchmode power supplies (SMPSs) can be dangerous. Read, understand, and follow the set of safety guidelines provided later in this document whenever working on line connected power supplies as well as TVs, monitors, or other similar high voltage equipment.

Having said that, repairing a power supply yourself may in fact be the only economical option. It is very common for service centers to simply replace the entire power supply board or module even if the problem is a 25 cent capacitor. It may simply not pay for them to take the bench time to diagnose down to the component level. Many problems with switchmode power supplies are easy to find and easy and inexpensive to fix. Not all, but surprisingly many.

This document will provide you with the knowledge to deal with a large percentage of the problems you are likely to encounter with the common small switchmode power supplies found in many types of consumer electronic equipment including PCs, printers, TVs, computer monitors, and laptop or camcorder power packs. It will enable you to diagnose problems and in many cases, correct them as well. With minor exceptions, specific manufacturers and models will not be covered as there are so many variations that such a treatment would require a huge and very detailed text. Rather, the most common problems will be addressed and enough basic principles of operation will be provided to enable you to narrow the problem down and likely determine a course of action for repair. In many cases, you will be able to do what is required for a fraction of the cost that would be charged by a repair center - assuming they would even bother.

Should you still not be able to find a solution, you will have learned a great deal and be able to ask appropriate questions and supply relevant information if you decide to post to sci.electronics.repair. It will also be easier to do further research using a repair text such as the ones listed at the end of this document. In any case, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you did as much as you could before taking it in for professional repair. With your new-found knowledge, you will have the upper hand and will not easily be snowed by a dishonest or incompetent technician.

Most Common Problems

The following probably account for 95% or more of the common SMPS ailments:

Supply dead, fuse blown - shorted switchmode power transistor and other semiconductors, open fusable resistors, other bad parts. Note: actual cause of failure may be power surge/brownout/lightning strikes, random failure, or primary side electrolytic capacitor(s) with greatly reduced capacity or entirely open - test them before powering up the repaired unit.
Supply dead, fuse not blown - bad startup circuit (open startup resistors), open fusable resistors (due to shorted semiconductors), bad controller components.
One or more outputs out of tolerance or with excessive ripple at the line frequency (50/60 Hz) or twice the line frequency (100/120 Hz) - dried up main filter capacitor(s) on rectified AC input.
One or more outputs out of tolerance or with excessive ripple at the switching frequency (10s of kHz typical) - dried up or leaky filter capacitors on affected outputs.
Audible whine with low voltage on one or more outputs - shorted semiconductors, faulty regulator circuitry resulting in overvoltage crowbar kicking in, faulty overvoltage sensing circuit or SCR, faulty controller.
Periodic power cycling, tweet-tweet, flub-flub, blinking power light - shorted semiconductors, faulty over voltage or over current sensing components, bad controller.

In all cases, bad solder connections are a possibility as well since there are usually large components in these supplies and soldering to their pins may not always be perfect. An excessive load can also result in most of these symptoms or may be the original cause of the failure. And don't overlook the trivial: a line voltage select switch in the wrong position or between positions (possibly by accident when moving the supply, particularly with PCs), or damaged.

Repair or replace

Some manufacturers have inexpensive flat rate service policies for power supplies. If you are not inclined or not interested in doing the diagnosis and repair yourself, it may be worthwhile to look into these. In some cases, $25 will get you a replacement supply regardless of original condition. However, this is probably the exception and replacements could run more than the total original cost of the equipment - especially as in the case of most TVs and many computer monitors, where the power supply is built onto the main circuit board.

Nothing really degrades in a switchmode power supply except possibly the electrolytic capacitors (unless a catastrophic failure resulted in a total meltdown) and these can usually be replaced for a total cost of a few dollars. Therefore, it usually makes sense to repair a faulty supply assuming it can be done reasonably quickly (depending on how much you value your time and the down time of the equipment) and, of course, assuming that the equipment it powers is worth the effort. Most replacement parts are readily available and kits containing common service components are also available for many popular power supplies (such as those found in some terminals, MacIntosh and other Apple computers, various brands of video monitors, and some TVs and VCRs).

Where an exact replacement power supply is no longer available or excessively expensive, it may be possible to simply replace the guts if space allows and the mounting arrangement is compatible. For example, for an older full size PC tower, the original power supply may be in a non-standard box but the circuit board itself may use a standard hole configuration such that an inexpensive replacement may be installed in its place.

Alternatively, many surplus electronics distributors have a wide selection of power supplies of all shapes, sizes, output voltages, and current capacities. One of these may make a suitable replacement for your custom supply with a lot less hassle than attempting to repair your undocumented original. It will likely be much newer as well with no end-of-life issues like dried up electrolytic capacitors to deal worry about. Of course, you must know the voltage and current maximum current requirements of each of the outputs in order to make a selection.

For the specific case of SMPSs for standard computers (PC, Macs, workstations, servers), it often doesn't make sense to spend much time or money on repair. The cost of replacement of power supplies for PCs in particular is so low, that just buying a new power supply may be the best course of action. Furthermore, the risk of a faulty repair causing expensive or fatal damage to the mainboard and peripherals including total loss of all data stored on disk, makes repair a risky endeavor unless thorough testing can be performed before installation. However, it won't hurt to check for obvious problems like bad connections. Put the dead one aside and considering trying to repair it if there isn't anything better to do. Realistically, this will be never. :)

Related Information

See the manuals on "Failure Diagnosis and Repair of TVs" and "Failure Diagnosis and Repair of Computer and Video Monitors" for problems specific to that type of equipment. For computer power supplies and other general info, also see: "PC Switchmode Power Supplies". These are all available at this site under the Repair Menu.

Lazar's SMPS Design Corner has many links to switchmode power supply information and suppliers.

· Back to SMPS Repair FAQ Table of Contents.

Switchmode Power Supplies

Power Supply Fundamentals

A typical line connected power supply must perform the following functions:

Voltage conversion - changing the 115/230 VAC line voltage into one or more other voltages as determined by application.
Rectification - turning the AC into DC.
Filtering - smoothing the ripple of the rectified voltage(s).
Regulation - making the output voltage(s) independent of line and load variations.
Isolation - separating the supply outputs from any direct connection to the AC line.

Linear power supplies (LPSs)

A typical linear power supply of the type found in most audio equipment includes a line power transformer which converts the 115/230 VAC 50/60 Hz to other (usually lower) voltages (now that most equipment has done away with vacuum tubes except for CRTs, more on that later). The power transformer also provides the isolation between the load and the line. The outputs are rectified by a diode bridge or other solid state configuration. Filtering is accomplished with electrolytic capacitors and sometimes inductors or resistors arranged as a low pass filter C-L-C (pi) or C-R-C or other configuration.

Where regulation is important - that is, it is desirable for the output voltage to be relatively independent of line or load variations, a regulator stage is added. This may take the form of a Zener diode if the current requirements are modest, discrete transistor circuit, or an integrated 3 terminal regulator like an LM317 (variable), 7805 (+5), or 7912 (-12). There are many more as well as linear regulators for higher voltages such as +115 VDC or +125 VDC for TV power supplies and multiple output (e.g., +5.1 VDC, +12 VDC) hybrid regulators for VCRs.

The regulator circuit essentially compares the output (possibly only one if there are multiple outputs in the same package) with a reference and adjusts the current flow to make the output(s) as nearly equal to the desired voltage as possible. However, a significant amount of power may be lost in the regulator especially under high line voltage/high load conditions. Therefore, the efficiency of linear power supplies is usually quite low - under 50% overall is typical.

Notable characteristics of LPSs are excellent regulation and low output ripple and noise.

What is a switchmode power supply?

Also called switching power supplies and sometimes chopper controlled power supplies, SMPSs use high frequency (relative to 50/60 Hz) switching devices such as Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs), MOSFETs, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs), or Thyristors (SCRs or triacs) to take directly rectified line voltage and convert it to a pulsed waveform.

Most small SMPSs use BJTs or MOSFETs. IGBTs may be found in large systems and SCRs or triacs are used where their advantages (latching in the on state and high power capability) outweigh the increased complexity of the circuitry to assure that they turn off properly (since except for special Gate Turn Off (GTO) thyristors, the gate input is pretty much ignored once the device is triggered and the current must go to zero to reset it to the off state.)

The input to the switches is usually either 150-160 VDC after rectification of 115 VAC, or 300-320 VDC after doubling of 115 VAC or rectification of 220-240 VAC. Up to this point, there is no line isolation as there is no line connected (large, bulky, heavy) power transformer.

A relatively small high frequency transformer converts the pulsed waveform into one or more output voltages which are then rectified and filtered using electrolytic capacitors and small inductors in a 'pi' configuration C-L-C, or for outputs that are less critical, just a capacitor.

This high frequency transformer provides the isolation barrier and the conversion to generate the multiple voltages often provided by a SMPS.

Feedback is accomplished across the isolation barrier by either a small pulse transformer or opto-isolator. The feedback controls the pulse width or pulse frequency of the switching devices to maintain the output constant. Since the feedback is usually only from the "primary" output, regulation of the other outputs, if any, is usually worse than for the primary output. Also, because of the nature of the switching designs, the regulation even of the primary output is usually not nearly as good both statically and dynamically as a decent linear supply.

DC-DC converters are switchmode power supplies without the line input rectification and filtering. They are commonly found in battery operated equipment like CD players and laptop computers. They have similar advantages to SMPSs in being compact, light weight, and highly efficient.

Description of typical flyback type SMPS

Probably the most common topology for small switchers is the flyback circuit shown below and in Block Diagram of Basic Flyback Switchmode Power Supply.

CR1 CR2 L :::::

H o-------|>|---+----+---------+ T1 +-----|>|------+---^^^^^---+---+----o V+

line | | )||( Main +_|_ +_|_ | Main

rect. | / )||( output C ___ LC Pi C ___ | Output

| \ R1 )||( rect. - | filter - | |

AC HV +_|_ / +-+ +--------------+-----------+---|----o V-

Line filter ___ \ | |

in cap - | | |/ +-------+ +-----------+ +-----+

| +-----+--------| PWM |<--| Isolation |<--| REF |

| Q1 |\ +-------+ +-----------+ +-----+

| |

N o-------------+------------+

The input to the supply is the AC line which may have RFI and surge protection (not shown). There may be several inductors, coupled inductors, and capacitors to filter line noise and spikes as well as to minimize the transmission of switching generated radio frequency interference back into the power line. There may be MOV type of surge suppressors across the three input leads (H, N, G). A line fuse is usually present as well to prevent a meltdown in case of a catastrophic failure. It rarely can prevent damage to the supply in the event of an overload, however.

Line rectification is usually via a voltage doubler or diode bridge. One common circuit uses a bridge rectifier as a doubler or normal bridge by changing one jumper. The voltage across the switching transistor is usually around 160-320 V. Some universal supplies are designed to accept a wide range of input voltages - 90-240 VAC (possibly up to 400 Hz or more) or DC - and will automatically work just about anywhere in the world as long as a suitable plug adapter can be found.

When Q1 turns on, current increases linearly in T1 based on the voltage applied and the leakage inductance of T1's primary winding. Little power is transferred to the secondary during this phase of the cycle. When Q1 turns off, the field collapses and this transfers power to the output. The longer Q1 is on, the more energy is stored (until saturation at which point it blows up). Thus, controlling the pulse width of the Q1 on-time determines the amount of power available from the output.

The output rectifier, CR2, must be a high efficiency, high frequency unit - a 1N400X will not work. The pi filter on the output smooths the pulses provided by CR2. Sometimes, a full wave configuration is used with a center tapped transformer secondary.

Note that the transformer, T1, is a special type which includes an air gap in its core (among other things) to provide the inductive characteristics needed for operation in flyback mode.

Multiple output windings on T1 provide for up to a half dozen or more separate (and possibly isolated as well) positive or negative voltages but as noted, only one of these is usually used for regulation.

A reference circuit monitors the main output and controls the duty cycle of the switching pulses to maintain a constant output voltage. (Secondary outputs are not shown in the above schematic.)

R1 is the startup resistor (some startup circuits are more sophisticated) and provides the initial current to the switchmode transistor base. In the old days, SMPS controllers were designed with discrete components. Assuring stable operation is a challenge with any SMPS but particularly with the flyback topology where leaving the drive on for too long will result in transformer core saturation and instant smoke. Nowadays, an IC PWM controller chip is almost always used. The block diagram of a one very popular PWM controller IC is shown below.

Many small SMPSs use opto-isolators for the feedback. An opto-isolator is simply an LED and a photodiode in a single package. As its name implies, an opto-isolator provides the isolation barrier (between the low voltage secondary outputs and the line connected primary) for the feedback circuit. Typically, a reference circuit on the output side senses the primary output voltage and turns on the LED of the opto-isolator when the output voltage exceeds the desired value. The photodiode detects the light from the LED and causes the pulse width of the switching waveform to be reduced enough to provide just the right amount of output power to maintain the output voltage constant. This circuit may be as simple as putting the photodiode across the base drive to the BJT switch thus cutting it off when the output voltage exceeds the desired value. The reference is often a TL431 or similar shunt regulator chip monitoring a voltage divided version of the primary output. When the shunt regulator kicks in, the opto-isolator LED turns on reducing the switchmode transistor drive. There may be an adjustment for the output voltage.

Other designs use small pulse transformers to provide isolated feedback.

Where additional regulation is needed, small linear regulators may be included following the output(s).

There are many other topologies for switching power supplies. However, the basic principles are similar but the detail differ depending on application. The flyback topology described above is one of the most common for small multi-output supplies. However, you may find other types of circuits in TVs and monitors. Some are downright strange (to be polite). I sometimes wonder if engineers are given bonuses based on the uniqueness and difficulty level of understanding their designs!

Advantages of SMPSs compared to LPSs

The benefits provided by implementing switch mode operation are with respect to size, weight, and efficiency.

Size and weight - since the transformer and final filter(s) run at a high frequency (we are talking about 10 kHz to 1 MHz or more), they can be much smaller and lighter than the big bulky components needed for 50/60 Hz operation. Power density for SMPSs compared to LPSs may easily exceed 20:1.
Efficiency - since the switching devices are (ideally) fully on or fully off, there is relatively little power lost so that the efficiency can be much higher for SMPSs than for LPSs, especially near full load. Efficiencies can exceed 85% (compared to 50-60% for typical LPSs) with improvements being made continuously in this technology.

Since the advent of the laptop computer, cellular phone, and other portable devices, the importance of optimizing power utilization has increased dramatically. There are now many ICs for controlling and implementing SMPSs with relatively few external components. Maxim, Linear Technology, and Unitrode (now part of Texas Instruments) are just a few of the major manufacturers of controller ICs.

Where are SMPSs used?

Switch mode power supplies are commonly used in computer and other digital systems as well as consumer electronics - particularly TVs and newer VCRs though audio equipment will tend to use linear power supplies due to noise considerations. You will find SMPSs in:

PCs, workstations, minicomputers, large computers.
Laptop and notebook computers, PDAs - both internal DC-DC converters and their AC power packs.
Printers, fax machines, copiers.
Peripheral and expansion boxes
X-terminals and video terminals, point of sale registers.
TVs, computer and video monitors.
Many VCRs.
Camcorder AC adapters.

In additional, you will find DC-DC converters which are SMPSs without the AC line connection, internally in an increasing number of consumer and industrial applications including things like portable CD players.

The up side is that they are usually quite reliable, efficient, and cool running.

The down side is that when a failure occurs, it may take out many parts in the supply, though not usually the equipment being powered unless the feedback circuitry screws up and there is no overvoltage protection.

· Back to SMPS Repair FAQ Table of Contents.

Switchmode Power Supply Troubleshooting

SAFETY

The primary danger to you is from the input side of the supply which is directly connected to the AC line and will have large electrolytic capacitors with 320 V or greater DC when powered (often, even if the supply does not work correctly) and for some time after being unplugged (especially if the power supply is not working correctly but does not blow fuses).

WARNING: The filter capacitors used in many switchmode power supplies can store an amount of energy that can kill - always discharge and confirm this before touching anything.

There is also risk of instantly destroying expensive parts of the supply (and any attached equipment as well) like the switchmode power transistor if your probe should slip and short something either directly or by killing the feedback circuit.

These guidelines are to protect you from potentially deadly electrical shock hazards as well as the equipment from accidental damage.

Note that the danger to you is not only in your body providing a conducting path, particularly through your heart. Any involuntary muscle contractions caused by a shock, while perhaps harmless in themselves, may cause collateral damage - there are many sharp edges inside this type of equipment as well as other electrically live parts you may contact accidentally.

The purpose of this set of guidelines is not to frighten you but rather to make you aware of the appropriate precautions. Repair of TVs, monitors, microwave ovens, and other consumer and industrial equipment can be both rewarding and economical. Just be sure that it is also safe!

Don't work alone - in the event of an emergency another person's presence may be essential.
Always keep one hand in your pocket when anywhere around a powered line-connected or high voltage system.
Wear rubber bottom shoes or sneakers.
Don't wear any jewelry or other articles that could accidentally contact circuitry and conduct current, or get caught in moving parts.
Set up your work area away from possible grounds that you may accidentally contact.
Know your equipment: TVs and monitors may use parts of the metal chassis as ground return yet the chassis may be electrically live with respect to the earth ground of the AC line. Microwave ovens use the chassis as ground return for the high voltage. In addition, do not assume that the chassis is a suitable ground for your test equipment!
If circuit boards need to be removed from their mountings, put insulating material between the boards and anything they may short to. Hold them in place with string or electrical tape. Prop them up with insulation sticks - plastic or wood.
If you need to probe, solder, or otherwise touch circuits with power off, discharge (across) large power supply filter capacitors with a 2 W or greater resistor of 5-50 ohms/V approximate value (e.g., for a 200 V capacitor, use a 1K-10K ohm resistor). Monitor while discharging and/or verify that there is no residual charge with a suitable voltmeter. In a TV or monitor, if you are removing the high voltage connection to the CRT (to replace the flyback transformer for example) first discharge the CRT contact (under the insulating cup at the end of the fat red wire). Use a 1M-10M ohm 1W or greater wattage resistor on the end of an insulating stick or the probe of a high voltage meter. Discharge to the metal frame which is connected to the outside of the CRT.
For TVs and monitors in particular, there is the additional danger of CRT implosion - take care not to bang the CRT envelope with your tools. An implosion will scatter shards of glass at high velocity in every direction. There is several tons of force attempting to crush the typical CRT. Always wear eye protection.
Connect/disconnect any test leads with the equipment unpowered and unplugged. Use clip leads or solder temporary wires to reach cramped locations or difficult to access locations.
If you must probe live, put electrical tape over all but the last 1/16" of the test probes to avoid the possibility of an accidental short which could cause damage to various components. Clip the reference end of the meter or scope to the appropriate ground return so that you need to only probe with one hand.
Use a proper high voltage probe or high voltage meter to measure voltages which are potentially beyond the capabilities of your DMM or VOM - not something cobbled together from 1/4 watt resistors! Note that fault conditions or even testing at *reduced* input voltage may result in greatly excessive voltage on one or more outputs due to lack of regulation.
It may be possible to perform some of the tests at greatly reduced voltage (e.g., 30 VDC to the chopper instead of 300 VDC) by supplying external power to the controller chip (if used) and injecting base/gate drive from a signal generator. This would greatly reduce the shock hazard as well as equipment damage from a slipped probe or missed faulty component.
Perform as many tests as possible with power off and the equipment unplugged. For example, the semiconductors in the power supply section of a TV or monitor can be tested for short circuits with an ohmmeter.
Use an isolation transformer if there is any chance of contacting line connected circuits. A Variac(tm) is not an isolation transformer! The use of a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protected outlet is a good idea but will not protect you from shock from many points in a line connected TV or monitor, or the high voltage side of a microwave oven, for example. (Note however, that, a GFCI may nuisance trip at power-on or at other random times due to leakage paths (like your scope probe ground) or the highly capacitive or inductive input characteristics of line powered equipment.) A fuse or circuit breaker is too slow and insensitive to provide any protection for you or in many cases, your equipment. However, these devices may save your scope probe ground wire should you accidentally connect it to a live chassis.
Don't attempt repair work when you are tired. Not only will you be more careless, but your primary diagnostic tool - deductive reasoning - will not be operating at full capacity.
Finally, never assume anything without checking it out for yourself! Don't take shortcuts!

Tips on SMPS troubleshooting

The diagnosis of problems in switchmode power supplies is sometimes made complicated due the interdependence of components that must function properly for any portion of the power supply to begin to work. Depending on design, SMPS may or may not be protected from overload conditions and may fail catastrophically under a heavy load even when supposedly short circuit proof. There is particular stress on the switching devices (they are often 800 V transistors) which can lead to early or unexpected failure. Also, SMPS may fail upon restoration of power after a blackout if there is any kind of power spike since turn-on is a very stressful period - some designs take this into account and limit turn on surge.

However, the cause of many problems are immediately obvious and have simple fixes - the blown chopper transistor or dried up main filter capacitor. Don't assume your problem is complex and convoluted. Most are not. You should not avoid attempting a repair just because there is a slight chance it will be more challenging!

A low power (e.g., 25 W) fine tip soldering iron and fine rosin core solder will be needed if you should need to disconnect any soldered wires (on purpose or by accident) or replace soldered components. A higher power iron or small soldering gun will be needed for dealing with larger components. Never use acid core solder or the type used for sweating copper pipes!

CAUTION: You can easily turn a simple repair (e.g., bad solder connections) into an expensive mess if you use inappropriate soldering equipment and/or lack the soldering skills to go along with it. If in doubt, find someone else to do the soldering or at least practice, practice, practice, soldering and desoldering on a junk circuit board first! See the document: Troubleshooting and Repair of Consumer Electronic Equipment for additional info on soldering and rework techniques.

Test equipment

The most valuable piece of test equipment (in addition to your senses) will be a DMM or VOM. These alone will suffice for most diagnosis of faulty components (like shorted semiconductors or open fusable resistors).

CAUTION: If the SMPS (or any other piece of equipment) is capable of producing voltages beyond 1,000 V (or the max range on your meter), make sure you use a proper high voltage probe or high voltage meter - fault conditions could easily result in voltages in the system that are way beyond those that are expected, even if run at reduced input voltage and/or with a series current limiter.

In designs using controller ICs, an oscilloscope comes in handy when there are startup or overcurrent/voltage shutdown or cycling problems. Since everything runs at a relatively low frequency, almost any scope will do.

Incredibly handy widgets

These are the little gadgets and homemade testers that are useful for many repair situations. Here are just a few of the most basic:

Series light bulb for current limiting during the testing of TVs, monitors, switching power supplies, audio power amplifiers, etc. I built a dual outlet box with the outlets wired in series so that a lamp can be plugged into one outlet and the device under test into the other. For added versatility, add a regular outlet and 'kill' switch using a quad box instead. The use of a series load will prevent your expensive replacement part like a switchmode power transistor from blowing if there is still some fault in the circuit you have failed to locate. (Now, if I would only remember to do this more often!). See the section: The series light bulb trick.
A Variac. It doesn't need to be large - a 2 A Variac mounted with a switch, outlet and fuse will suffice for most tasks. However, a 5 amp or larger Variac won't hurt. If you will be troubleshooting 220 VAC equipment in the US, there are Variacs that will output 0-240 VAC from a 115 VAC line (just make sure you don't forget that this can easily fry your 115 VAC equipment.) By varying the line voltage, not only can you bring up a newly repaired monitor gradually to make sure there are no problems; you can also evaluate behavior at low and high line voltage. This can greatly aid in troubleshooting power supply problems. WARNING: a Variac is an autotransformer - not an isolation transformer and does not help with respect to safety. You need an isolation transformer as well.

Note: Some SMPS designs require power to be applied instantly to provide the startup voltage to the controller. If this is the case with yours, it won't be possible to bring up the voltage slowly (unless you power that chip separately). However, it should still be possible to run the unit somewhat reduced line voltage. Also, running any SMPS at reduced line voltage is stressful. It may also result in outputs that are not properly regulated and go much higher than normal. Thus, a Variac should be used with caution - with the outputs connected to dummy loads instead of the powered equipment and a series current limiter (e.g., light bulb) in the input.

Isolation transformer. This is very important for safely working on live chassis equipment like line connected switchmode power supplies (primary side). You can build one from a pair of similar power transformers back-to-back (with their highest rated secondaries connected together. I built mine from a couple of similar old tube type TV power transformers mounted on a board with an outlet box including a fuse. Their secondary high voltage windings were connected together to couple the two transformers together. The unused low voltage windings can be put in series with the primary or output windings to adjust voltage. Alternatively, commercial line isolation transformers suitable for TV troubleshooting are available for less than $100 - well worth every penny.

There is absolutely no imaginable reason not to use an isolation transformer for troubleshooting SMPSs except possibly for the final test where confirmation is needed that the inrush from a direct line connection (which will have virtually unlimited instantaneous current capability) will not damage the newly repaired supply.

Variable isolation transformer. You don't need to buy a fancy combination unit. A Variac can be followed by a normal isolation transformer. (The opposite order also works. There may be some subtle differences in load capacity.).

Safe discharging of capacitors in switchmode power supplies

A working SMPS may discharge its capacitors fairly quickly when it is shut off but DO NOT count on this. The main filter capacitors may have bleeder resistors to drain their charge relatively quickly - but resistors can fail and the term 'quickly' may be relative to the age of the universe. Don't depend on them.

The technique I recommend is to use a high wattage resistor of about 5 to 50 ohms/V of the working voltage of the capacitor. This isn't critical - a bit more or less will be fine but will affect the time it takes to fully discharge the capacitor. The use of a current limiting resistor will prevent the arc-welding associated with screwdriver discharge but will have a short enough time constant so that the capacitor will drop to a low voltage in at most a few seconds (dependent of course on the RC time constant and its original voltage).

Then check with a voltmeter to be double sure. Better yet, monitor while discharging.

Obviously, make sure that you are well insulated!

For the power supply filter capacitors which might be 400 uF at 200 V, a 2 K ohm 10 W resistor would be suitable. RC=.8 second. 5RC=4 seconds. A lower wattage resistor (compared to that calculated from V^^2 / R) can be used since the total energy stored in the capacitor is not that great (but still potentially lethal).

The discharge tool and circuit described in the next two sections can be used to provide a visual indication of polarity and charge for TV, monitor, SMPS, power supply filter capacitors and small electronic flash energy storage capacitors, and microwave oven high voltage capacitors.

Reasons to use a resistor and not a screwdriver to discharge capacitors:

It will not destroy screwdrivers and capacitor terminals.
It will not damage the capacitor (due to the current pulse).
It will reduce your spouse's stress level in not having to hear those scary snaps and crackles.

Capacitor discharge tool

A suitable discharge tool for each of these applications can be made as quite easily. The capacitor discharge indicator circuit described below can be built into this tool to provide a visual display of polarity and charge (not really needed for CRTs as the discharge time constant is virtually instantaneous even with a multi-M ohm resistor.

Solder one end of the appropriate size resistor (for your application) along with the indicator circuit (if desired) to a well insulated clip lead about 2-3 feet long. For safety reasons, these connections must be properly soldered - not just wrapped.
Solder the other end of the resistor (and discharge circuit) to a well insulated contact point such as a 2 inch length of bare #14 copper wire mounted on the end of a 2 foot piece of PVC or Plexiglas rod which will act as an extension handle.
Secure everything to the insulating rod with some plastic electrical tape.

This discharge tool will keep you safely clear of the danger area.

Again, always double check with a reliable voltmeter or by shorting with an insulated screwdriver!

Capacitor discharge indicator circuit

Here is a suggested circuit which will discharge the main filter capacitors in switchmode power supplies, TVs, and monitors. This circuit can be built into the discharge tool described above.

A visual indication of charge and polarity is provided from maximum input down to a few volts.

The total discharge time is approximately 1 second per 100 uF of capacitance (5RC with R = 2 K ohms).

Safe capability of this circuit with values shown is about 500 V and 1000 uF maximum. Adjust the component values for your particular application.

(Probe)

<-------+

In 1 |

\ 2 K, 25 W Unmarked diodes are 1N400X (where X is 1-7)

/ or other general purpose silicon rectifiers.

+-------+--------+

__|__ __|__ |

_\_/_ _/_\_ /

| | \ 100 ohms

__|__ __|__ /

_\_/_ _/_\_ |

| | +----------+

__|__ __|__ __|__ __|__ Any general purpose LED type

_\_/_ _/_\_ _\_/_ LED _/_\_ LED without an internal resistor.

| | | + | - Use different colors to indicate

__|__ __|__ +----------+ polarity if desired.

_\_/_ _/_\_ |

In 2 | | |

>-------+-------+--------+

(GND Clip)

The two sets of 4 diodes will maintain a nearly constant voltage drop of about 2.8-3 V across the LED+resistor as long as the input is greater than around 20 V. Note: this means that the brightness of the LED is NOT an indication of the value of the voltage on the capacitor until it drops below about 20 volts. The brightness will then decrease until it cuts off totally at around 3 volts.

Safety note: always confirm discharge with a voltmeter before touching any high voltage capacitors!

Voltage checkers

Whereas a multimeter is intended to measure voltages (and other things), a checker is used mostly to just produce a quick indication of the presense of voltage, its polarity, and other basic parameters. One use is a quick, but reliable indication of the status of the charge on a BIG capacitor. An, example of a simple version of such a device is the "capacitor discharge indicator circuit" described above.

(From: Ian Field (ionfieldmonitors@ic24.net).)

The version of the checker that I have, also contains a miniature 12 V battery for continuity checking - any resistance less than about 22K will produce some glow. It's handy for quick checks of semiconductor junctions - in general if it produces a slight glow it's leaky, but transistor B/E junctions have an inherent zener voltage, so there is usually some glow. Also schottky-barrier diodes give a reverse leakage glow - this does not mean they're faulty, check the Vf with the diode-check on a DMM before binning! Any zener diode above 10-11 V can be given a quick test for S/C, lower Vz will produce some glow - again check Vf before binning.

These checkers are getting hard to obtain, most of the component stockists here only carry vastly over complicated (and expensive) versions with built-in measurement computer and LCD - these wouldn't last 5 min's around flyback circuitry! Some Automotive accessory shops have a simpler version with no battery - always check that it's stated to be capable of measuring AC or DC at 4 to 380 V before parting with money! The internal circuit should contain the LED's, a 15 ohm resistor to limit the maximum surge current when the PTC is cold and the special PTC film-thermistor. The battery can be added with a button from a VCR front panel - but don't blame me if you kill yourself because you didn't insulate the added components properly! There is a more complicated non-battery version with 2 LED's close to the front of the handle to indicate polarity and a row of LED's along the length of the handle to indicate the voltage-range. This version contains 2 special PTC's and a discrete-transistor bargraph circuit - there might be room to add a battery inside the case. As for the special PTC this is the only place I've seen them - one possibility that might be worthy of looking into is the Siemens PTC SMPSU startup thermistor for TDA4600 control chips, this usually has a series resistor of at least 270 ohms and is more likely to turn-up in European TV set's, but I have seen it in early Matsushita IBM displays and a few others (possibly Tandon) the PTC thermistor is always blue and looks like a very-miniature copy of the Philips white-plastic PTC degauss thermistor.

The series light bulb trick

When powering up a monitor (or any other modern electronic devices with expensive power semiconductors) that has had work done on any power circuits, it is desirable to minimize the chance of blowing your newly installed parts should there still be a fault. There are two ways of doing this: Use of a Variac to bring up the AC line voltage gradually and the use of a series load to limit current to power semiconductors.

Actually using a series load - a light bulb is just a readily available cheap load - is better than a Variac (well both might be better still) since it will limit current to (hopefully) non-destructive levels.

CAUTION: Running any SMPS at greatly reduced line voltage will be stressful for it, especially if the output load is a significant fraction of its full load ratings. In addition, at some range of line voltage, the output regulation may not work properly and the output(s) may go much higher than expected. Use dummy loads in place of the valuable equipment if possible when doing such testing!

What you want to do is limit current to the critical parts - usually the switchmode (chopper) power transistor of an SMPS or horizontal output transistor (HOT) of a TV or monitor. Most of the time you will get away with putting it in series with the AC line. However, sometimes, putting a light bulb directly in the B+ circuit will be needed to provide adequate protection. In that location, it will limit the current to the HOT from the main filter capacitors of line connected power supplies. This may also be required with some switchmode power supplies as they can still supply bursts of full (or excessive) current even if there is a light bulb in series with the AC line.

Actually, an actual power resistor is probably better as its resistance is constant as opposed to a light bulb which will vary by 1:10 from cold to hot. The light bulb, however, provides a nice visual indication of the current drawn by the circuit under test. For example:

Full brightness: short circuit or extremely heavy load - a major fault probably is still present.
Initially bright but then settles at reduced brightness: filter capacitors charge, then lower current to rest of circuit. This is what is expected when the equipment is operating normally. There could still be a problem with the power circuits but it will probably not result in an immediate catastrophic failure.
Pulsating: power supply is trying to come up but shutting down due to overcurrent or overvoltage condition. This could be due to a continuing fault or the light bulb may be too small for the equipment.

Note: for a TV or monitor, it may be necessary (and desirable) to unplug the degauss coil as this represents a heavy initial load which may prevent the unit from starting up with the light bulb in the circuit.

The following are suggested starting wattages:

40 W bulb for VCR or laptop computer switching power supplies.
100 W bulb for small (i.e., B/W or 13 inch color) monitors or TVs.
150-200 W bulb for large color monitors or projection TVs.

A 50/100/150 W (or similar) 3-way bulb in an appropriate socket comes in handy for this but mark the switch so that you know which setting is which!

Depending on the power rating of the equipment, these wattages may need to be increased. However, start low. If the bulb lights at full brightness, you know there is still a major fault. If it flickers or the TV (or other device) does not quite come fully up, then it should be safe to go to a larger bulb. Resist the temptation to immediately remove the series light bulb totally from the circuit at this point - I have been screwed by doing this. Try a larger one first. The behavior should improve. If it does not, there is still a fault present.

Note that some TVs and monitors simply will not power up at all with any kind of series load - at least not with one small enough (in terms of wattage) to provide any real protection. The microcontroller apparently senses the drop in voltage and shuts the unit down or continuously cycles power. Fortunately, these seem to be the exceptions.

What about SMPSs in TVs and monitors?

TVs and monitors have at least one SMPS - the horizontal deflection flyback circuit and may have an additional SMPS to provide the low voltages or the DC for the horizontal output transistor. Most of the theory of operation and troubleshooting techniques apply to these as well. However, manufacturers of TVs and monitors tend to be really creative (can you say, obscure?) when it comes to these designs so a little more head scratching is often necessary to decipher the circuit and get into the mind of the designer. However, the basic failure modes are similar and the same test procedures may be used.

Comments on SMPS capacitor discharging and testing with series loads

(From: Ian Field (ionfieldmonitors@ic24.net).)

At a pinch, discharging BIG electrolytic capacitors with a test lamp (230 V, 60 W in the UK; 115 V, 25 W in series in the US) will do, but if the lamp has blown you are in for a nasty surprise! While I am not criticising the use of spare high-wattage resistors, I tend to find that these get tidied away, so there's none about when you need one!

The lamp sometimes get's used if I can't find an NTC, but I always check with a voltage checker because of the risk! - power resistors can go O/C as well whereas NTC thermistors generally fail S/C - which usually happens as a result of some transient phenomenon such as a lightning-strike near the underground power line.

This is unlikely with the energy dump of discharging an off-line electrolytic (unless the equipment is still powered at the time!). My bench isn't the tidiest in the world, so gadgets tend to get misplaced - including power resistors with added discharge-progress LED indicators. This is where an inrush-suppressor NTC comes into it's own, even without selecting the type - it will discharge a capacitor almost instantaneously with the minimum of arc-burn on the solder pads. Obviously the energy causes some heating - in the case of large electrolytics direct-off-line rectifier smoothing/reservoir the amount of heating is just sufficient to give an idea of the condition of the capacitor - capacitor failure is comparatively rare, so it's not often anticipated and can cause misleading symptoms - so making this double as a routine check occasionally saves a hell of a lot of time!

The trick I have found works even better is to use a NTC inrush-current suppressor thermistor. These items can be salvaged from a scrap monitor or PSU, and careful selection may reveal some types with a "room temperature resistance" of several kohms - with the line-voltage on a capacitor discharging through them, self-heating reduces the resistance to a few ohms. This reduces the welding-sputter as the contact current is only a few milliamps - this rises to a few amperes as the capacitor "dumps" its charge as the NTC resistance fall's with self-heating.

One point I would disagree on is that not all of the many electrolytics need discharging! Most SMPSU's of any appreciable power have high energy electrolytics in the secondary - whether this is expressed as high voltage or high current. In the case of monitors, the post PWM-B+ rail has a large storage electrolytic which can do appreciable damage in the event that line-drive failure has prevented use of it's energy. The NTC thermistor method helps here; after "dumping" the line voltage electrolytics - the NTC is at a lower resistance and ready for following up on the lower charge electrolytics.

There is a point concerning "test-lamp dummy loads" this has more to do with monitors than SMPSU boxes. As well as the suggested use to limit inrush current to a safe value on SMPSU boxes - I also use this method on line-O/P stages especially to verify that flyback-transformer failure was not the original cause of B+PWM or SMPSU blow-up. Recently I have been caught-out a few times because some "energy-star" designs are so efficient that the inrush current of the lamp itself is ample to cause catastrophic damage! The UK 220/230 V 60 W test lamp I have here has a calculated operating resistance of 806.7/881.7 ohms compared to a measured cold resistance of about 67 ohms so the PTC effect of the filament tends to limit the advantage!

To clarify my comment on confirming whether a faulty flyback transformer has damaged the B+PWM; older circuits use a MOSFET buck-regulator, in which S/C failure of the MOSFET feeds unregulated B+ to the line-O/P stage - This invariably destroys the HOT and sometimes the transformer, but either could as easily be the original cause. In any event - bypassing the B+PWM MOSFET via the test lamp passes just enough current to see if the transformer is operable - with the price of replacements, very few quotes are accepted - so it's well worth making sure before ordering an expensive replacement or doing too much repair work! More recently, the trend has been for flyback - step up B+ regulators. When the B+ MOSFET fails S/C it simply stalls the main SMPSU (sometimes destroying the rectifier!). Since this type of B+PWM is step-up, the operability of the flyback transformer can be checked by simply removing the S/C MOSFET. The most recent designs appear to be based on semi-resonant SMPSU topology - they resemble buck-regulator PWM controllers, but the PWM MOSFET is at chassis potential and the transformer primary is at full PSU-rail, the line-O/P transistor is between the two with the drive transformer connected to provide an emitter-coupled blocking oscillator configuration, to add "regen" to the base drive. The boost diode often includes the buck-regulators "ringing-choke" in the "net inductive component" that it recovers energy from! As the later configuration most closely resembles the buck-regulator type, the test lamp is required to confirm transformer operability - but the weird and wonderful circuit arrangements can make it lots of fun working out where to connect it!

A voltage checker that I find indispensable is the Steinel Master check 3 from; Steinel GmbH & Co. (KG Dieselstrabe 80-86 D-4836 Hertzebrock 1, Germany). The version I have consists of a pair of "inverse-parallel" LED's in series with a metal-film PTC thermistor on a tiny ceramic tube former - this has a very low thermal inertia so the PTC thermistor limits the current to a safe value for the LED's for any applied voltage between 4 & 380 V the combination of 2 LED's give a clear indication of AC or DC polarity. When this checker is used around SMPSU's, you can clearly see the effect of minority carrier transition time losses in the rectifiers, because the leading-edge of the waveform pushes the rectifiers Vf well in excess of 0.7 V for the minority carrier injection delay - before the rectifier begins to conduct. Where a PSU rectifier has two electrolytics and a choke in a Pi filter, the checker will often reveal negative transients on the electrolytic closest to the rectifier - which is a clear sign of capacitor ESR failure.

SMPS failure modes

Also see the section: Sounds that SMPSs make.

SMPS fail in many ways but the following are common:

Faulty primary-side components. Rectifier diodes, filter capacitor(s), MOVs, and other parts located before the switchmode (chopper) transistor(s) may short due to a surge or lightning, or for no apparent reason. Main fuse will blow instantly.

Symptoms: Totally dead supply, fuse blows instantly (vaporizes or explodes) even if switchmode transistor is removed unless a fusable resistor has blown to protect the fuse. :) Test all components on line side of high frequency transformer for short circuit failures with a multimeter.

Shorted switchmode transistor - may take out additional parts such as fusable flameproof resistors in collector or emitter circuits of bipolar transistors or source or drain circuits for MOSFETs as well as gate components like the 15 or 18 V protection zener. Main fuse will blow unless protected by fusable resistors and one or more of them blows first.

Symptoms: Totally dead supply, fuse blows instantly (vaporizes or explodes unless fusable resistor has opened). Measuring across C-E or D-S of switchmode transistor yields near zero ohms even when removed from circuit.

Shorted rectifier diodes in secondary circuits - these are high frequency high efficiency diodes under a fair amount of stress.

Symptoms: In a very basic supply without overcurrent protection, the failure of one or more of these diodes may then overload the supply and cause a catastrophic failure of the switchmode power transistor (see above) and related components. Thus, these should be checked before reapplying power to a supply that had a shorted switchmode transistor.

On short circuit protected supplies, the symptom may be a periodic tweet-tweet-tweet or flub-flub-flub as the supply attempts to restart and then shuts down. Any power or indicator lights may be blinking at this rate as well.

Test with an ohmmeter - a low reading in both directions indicates a bad diode. Sometimes these will test OK but fail under load or at operating voltage. Easiest to replace with known good diodes to verify diagnosis. Rectifiers either look like 1N400X type on steroids - cylinders about 1/4" x 1/2" (example: HFR854) or TO220 packages (example: C92M) with dual diodes connected at the cathode for positive supplies or the anode for negative supplies (the package may include a little diagram as well). These may either be used with a center-tapped transformer, or simply parallel for high current capacity. If in doubt, remove from the circuit and test with the ohmmeter again. If not the output used for regulation feedback, try the supply with the rectifier removed. As noted, a test with an ohmmeter may be misleading as these rectifiers can fail at full voltage. When in doubt, substitute a known good rectifier (one half of a pair will be good enough for a test).

Bad startup circuit - initial base (gate) drive is often provided by a high value, high power resistor or resistors from the rectified AC voltage. These can simply open for no good reason.

Symptoms: In this case the supply will appear totally dead but all the semiconductors will check out and no fuses will blow. Check the startup resistors with an ohmmeter - power resistors in the AC line input section. WARNING: there will be full voltage on the main filter capacitor(s) - 1X or 2X peak or around 160 or 320 VDC depending on design. Discharge before probing.

Dried up capacitors - either input or output side.

Symptoms: The main filter capacitor may dry up or open and cause the output to be pulsing at 60 (50) or 120 (100) Hz and all kinds of regulation problems. Measure voltage across main filter capacitor(s). If the reading is low and drops to a much lower value or 0 instantly upon pulling the plug, then one of these capacitors may be open or dried up. If you have an oscilloscope, monitor for ripple (use an isolation transformer!!). Excess ripple under moderate load is an indication of a dried up or open capacitor.

In extreme cases, a main filter capacitor with greatly reduce capacity or that is totally open may result in failure of the switchmode transistor and a dead supply that blows fuses or fusable resistors. Therefore, it is always a good idea to test the electrolytic capacitors whenever repairing a SMPS that has blown its switchmode transistor.

Capacitors in the low voltage section may fail causing regulation problems. Sometimes there are slew rate limiting capacitors which feed from the primary output to the regulator controller to limit initial in-rush and overshoot. A failure of one of these may mess up regulation at the very least. For example, excess leakage may reduce the output of the main output (and as a consequence, all the others as well).

Where a controller like a UC3842 is used, a failure of the capacitor on its Vcc pin may result in a aborted startup or cycling behavior as it is starved for juice each time it pulses the switchmode power transistor:

(From: John Hopkins (bugs71@ptdprolog.net).)

"I have encountered a bad cap (10uf 35v) on the Vcc input of a UC3842 IC in the power supply. Turn unit on, get very short burst of power supply output, then nothing. Every time the 3842 output a pulse, it ran out of VCC. Small part, big problem."

In almost all cases, when in doubt parallel a known good capacitor of similar capacitance and at least equal voltage rating (except for these slew rate limiting capacitors where substitution is the only sure test).

For Panasonic (and other) VCR power supplies, it is common - almost assured after a few years - that one or more the output filter capacitors commonly fail and replacing all of them, while perhaps a brute force solution, will fix a whining supply or one having bad regulation or noise. However, check the semiconductors as well before applying power. See the section: Panasonic VCR SMPS.

Bad connection/cold solder joints - as with all other mass produced power systems (including TVs and monitors), cracked or defective solder connections are very common especially around the pins of high power components like transformers, power resistors and transistors, and connectors.

These are particularly common with portable equipment. Universal AC adapters for camcorders and laptop computers are often abused to the point of failure. Large components like the line filter choke and high frequency transformer are prone to crack the solder bond at their pins or even break loose from the circuit board.

Symptoms: almost any kind of behavior is possible. The unit may be erratic, intermittent, or totally dead. Visually inspect the solder side of the circuit board with a bright light and magnifying glass if necessary. Gently prod or twist the circuit board with an insulating stick to see if the problem can be made to change. Note that a one-time intermittent can blow many components so inspecting for intermittents is a really good idea even you believe that all bad components have been replaced.

Regulation problems - outputs high or low.

Symptoms: voltage has changed and adjustment pot if one exists has no effect or is unable to set voltage to proper value. Check components in the feedback regulator, particularly the opto-isolator and its associated circuitry. A weak opto-isolator may allow for excessive output voltage. A shorted photodiode in the opto-isolator may prevent startup. An open photodiode may lead to a runaway condition. WARNING: probe these circuits with care both because of the safety issues but also since any slip of the probe may lead to a runaway condition and catastrophic failure of the switchmode transistor and its related parts as well as damage to any attached equipment.

Note that the high frequency transformer does not make the top 10 list - failure rates for these components are relatively low. You better hope so in any case - replacements are usually only available from the original manufacturer at outrageous cost.

Most other parts are readily available from places service parts distributors like MCM Electronics as well as general electronics distributors like DigiKey and Mouser.

Rebuild kits are available for many common supplies used in VCRs, monitors, terminals. See the section: Repair parts sources.

Also, while it is tempting to suspect any ICs or hybrid controllers since it is thought that replacements are difficult and expensive to obtain, these parts are pretty robust unless a catastrophic failure elsewhere sent current where it should not have gone. And, ICs at least, are usually readily available.

Sounds that SMPSs make

Most switchmode power supplies when operating normally produce little or no detectable sound. The switching frequencies are usually well above the range of human hearing, but your dog or pet dolphin might be driven nuts!

However, under various fault conditions, and sometimes when lightly loaded, there may be tell-tail audible indications of the SMPS's state of happiness. The cause may be in the SMPS itself or its load.

1. Tweet-tweet-tweet or chirp-chirp-chirp (sometimes flub-flub-flub) - Short circuit or current overload. This is usually an indication of a shorted secondary-side rectifier and/or if in a TV or monitor using an SMPS, a shorted horizontal output transistor. The power supply is in a repeating cycle attempting to start up, being dragged down by the overload, and shutting down.

2. High pitched, but audible, whine - Excessive load. Like (1), this may be caused by shorted components. For example, a common failure a Panasonic VCR power supply is for the 18 V zener diode across the 15 V output to short due to dried up electrolytic capacitors. The result in an overload and whine, but usually not a catastrophic failure of anything else.

Which of (1) or (2) actually present will depend on the particular design of the SMPS and the severity of the overload. If the design uses a hard SCR crowbar, an overvoltage condition may trigger one of the symptoms!

3. Tick-tick-tick - Too little or no load. In a TV or monitor using an SMPS, this is likely due to a lack of horizontal drive or a blown fuse or fusable resistor in the horizontal deflection system. The power supply is in a repeating cycle of starting up, being unable to limit the regulated voltage to a safe value, and shutting down. Attempting to power up an SMPS without an adequate dummy load may result in these symptoms.

4. Hissing or white noise - possibly from inductors - this may be normal under certain conditions:

(From: Charlie Allen (charlie.allen@usa.net).)

"Some switchmode power supply inductors will make a hissing or white noise sound, typically when the circuit is lightly loaded and running in a "pulse skip" or PFM mode. I have heard it on many DC/DC circuits. You could try removing the coil and pouring in some epoxy."

General SMPS troubleshooting approach

The following sections provide a set of guidelines for attacking SMPS problems. Those in the next 5 paragraphs are common to SMPS using both discrete and integrated controllers:

First, determine that it is not something trivial like a blown fuse due to a legitimate overload (that has since been removed). I have a SCSI peripheral box that will blow its SMPS fuse if the SCSI cable is inserted live.
Categorize the problem into: startup problem, catastrophic failure, incorrect outputs, or excessive ripple or noise.
Determine what the proper output voltages should be. Identify the main (regulated) output.
Disconnect the supply from the equipment it is powering if possible. This will prevent the possibility of expensive damage should the output voltages soar to stratospheric levels for some reason. If this is not possible, you will need to be extra careful - always use a Variac to bring up the input slowly and monitor the main output at all times.

5. Determine an appropriate load for the outputs (if not connected to the equipment). A typical SMPS will want a minimum of 5% to 20% of full load current at least on the main output to regulate properly. Others may not need any load - it depends on the design or they may have an internal load. Here are some typical load currents:

o VCR - 0.2 A on +5 V and +12 V outputs.

o PC - 2 A on +5 V, 1 A on +12 V. A dual beam auto head light works well.

o Monitor - 0.2 A on +60 V to +120 V output.

o Typical 40 W switcher = 1 A on +5 V and +12 V.

Troubleshooting SMPSs using discrete controllers

The following paragraphs apply mainly to SMPSs using discrete circuitry (no ICs) for pulse width control. For those using integrated controller chips, see the next section: Troubleshooting SMPSs using integrated controllers.

Startup problems - check the power on the switchmode transistor and work back from there if there is none. Check for open fusable resistors in the return as well. Determine if there is startup base/gate drive. Check for open startup resistors, bad connections, blown parts in the controller circuitry.
Blows fuses - check primary side components, switchmode transistor(s), and all other semiconductors for shorts. Then check for open fusable resistors and bad connections. Finally, check the electrolytic capacitors for reduced capacity and leakage.
Power cycling - monitor current and voltage sensing signals to determine if they are actually signaling a fault. Open or out of tolerance resistors may result in incorrect sensing. With the series light bulb and/or Variac, disable each of these inputs by bypassing the appropriate components. If one of these experiments prevents the cycling behavior, either that circuit has a faulty component or the controller circuit is not functioning properly.
Regulation or ripple/noise problems - check main HV filter capacitor and other filter capacitors for decreased value or opens. Check regulation components including shunt regulators and zener diodes.

Troubleshooting SMPSs using integrated controllers

Since there are usually several fault conditions that can result in an aborted startup or cycling behavior, the basic troubleshooting procedure needs to be modified when dealing with SMPS using controller ICs like the UC3840 or UC3842.

Also see the section: Typical controller ICs found in small switchmode power supplies for descriptions of two common integrated controller ICs.

The following paragraphs apply to SMPSs using integrated controllers. For those using discrete components only (no ICs), see the previous section: Troubleshooting SMPSs using discrete controllers.

Startup problems - check the power on the switchmode transistor and work back from there if there is none. Check for open fusable resistors in the return as well. Check for power to the controller. Determine that no fault condition inputs have abnormal voltages during startup. Check for drive out of the controller IC and see if it reaches the switchmode transistor. You will probably need to power cycle the line input and monitor each of the relevant signals as you do so. (It may not be possible to bring up the voltage slowly with a Variac if the startup circuit uses capacitive or inductive coupling to generate the intial supply voltage for the controller chip. However, a Variac can still be used to run it at reduced voltage if this is the case.) Determine if the supply is shutting down abnormally due to a legitimate or bogus over-current or over-voltage condition or is never actually starting up due to a lack of a voltage or a stuck-at fault on a sense line. Monitor its power to determine if it is stable during startup - a bad capacitor or diode could result in insufficient or decreasing voltage which causes the controller to give up.

Powering the controller separately may aid in troubleshooting of these and related problems. This will decouple the chopper drive from the voltage usually derived via a winding on the high frequency transformer to power the controller once the supply is running.

Blows fuses - check primary side components, switchmode transistor(s), and all other semiconductors for shorts. Then check for open fusable resistors and bad connections. There is a chance that a blown transistor took out the controller chip as well. Under normal conditions, controllers like the UC3840 or UC3842 should current limit on a PWM cycle-by-cycle basis. Therefore, a blown fuse indicates a failure of either the switchmode transistor, controller or both.
Power cycling - First make sure you are providing the minimum load if one is required. Many SMPSs will cycle on overvoltage if there is none. Some may blow up! Assuming the load conditions are normal, monitor current and voltage sensing and Vcc inputs to controller to determine which, if any, are at fault. Open or out of tolerance resistors may result in incorrect sensing. Check for faulty reference setting components like zener diodes. With the series light bulb and/or Variac, disable each of the sense inputs by bypassing the appropriate components. If one of these experiments prevents the cycling behavior, either that circuit has a faulty component or the controller IC's input characteristics have changed and it will need to be replaced. It should be possible to determine if these sensing reference levels are correct from the controller specifications and thus should be ignored by the controller as within normal limits.
Regulation or ripple/noise problems - check main HV filter capacitor and other filter capacitors for decreased value or opens. Check regulation feedback components to controller including any reference voltage output and zener diodes. Determine if the controller is responding to error voltage. If possible, monitor both error and PWM drive signals on a dual trace scope.

Initial post-repair testing

Once defective parts have been replaced, if possible remove the normal load from the supply if you have not already done so just in case it decides to put excessive voltage on its outputs and replace with a dummy load. For a multiple output supply, the most important output to have a load on is the one that is used for regulation but some modest load on all the outputs is preferred. You should be able to determine a suitable value by considering the application. For something like a VCR, a few hundred mA on the main output is probably enough. This would require something like a 25 ohm 2 W resistor for a 5 or 6 volt output or 50 ohm 5 W resistor for a 12 volt output (depending on which is the primary output). For a PC power supply, a couple of amps may be needed - a 2 or 3 ohm 15 W resistor on the +5 output. The minimum load is sometimes indicated on the specification sticker. In the case of a TV or monitor, disconnecting the load may not be possible (or at least, easy).

If available, use a Variac to bring up the input voltage slowly while observing the main output. You should see something at about 50% of normal input voltage - 50 or 60 V for a normal 115 VAC supply. With a small load, the output should very quickly reach or even exceed its normal value. Regulation at very low line voltage may be far off - this is often normal. Just make sure you're using dummy loads so your equipment can't be damaged.

Note: Some SMPS designs require power to be applied instantly to provide the startup voltage to the controller. If this is the case with yours, it won't be possible to bring up the voltage slowly (unless you power that chip separately. So, if nothing happens when doing this, don't panic - it may be a feature, not a bug. :) It should still be possible to run the unit somewhat reduced line voltage on the Variac.

If you do not have a Variac, put a light bulb in series with the line (this is desirable in any case). Use a 100 W bulb for a TV or PC, 40 W for a VCR typical. The light bulb should limit the current to a non-destructive value long enough to determine whether everything is OK. It may not permit normal operation under full load, however. When power is first applied, the light bulb will flash briefly but may just barely be glowing once the output has stabilized. If it is fairly bright continuously, there is likely still a problem in the supply. See the section: The series light bulb trick.

Once you are finished, save your schematic and notes for the future. For example, multiple models of VCRs even from different manufacturers use the same basic design, maybe even the same supply.

Some general switchmode power supply repair comments

Any time the switchmode transistor requires replacement, check all semiconductors for shorts and fusable resistors for opens. even if you locate what is thought to be **the** problem early on. Multiple parts often fail and just replacing the transistor may cause it to fail as a result of something else still being bad. In particular, check primary side electrolytic capacitors for reduced capacity or opens. These conditions can result in a blown switchmode transistor as it attempt to supply adequate current during the troughs of the rectified high voltage DC. It only takes a few more minutes. For other problems like an open startup resistor this excessive caution is unnecessary as these are usually isolated failures. However, if any dried up electrolytics are found, it is good practice to test them all - or just replace them all since the cost and time will be minimal. As they say, 'peas in a pod fail at nearly the same time'.

It is often helpful to trace the circuit by hand if a service manual is not available. You will gain a better understanding of this supply and be able to put the knowledge to use when the next one shows up on your bench - there is a lot of similarity even between different manufacturers. A bright light behind the circuit board may help to make the foil runs and jumpers more visible. The only difficult part will be determining how the transformer windings are hooked up. An ohmmeter will help but even if you cannot entirely determine this, just make a note. For most purposes, the exact topology of the windings is not critical for diagnostic procedures.

Periodic power cycling problems

These are of the form: tweet-tweet-tweet or flub-flub-flub or some other similar variation. Any LEDs may be flashing as well and in the case of something like a monitor or TV, there may be HV static or even a partial raster in synchrony with the sounds. These types of problems are more common with sophisticated implementations - the simple ones just blow up!

As noted elsewhere, shorted secondary components are a very likely cause of this behavior. These include diodes, capacitors, and overvoltage SCRs. The fact that there is some output suggests that the main switchmode (chopper) transistor is working. There would likely be no output at all if it were bad.

Note that an underloaded supply may be cycling due to overvoltage and there may actually be nothing wrong! Many SMPSs require a minimum load to maintain stability and to provide proper regulation. This is typically 20 percent of maximum on the primary output (the one which drives the feedback loop). However, minimum loads may also be needed on other outputs depending on design. The only way to be sure is to check the manufacturer's specs.

Other possibilities for periodic or pulsing outputs:

1. One of the diodes is failing at volage - quite possible. As long as you do not remove both from the output that is used for feeback, it should be safe to take them out one at a time and then substitute for the one remaining in the feedback voltage. Use a Variac and series light bulb when testing in this manner and constantly monitor the main output.

2. Some other cause of excessive current - shorted capacitor, transformer (though not likely), etc.

3. Faulty current sense circuit - open or increased value resistor.

4. Faulty voltage sense circuit - detecting overvoltage or regulation defective and it is shutting down (correctly).

5. Faulty component in the startup circuit. This could be a bad diode, resistor, or even an electrolytic capacitor that has changed value or is open at low voltage (when the controller is just waking up).

6. Faulty controller IC (if applicable).

Testing a SMPS without startup drive

Where an SMPS doesn't start and it isn't obvious why, it might help to drive the chopper from an external signal source to see what then works. The only time this is really practical is where a single transistor or MOSFET is used - generating a push-pull waveform probably isn't worth it.

This will always be a risky procedure both for you and the power supply. The switching frequency is likely unknown but for these tests you can assume it is in the 10 to kHz range. You can reduce the risk somewhat (to the supply at least) by using a series light bulb load and/or running on reduced line voltage. The most important thing to avoid is putting in an excessively long drive pulse which will result in the high frequency transformer saturating, huge amounts of current, and likely a dead transistor and possibly other parts if there is nothing to limit the current. If you have the option, start with a narrow pulse waveform to minimize on-time and don't push your luck! :)

Similarly, where a power supply attempts to start but cycles or shuts down, consider powering the controller chip from a separate supply to eliminate any issues of the transformer derived voltage that normally runs it after startup.

· Back to SMPS Repair FAQ Table of Contents.

Components Found in Switchmode Power Supplies

Common, unusual, and strange

Most of the components used in switchmode power supplies are common and easily identified. However, some may be unfamiliar and unrecognizable. Others could be totally custom parts - ASICs or hybrid circuits - developed specifically for a particular model or product line. However, these rarely fail despite your temptation to blame them specifically *because* locating a replacement is difficult and most likely expensive.

Common components like transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors, can usually be tested with a multimeter at least for total failure. Also see the documents: "Testing of Bipolar Transistors with a VOM or DMM" and "Testing Capacitors with a Multimeter and Safe Discharging".

Of course, with catastrophic failures, no equipment beyond your eyeballs and nose may be needed.

Switchmode (chopper) transistors and other semiconductors

Also see the document: Basic Testing of Semiconductor Devices.

Bipolar power transistors (often BU or 2SC/2SD numbers) - high voltage power types are used for the main switchmode (chopper) transistor.

Test for shorted and open junctions. These are the most common failures for the power transistors. Partial failure where there is some leakage or various parameters change value are unlikely.

Substitution of a transistor with at least equal voltage and current ratings should be fine for testing as long as you use a series light bulb to limit the current should something still be wrong elsewhere in the circuit. A not-exact match may run hotter than normal. Always use a heatsink.

Power MOSFETs (2SK numbers) - many newer supplies are using these rather than the bipolar type. In some ways they are more robust but testing is more difficult.

Testing for shorts is still possible but anything beyond the "moist finger test" requires additional equipment than a multimeter. However, the original problem did not blow a fuse or fusable resistor, if the MOSFET is not shorted, there is an good chance that it is still fine and you should look elsewhere for the problem. It may be a problem with the startup circuit or controller. There is also usually a 15 or 18 V zener across G-S for protection. This may blow when the MOSFET dies.

Note: if your supply produces any output (say, more than 10% of rated voltage), it is unlikely that the chopper transistor is bad as it must be working to some extent and, as noted, these usually blow totally.

Small bipolar transistors - these may be found in feedback and control functions.

Test for shorted and open junctions with a multimeter. Substitute with similar known good transistor is best, however. I have seen little silicon transistors that had developed enough leakage to prevent a 400 W supply from coming up!

Diodes and rectifiers - a bridge or set of 2 or 4 discrete diodes is usually used for the AC line rectification and/or doubling. High efficiency and/or fast recovery types are used in the secondary side for rectification of the various output voltages. These may look like normal axial lead diodes or may be combined in pairs inside TO220 type packages.

Test for shorted and open junctions. However, sometimes, diodes will only fail with full voltage in-circuit but test good with a multimeter.

Replacements for the primary side rectifiers are very inexpensive and readily available. If the unit blows fuses with the switchmode transistor and main filter capacitors pulled, the rectifiers may indeed be bad.

It is usually safe to remove secondary rectifiers one at a time to see if the supply will come up. As long as you do not remove all diodes for the output that provides the feedback for the regulation, this should be relatively low risk. (However, do this with a dummy load - not your expensive laptop computer just in case.) Even removing those diodes is usually safe if you can power the supply using a Variac since you will be able to limit the input (while monitoring the main output) should the outputs go overvoltage.

SCRs - small SCRs may be found in the overvoltage protection circuitry of some supplies. Note that SCR type of crowbars are used across the output as a way to guarantee that an overvoltage condition will kill the output regardless of the reason for the overvoltage condition. Hopefully, the supply's overcurrent protection will kick in rather than having the supply blow up. This is not always the case, unfortunately.

Test for shorts if output on which SCR is connected is not coming up. Remove the SCR. Now, using a Variac to bring up the voltage slowly, see if the relevant output is going over voltage, is still clamped at a low level, or is the correct voltage (under load). A momentary overvoltage spike at turn-on could also trip the crowbar. This could be due to a faulty inrush/slew rate limiting circuit.

TL431 or similar shunt regulator IC - either a TO92 or 8 pin DIP. Has 3 active terminals - A, C, and R. Current will flow from C to A if R-A is greater than 2.5 V.

Test for shorts but substitution is best. However, with care (using a Variac AND series light bulb to limit the input current, it is possible to determine if the circuit in which these are connected is working. Short across TL431 - supply should either turn off or run at greatly reduced output. Remove the TL431 - there should be no regulation - outputs should continue to climb as Variac is increased. By monitoring input to TL431 it should be possible to determine if it is doing its job.

Optoisolator - either a 4 or 6 pin DIP or a 4 pin cylindrical object. This provides the regulator feedback across the isolation barrier. Replacements are readily available.

Test by putting 10-20 mA through LED and measuring decrease in resistance of reverse biased photodiode. However, this will not identify a weak optoisolator. Swapping is best.

Capacitors (filter and bypass)

Filter capacitors - electrolytic type are used for filtering of the rectified (possibly doubled) AC line input and for filtering of the various outputs of the power supply.

If no capacitor checker is available, test for opens, shorts, and leakage with a multimeter. For electrolytics, this is straightforward. Inspect the capacitor for any discoloration, a bulging case, or other evidence of trauma.

An ESR meter is a convenient device for rapidly checking the health of electrolytic capacitors. The ESR (Effective Series Resistance) of a capacitor increases as the capacitor deteriorates ('dries up'). Even a capacitor that tests good on a capacitor checker may not work properly due to excessive ESR.

When in doubt, the best approach is to substitute a known good capacitor of at least equal working voltage and similar uF rating.

Also see the document: Capacitor Testing, Safe Discharging and Other Related Information.

(From: Steve (libertytek@aol.com).)

"When you find a position that eats electrolytic caps, replace them but add a parallel .22 to .47 uF ceramic monolithic.

Whenever these crappy caps are used with even small high frequency currents passing through them, they break down chemically causing other failures also. Even the "high ripple current" rated caps won't tolerate what they should and are often rated at 1,000 - 2,000 hours.

I also often find too little heat sinking and will add more surface to improve cooling."

Bypass Capacitors - high quality plastic dipped or rectangular molded capacitors as part of RFI filter. These rarely fail.

Test for shorts - your multimeter will probably not be able to detect the small capacitance. Substitute if in doubt.

Note that many of these are special high quality low loss types with regulatory approval for use across the power line in the line filter. Exact replacements are required for safety.

Resistors (normal and flameproof), NTC thermistors, MOVs

Resistors - test for correct value with a multimeter. If measured in-circuit, value may read low if shunted by other components. If a higher than normal reading is obtained in-circuit, the resistor is bad. Metal film types like to go open circuit - especially very high value resistors.

Startup resistors in particular tend to go open-circuit resulting in a dead supply but no blown fuses or fusable resistors. These are usually high value (100K typical) medium wattage and run hot since they are across the full rectified line voltage.

Flameproof or fusable resistors (They are the same) - these are often designated 'FR'. They will look like power resistors but will be colored blue or gray, or may be rectangular ceramic blocks. They should only be replaced with flameproof resistors with identical ratings. They serve a very important safety function: they cannot catch fire when overheated and will open rather than changing value which implements an overload protection function.

These usually serve as fuses in addition to any other fuses that may be present (and in addition to their function as a resistor, though this isn't always needed). If an FR type resistor has blown, you probably have shorted semiconductors that will need to be replaced as well. Check all the transistors and diodes in the power supply with an ohmmeter. You may find that the main switch mode transistor has decided to turn into a blob of solder - dead short. Check everything out even if you find one bad part - many components can fail or cause other components to fail if you don't locate them all. Check resistors as well, even if they look OK.

The most common location for these in a small SMPS is in the return circuit of a the switchmode transistor. However, they may be in the power feed as well. The value may be a fraction of an ohm but can be larger.

In TVs and monitors, these are often found in the hot power feed to the main low voltage power supply and in various secondary supply feeds as well. For the main supply, they will be 5-25 W rectangular ceramic power resistors. For the secondary supplies, they may be the 1/2-2 W blue or brown tubular variety.

Test for opens. Those in the return circuits are usually very low value - a fraction of an ohm to a few ohms - if in the return of the switchmode (chopper) transistor. The type in the power feeds may be anywhere from a fraction of an ohm to several K ohms depending on the circuit load.

For testing ONLY, a normal resistor may be substituted but the proper replacement MUST be installed before returning the supply to service.

Since they function as fuses, flameproof resistors should not be replaced with higher wattage types unless specifically allowed by the manufacturer. These would not blow at the same level of overload possibly resulting in damage to other parts of the circuitry and increasing the risk of fire.

MOVs - Metal Oxide Varistors - look like brightly colored plastic coated disk capacitors but not marked with capacitance. These are surge suppressors. A severe surge or lightning strike may obliterate one or more of these. There will usually be either 1 between the Hot and Neutral or 3 across H, N, and safety ground.

If they are visibly damaged in any way, just remove (for now) or replace. Test with an ohmmeter - resistance should be nearly infinite.

NTC resistors (thermistors) - Negative Temperature Coefficient resistors act as inrush surge limiters. There may be one or two of these in series with the AC input. These are a high value when cold but drop to a low value once they heat up due to current flow into the supply. These often look like fat black disk capacitors.

Test when cold and hot (use a hot air gun or hair dryer if not in-circuit). Resistance should drop from 10s of ohms to a very low value.

Transformers and inductors

High frequency transformers - these include the switchmode power transformer and any feedback (toroidal or E-I core type) transformers.

The main transformer which provides line isolation and generates the multiple output voltages from the 150-320 VDC input rail. These are usually custom wound for each model power supply and replacements are only available from the manufacturer. However, some distributors will stock replacements for a few TVs and computer monitors.

Testing for opens is usually easy since connections to the input (chopper) and output rectifiers are fairly obvious. However, feedback windings may be involved and these are not readily determined without a schematic or tracing the circuit (and, possibly not even then.) The good news is that failures of these transformers is less common than one might fear.

Some supplies use small transformers for feedback rather than optoisolators. These can be tested for opens but rarely cause problems. There may also be transformers in series with the input that can be similary tested.

Identifying shorted turns requires a 'ring test' or measurement of the Q. See the document: Testing of Flyback (LOPT) Transformers.

Control/standby power transformers - used to provide power to the controller of some units when the main chopper is idle. These may be damaged by a power surge, usually with an open primary winding. Test with an ohmmeter. A shorted winding will result in overheating.
Inductors - test for opens. Identifying shorted turns requires a 'ring test' or measurement of the Q. See the document: Testing of Flyback (LOPT) Transformers.

AC line input inductors can just be bypassed if they test open.

Output 'pi' filter inductors rarely fail but if you suspect one, just remove it and jumper across the pads for testing - ripple just won't be quite as good.

Coupled Inductors - used as part of the Pi type RFI filter in the AC input circuit. These look like small transformers but the windings are in series with the AC line. There are usually 1 or 2 of these on better supplies and they are very reliable.

Test for opens. Identifying shorted turns requires a 'ring test' or measurement of the Q. See the document: Testing of Flyback (LOPT) Transformers. These inductors can just be removed and bypassed during testing if they are open since they only affect input line noise filtering.

Fans

Many small SMPSs don't have any fans built in but expect there to be a fan or fans elsewhere in the equipment designed draw air over the power supply. Most computer power supplies do have a fan inside - and these are high failure items due to how cheaply they are made.

A bad or tired fan, or even clogged air filters, can result in overheating and outright failure, or at the very least, increased stress on components and reduced life expectancy. Thus, periodic maintenance is highly recommended. Inspection of the fan(s) and filter(s) should be one of the first steps in any testing procedure.

The most common problem with fans is dry/gummed up/worn bearings. Ball bearings are rarely found in PC power supplies (the manufacturer saved 25 cents). Even on expensive workstation computers, mediocre fans may be used (Sun Microsystems had to replace a whole bunch of fans on state-of-the-art Ultra-Sparc systems because of bad bearings). Quick test: With the power off, give the fan a spin. If it continues to coast for at least a couple of seconds, the bearings are probably good. If it stops instantly, they are gummed up. If in doubt, replace the fan with a good quality ball bearing type. It's really not worth attempting to disassemble and oil the bearings unless you have nothing better to do.

Fan motors do go bad but this is much less common than bad bearings. With modern brushless DC motors, one phase could be defective resulting in sluggish operation and/or failure to start if stopped in just the wrong position.

On more sophisticated equipment with temperature sensing to adjust fan speed, the speed control circuitry could also be bad.

WARNING: Replacement of the fan on SMPSs requires access to the interior. Make sure the equipment is unplugged and the large filter capacitors are fully discharged before doing anything inside the case - both for your safety and to prevent damage to the supply.

For more on fans, fan motors, and lubrication, see the document: Notes on the Troubleshooting and Repair of Small Household Appliance and Power tools.

(From: Clive Cooper (clpc@cooperware.com).)

I spent 3 days searching for a problem on a SMPS. It turned out to be a simple fault that eluded me for some time.

The SMPS worked fine for about 10 minutes and then the output voltages dropped slowly and eventually the supply went dead.

It turned out that the fan, although it appeared to be working fine was only getting 60% of the supply voltage it needed. This was due to a faulty temperature sensor that just told the fan that the supply was cold even when it was hot.

Conclusions: A fan that is blowing is not necessarily blowing what it should be blowing and the fact that it seems to be working doesn't mean its working at maximum efficiency.

· Back to SMPS Repair FAQ Table of Contents.

Items of Interest

Panasonic VCR SMPS

The same power supply design is used with minor variations in a wide variety of Panasonic (and clone) VCRs from the 1980s and 1990s (and may continue to this day). Depending on the specific model, there may slightly different output voltages and number of outputs but the general organization is identical. These use discrete components throughout with feedback from the primary output (5 to 5.2 V depending on model) using an optoisolator to essentially short out the drive to the main chopper transistor (Q1) when the output equals the desired voltage. The most common problems found with any of these supplies is dried up electrolytic capacitors. Generally, the first to go will be C16 and C17 on the +5.1 VDC line and/or C21 in the feedback path (actual part type and number may vary slightly with model). Symptoms will be either that the primary output is somewhat low (4 to 4.5 VDC) or that the supply has gone overvoltage and blown the protection zener (D15) resulting in a high pitched whine as the chopper struggles to drive current into a short circuit (this usually doesn't damage any other parts if caught in a reasonably timely manner). If any capacitor related problems are found, it is a good idea to replace all the electrolytics in the supply. Model specific capacitor kits as well as total rebuild kits are available from places like Studio Sound Service and MCM Electronics.

The Panasonic VCR power supply schematic is available in both PDF and GIF format:

Get VCRPS: vcrps.pdf or vcrps.gif.

Typical controller ICs found in small switchmode power supplies

Here is some information on the Unitrode UC3840 programmable off-line PWM controller and its simplified cousin, the UC3842. These are typical of the types of sophisticated inexpensive integrated SMPS controller ICs that are now readily available.

Unitrode Datasheets gets you Unitrode's power conversion controllers (more than 40 different devices!).

A Web search should easily turn up other sources.

The information below is just a summary.

These devices generate the PWM pulse control to the switchmode (chopper) transistor as well as various fault sensing and other control functions.

Parts such as these are now found in many small switchmode power supplies and provide much more precise control during startup and normal operation, and better handling of fault conditions compared to most implementations using discrete circuitry.

However, they also result in additional head scratching when troubleshooting since many faults or incorrectly detected faults can shut down the unit or cause a power cycling type of behavior. Therefore, a datasheet for the controller chip will prove essential. In many cases a scope will be needed to monitor the various sense, control, and drive signals. A systematic troubleshooting approach must be used to eliminate power, startup, sensing, and control components one at a time once obvious shorted or open parts or bad connections have been eliminated from consideration.

Unitrode UC3840 programmable off-line PWM controller

Features of the Unitrode UC3840 include:

Fixed frequency operation set by user selected components.
A variable slope ramp generator for constant volt-second operation. providing open-loop line regulation and minimizing or in some cases, even eliminating the need for feedback control.
A drive switch for low current start-up off of the high voltage line.
A precision reference generator with internal over-voltage protection.
Complete over-voltage, under-voltage, and over-current protection including programmable shutdown and restart.
A high current single-ended PWM output optimized for fast turn-off of an external power switch.

The following pin descriptions for the Unitrode UC3840 were derived from a Unitrode application note. Errors in interpretation are quite possible.

Pin 1: Compensation Error amplifier (op amp) compensation network.

Pin 2: Start/U.V. lockout This comparator performs three functions. With

an increasing voltage, it generates a turn-on

signal at a start threshold. With a decreasing

voltage, it generates an under-voltage fault

signal at a lower level separated by a 200uA

hysteresis current. At the under-voltage

threshold, it also resets the Error Latch if

the Reset Latch has been set.

Pin 3: OV sense Over-voltage input from power supply output(s).

Pin 4: Stop (Ext stop) External logic signal to inhibit power.

Pin 5: Reset External logic signal to reset error condition

caused by (1) over-voltage, (2) over-current, (3)

input under-voltage detect, (4) external stop.

Pin 6: Current threshold This voltage input sets the over-current trigger

levels for the internal comparators.

Pin 7: Current sense This is the pulse-by-pulse PWM current control.

The input is a voltage taken across a series

resistor in the switchmode transistor's return.

There are two internal comparators with a

difference in threshold of 400 mV. The one

with the lower threshold limits the current

for each PWM cycle. The one with the higher

threshold sets the error flop-flop and shuts

down the supply if its threshold is ever

exceeded.

Pin 8: Slow start This input limits the maximum PWM duty cycle.

During power-on, an RC delay can therefore

control the rate at which the output ramps up.

The final value limits the maximum PWM duty cycle

during normal operation.

Pin 9: Rt/Ct R and C determine the constant PWM oscillator

frequency.

Pin 10: Ramp Ramp generator output.

Pin 11: Vi sense This voltage is normally derived from the DC

input and controls the slope of the ramp.

Pin 12: PWM output This is the drive signal to the switchmode

transistor. This is an open collector output

and will normally be used in conjunction with

the Driver bias (Pin 14) signal to provide

total drive to the switchmode transistor.

Pin 13: Ground Signal and drive common.

Pin 14: Driver bias Supplies drive current to external power switch

to provide turn-on bias and pullup during normal

operation. Disabled for shutdown if the Error

Latch is set.

Pin 15: Vcc UC3840 chip supply derived from the DC input rail

during startup and secondary winding on high

frequency transformer during normal operation.

Pin 16: 5 V reference Stable voltage reference (output) for regulation

control.

Pin 17: Inv input Error amplifier inverting input.

Pin 18: Non inv input Error amplifier non-inverting input.

The difference between the inputs on Pins 17 and

18 control PWM duty cycle. These will generally

be derived by comparing the main output with

the desired voltage reference.

Unitrode UC3842 off-line PWM controller

The UC3842 provides the necessary functions to implement an off-line fixed frequency current mode control schemes with a minimal external parts count. Note how most of the pin functions are subsets of those found in the more sophisticated UC3840. The UC3842 retains most of the features of the UC3840 but requires fewer external components and comes in a much smaller package (8 vs. 18 pins).

The following pin descriptions for the Unitrode UC3842 were derived from a Unitrode application note. Errors in interpretation are quite possible.

Pin 1: Compensation Error amplifier (op amp) compensation network.

Pin 2: Vfb Error amplifier (non-inverting) input for

regulation feedback.

This input is used to control PWM duty cycle

and is normally derived from the main regulated

output voltage. It is similar in function to

The non-inverting input, Pin 18, of the UC3840.

Pin 3: Current sense This is the pulse-by-pulse PWM current control.

The input is a voltage taken across a series

resistor in the switchmode transistor's return.

Pin 4: Rt/Ct R and C determine the constant PWM oscillator

frequency.

Pin 5: Ground Signal and drive common.

Pin 6: PWM output This is the drive signal to the switchmode

transistor. It uses a totem pole output which

has a high current drive capability both high

and low.

Pin 7: Vcc UC3842 chip supply derived from the DC input rail

during startup and secondary winding on high

frequency transformer during normal operation.

Pin 8: 5 V reference Stable voltage reference (output) for regulation

control.

Description of UC3842 startup operation and cycling problems

Depending on the particular circuit design, a variety of fault conditions can result in cycling or shutdown of an SMPS controlled by a chip like the UC3842. And, an underloaded supply may be cycling due to overvoltage!

In addition to the overload condition described below, a dried up electrolytic capacitor on the Vcc line can also result in this cycling behavior since it is unable to hold up the voltage between output pulses. In addition, the sense inputs can trigger shutdown. In all, an often complex difficult to understand and troubleshoot situation - sometimes too much so for its own good!

(Portions from: Yves Houbion (yves.houbion@fundp.ac.be).)

Pin 7 is the power supply (Vcc). The oscillator inside the 3842 begins to work above 16 V on Vcc and stops working when this voltage drops below 11 V. With a stopped oscillator, the current consumption is very low, around 1 mA; with a working oscillator, the current is much higher, about 12 mA. (The specific voltages and currents are typical values for one particular version of the 3842 and can vary from device to device and depending on model.)

Vcc is generally powered in two ways: a high value power (startup) resistor connected to the main bridge (e.g., +300V) and a from a winding off the transformer (via a rectifier/filter capacitor). The value of the startup resistor is selected such that there is more than 16 V with 1 mA but less than 11 V at 12 mA. So the oscillator can't continue to work with only the startup resistor supplying power.

Suppose we apply AC power to the supply. The +300V comes on. First, the 3842 consumes only 1 mA, Vcc reaches 16 V, and the oscillator starts up. If all is well (no overloads), the transformer provides the necessary 12 mA current to maintain Vcc at more than 11 V.

However, if the transformer is overloaded, Vcc falls under 11 V and the oscillator stops working. The current decreases to 3 mA, the voltage increase (coming from the +300V) the oscillator start again, ad-infinitum.

Tweet-tweet-tweet....

Switching between 115 VAC and 230 VAC input

Assuming it is not a wide compliance 'universal type', a common way to do this is with a jumper (or switch) in the line input circuitry below (also shown in Typical SMPS Input Voltage Select Circuit):

AC o-----+----|>|-------+---------+-----o DC (+)

~| D2 |+ |

+----|<|----+ | +_|_

D3 | | C1 ---

+----|>|----|--+ - |

| D4 | +--o-o--+ +320 VDC to chopper

AC o---+-+----|<|----+ - | J1 |

|~ | | +_|_

+-------------|----+ C2 ---

| - |

+------------+-----o DC (-)

With the jumper, J1, installed, the circuit is a voltage doubler for use on 115 VAC. (D3 and D4 never actually conduct because they are always reverse biased.)
With the jumper, J1, removed, the circuit is a simple bridge rectifier for use on 230 VAC.

Changing the input voltage of a switchmode power supply

Would it be possible to modify a power supply designed for operation on 120 VAC for use overseas where the power is 240 VAC?

I don't advise it. There are many factors involved in changing a power supply unless it is designed for dual voltage or autoswitching. They saved a few cents if it is not easily switched, what can I say?

The problem is that it is probably a flyback converter and these are pretty finicky about changes. In addition to the caps, and switching transistor, the transformer would probably saturate at the higher voltage unless the switching frequency were also doubled. Getting these things to work normally without blowing up is touchy enough. To change one without a thorough understanding of all the design parameters would be really risky.

Going the other way may be more realistic if (and this is a big if) you will not be running at anywhere near full capacity. Many switchmode power supplies will run on much lower than their rated input voltage. However, regulation may be poor and the switchmode transistor will need to be passing much higher current to maintain the same power output. To maintain specifications could require extensive changes to the circuitry and replacement of the switchmode transistor and possibly transformer and other parts as well. Again, I do not recommend this.

Use a small stepup or stepdown transformer instead. The only exceptions are:

If there are clearly marked jumpers to select the input voltage.
You can reverse engineer enough of the input circuitry to add/remove the needed connection with confidence.

CAUTION: As they say in wood-working: "Measure twice, cut once". Make sure you are dealing with the correct jumper AND you are going the right way (increasing or decreasing as needed). If the manufacturer didn't include this feature, there may be a good reason!

The supply is clearly marked as being autoswitching or having universal power input.

Also see the secton: "Switching between 115 VAC and 230 VAC input".

Slightly modifying the output voltage of a PC power supply

Surplus PC power supplies are widely available and inexpensive. However, what do you do if 5 V isn't exactly what you need for a project?

(From: Winfield Hill (hill@rowland.org).)

Some of the PC power supplies I've dissected do have pots, by they have a limited voltage-adjustment range. One interesting thing, every design used a TL431 chip, which is a 3-pin TO-92 regulating IC, as the voltage reference and opto-feedback component. Find this chip and trace out the resistors connected to it to determine which part to change to make a higher voltage.

But, watch out for the SCR over-voltage circuit in some supplies. This is usually set to trip around 6 to 6.5 volts, and its trip point would need to be modified as well.

As far as the step-down transformer turns ratio, there's little trouble one will encounter here, because the power supply is no doubt designed to function properly with reduced AC line voltages. The penalty one will pay for turning up the output voltage is a higher minimum AC voltage.

In most designs, the +12 and -12 V supplies merely track the 5V supply, and are not separately regulated. They may soar to higher voltages anyway if unloaded, but will be additionally increased in voltage by the ratio of 5V output increase. Even though the rating of the 5V electrolytic may not be exceeded, and still have a sufficient safety margin, this may not be the case for the 12 V outputs. So that issue should be examined as well.

Finally, a reminder for any reader tempted to break open the box and start experimenting. Voltages of up to 320 V are present, so be careful. Know what you're doing. For safety, stay away from open supplies when plugged in, or always keep one hand behind your back when probing. Remember a the AC bridge and HV DC and flyback transformer portion of all these supplies is operating straight from the AC line, so don't connect the ground of your oscilloscope to any of that circuitry. A battery-operated multimeter is best.

Use of surge suppressors and line filters

Should you always use a surge suppressor outlet strip or line circuit? Sure, it shouldn't hurt. Just don't depend on these to provide protection under all circumstances. Some are better than others and the marketing blurb is at best of little help in making an informed selection. Product literature - unless it is backed up by testing from a reputable lab - is usually pretty useless and often confusing.

Line filters can also be useful if power in you area is noisy or prone to spikes or dips.

However, keep in mind that most well designed electronic equipment already includes both surge suppressors like MOVs as well as L-C line filters. More is not necessarily better but may move the point of failure to a readily accessible outlet strip rather than the innards of your equipment if damage occurs.

Very effective protection is possible through the use of a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) which always runs the equipment off its battery from the internal inverter (not all do). This provides very effective isolation power line problems as the battery acts as a huge capacitor. If something is damaged, it will likely be the UPS and not your expensive equipment. Another option is to use a constant voltage transformer (SOLA) which provides voltage regulation, line conditioning, and isolation from power spikes and surges. Manufacturers of these products may even provide equipment damage warranties which will reimburse for surge damage to the powered equipment while using their products. I am not sure how one proves that the UPS was being used at the time, however!

It is still best to unplug everything if the air raid sirens go off or you see an elephant wearing thick glasses running through the neighborhood (or an impending lightning storm).

GFCI tripping with monitor (or other high tech equipment)

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) are very important for minimizing shock hazards in kitchens, bathrooms, outdoors and other potentially wet areas. They are now generally required by the NEC Code in these locations. However, what the GFCI detects to protect people - an imbalance in the currents in the Hot and Neutral wires caused possibly by someone touching a live conductor - may exist safely by design in 3 wire grounded electronic equipment and result in false tripping of the GFCI. The reason is that there are usually small capacitors between all three wire - Hot, Neutral, and Ground in the RFI line filters of computer monitors, PCs, and printers. At power-on and even while operating, there may be enough leakage current through the capacitors between Hot and Ground in particular to trip the GFCI. Even for ungrounded 2 wire devices, the power-on surge into inductive or capacitive loads like switching power supplies may falsely trip the GFCI. This is more likely to happen with multiple devices plugged into the same GFCI protected outlet especially if they are controlled by a common power switch.

Therefore, I do not recommend the use of a GFCI for computer equipment as long as all 3 wire devices are connected to properly grounded circuits. The safety ground provides all the protection that is needed.

Why do power supplies seem to fail after a power outage?

Startup is the most stressful time for a typical switchmode power supply. The output filter capacitors as well as the load must be driven while the input voltage is changing - possibly wildly. With careful design, these factors can be taken into consideration. Not all power supplies are designed carefully or thoroughly tested under all conditions. When power is restored, surges, dips, brownouts, and multiple on-off cycles are possible. This is why it is always recommended that electronic equipment be unplugged until power has been restored and is stable.

Supplies that are autoselecting with respect to input power are vulnerable to voltages at an intermediate value between their low and high ranges. At some values, they may autoselect the incorrect input range:

(From: Mike Diack (moby@kcbbs.gen.nz).)

A subject dear to my heart due to a recent unpleasant experience - Was using a Picturelel videoconference ISDN codec on a job when, because of a powerline fault, the line voltage dropped to 170 volts. The PicTel has a big Onan switchmode PSU which is autoswitching between 100-120 and 200-240 volts. It got confused, and (regrettably) chose the former.... with very smelly results.

Moral: turn off things with cunning PSUs when brownouts occur (oh yes the airconditioner units got very hot and tripped out, too)

Buzzing or other sounds from SMPSs

Two common causes are (1) loose transformer (or other cores) vibrating at a subharmonic of the switching frequency and (2) dried up electrolytic capacitors (primary side) introducing 120 Hz hum under load.

(From: Ray Hackney (rhackney@unicomp.net).)

Simplistically speaking, the sound comes from something moving.

With non switch mode power supplies (SMPS), it may be ferrous material (like a metal cover) being drawn toward the power transformer. That's obvious since pushing on the cover will soften the hum. The frequency is usually 60Hz or 120Hz.

The only time you should hear a "noise" from a SMPS is during a period of "unstable" operation (i.e. their "loop" isn't stable and in regulation.) That's why you may hear them "chirp" or whistle when you first turn them on or off. It may also indicate a PC type power supply that's overloaded. In years gone by, I've seen a quiet PC become a whistler after having a new, big (30 meg, full height!) hard disk added. Sometimes the pitch of the whistle would change depending on what parts of the system were being accessed or what software was being executed. (Usually, when the old Intel AboveBoard was being accessed in this '286, the audible pitch was lower indicating greater current draw.)

For all power supplies, it may be the windings on the "magnetics" (inductor or transformer). If they're not wound tightly and secured they can vibrate. Many video monitors exhibit this problem when their flyback transformer emits a whistle. It may be the windings themselves moving or the winding assembly may be loose on the core.

Sometimes the capacitors in a SMPS will emit sound. Caps in SMPS' frequently have high AC current levels. If the supply is supposed to have what's known as "continuous current" and goes into "discontinuous current" mode, the capacitor plates get stressed pretty heavily and move in the capacitor body (but only with some types). Since the SMPS will go into and out of discontinuous mode at a rate < 10kHz, it's audible. I've run into this on breadboards I've built for 200W and 2.5kW SMPS'.

Cool electrolytics - temperature rating versus ESR

(From: Jeroen H. Stessen (Jeroen.Stessen@philips.com).)

Electrolytic capacitors like to be kept cool! If there's anything that these capacitors can't stand, it's heat. It causes them to dry out.

Electrolytic capacitors exist in (at least) two different temperature ratings: 85 C and 105 C. The latter are obviously more temperature resistant. Unfortunately they also tend to have a higher ESR than their 85 C counterparts. So in an application where the heat is due to I^2 * ESR dissipation, the 105 C type may actually be a *worse* choice! If the heat is due to a nearby hot heatsink then 105 C is indeed a better choice.

When better may be worse

ESR is usually something to be minimized in a capacitor. However, where the original design depended (probably by accident) on a certain ESR, this may not always be the case:

(From: Lee Dunbar (dunbar@unitrode.com).)

Substitutions of low ESR caps into circuits which had lousy caps is not always the good idea that it appears to be.... Caution is advised, as low ESR caps will not limit surge currents.

The circuits' series impedance drops (compare substituted capacitors ESR when new with the original capacitor's ESR was when it was a new capacitor), which, in turn, lets the surge magnitude rise, the higher currents destroy can semiconductors and other components.

I guess what the industry needs is a good capacitor cross reference guide for aluminum electrolytics!

Alan's SMPS troubleshooting technique

(From: Alan Liefting (aliefting@ihug.co.nz).)

Replace all faulty components and check all semiconductors and resistors.
Remove switching MOSFET or disconnect its supply voltage.
Connect variable DC PSU to main secondary voltage (one which is monitored).
Connect an oscilloscope to the gate of the switching MOSFET. As the DC voltage from the external PSU is increased to the value of what the SMPS output should be, a change in the mark-space ratio of the PWM waveform can be observed. Only a small change in the supplied voltage around the SMPS output voltage is required to observe the effect as the power supply attempts to regulate.

If the supplied voltage is increased further the PWM waveform will cease as the control circuit will detect an overvoltage.

With this technique the whole power supply can be tested without fear of destroying MOSFETs and it can be determined if the SMPS is regulating to the correct voltage (if known!).

This will not work with all SMPS's. It depends on the design.

John's notes on SMPS repair

(From: John Croteau (croteau@erols.com).).

Switchmode power supply repairs can be difficult. The problem is manufacturers don't usually give you an easy test set up. They should tell you if it will run at no load or what dummy load to use. Secondly they should tell you what voltage or resistance to use to replace the opto-isolator (or transformer) for that load. The SMPS hot side is a high frequency oscillator whose 'on time' is varied by feedback supplied through the opto-isolator. The troubleshooting procedure should normally be in this order.

1. First eliminate external causes such as shorts or no load as the cause of the shutdown.

2. Eliminate the secondary side shorted diodes, capacitors, etc.

3. After eliminating overloads on the outputs check the DC supply to the power device.

4. Check the bias coming from the feedback. Trace the bias supplied by the feedback and try to determine what is the correct bias for that situation (usually no power same as start-up).

o If the bias is as on the schematic then troubleshoot the hot (primary) side as any oscillator.

o If the bias is wrong and there is no short on the output then concentrate on why the feedback doesn't supply the expected voltage to bias the scillator on.

5. If you work on many of the same type SMPS:

o Determine the normal load and make a dummy load.

o Determine the value of resistance that is created at the output of the opto-isolator (hint: use Ohm's law). Then remove one leg of the output of the opto-isolator and replace it with a resistor as calculated.

By using a fixed load and cutting out the feedback it is very easy to troubleshoot. Don't forget to check the voltages and waveforms in your test set-up and record them for future reference.

Russell's comments on SMPS repair

(From: Russell Houlton (71101.2454@CompuServe.com))

I wanted to pass on some comments on repair of switchmode power supplies. I've fixed a few myself.

1. I see quite a few where the filter capacitors have failed. Not all electrolytic capacitors are the same. You should get capacitors that are rated for high frequency service. Use of "normal" caps that one finds in the local electronics stores are likely to go bad in about a year. Not something a professional who values his reputation wants to see happen. In fact, I suspect that some manufacturer fail to understand this and use the wrong caps causing common failures in their units. Especially units that may be subjected to use in warmer areas. I see this mostly with specialized devices rather then mass consumer items.

I highly recommend the Panasonic HFS series cap that can be bought from DigiKey (and other places I'm sure). These unit are specially designed for good size as well as use in switching supplies. They are also rated for 105 degrees C as opposed to the more common 85 degrees C temperature rating. I have never had to replace a HFS cap I installed, where I've had to replace "common" caps in repair situations. (No I don't sell the HFS or have stock in DigiKey, I'm just passing some info that has worked well for me.) (Note: The HFS series caps have been discontinued by Panasonic. They recommended using the EEU-FC (FC series) as a replacment. --- Sam.)

2. SMPS usually try to regulate one of the output voltages by using the switcher, usually it's the output with the most power, but might be the one that's most voltage critical. If the filter caps go bad in the main output voltage, the auxiliary output voltages will go high. The SMPS may also start to make high-pitched sounds as the ripple messes with the feedback system. The aux output voltages may go so high that the secondary regulator may go into foldback to protect itself. I found this out the hard way. It's really something that can kick you in the pants because normally one would not check the 5V supply if the problem seems to be a bad 23.5 V regulator.

3. Noisy (whining or buzzing) SMPSs that still work tend to be either bad main output voltage capacitors or bad electrolytics in the power oscillator circuit. See the section: Buzzing or other sounds from SMPSs.

4. Most SMPSs have also have a *minimum* power draw requirement from their loads. This is especially true of the main output voltage. If not enough power is drawn from the supply, the supply may not be stable and can not supply full power on the auxiliary voltages. An example of this is using a 250 W PC power supply just to drive a disk drive. Without the heavy 5 V power draw of a motherboard, the supply may not start up reliable or provide the needed 12 V power for the hard drives.

5. I've also seen cases where one of the voltage doubler caps will open up causing failure in one of the switching transistor(s). It will short out a single transistor unit, but in a dual switching unit, the transistor associated with the good cap will over-work itself and open. An easy way to test is to remove the other switching transistor (in a dual unit) and apply power for 2 seconds. (Take all prudent precautions for working around a live and open unit!) Disconnect power and use your voltmeter to check the voltage across each of the caps. They should discharge at a roughly equal rate. A bad cap will lose all it's voltage in less then 2 seconds. A good cap will hold it's charge much longer.

6. Lastly, some unit that have the switch mode power supply in the same enclosure as the CRT will have a sync signal that comes from the horizontal flyback transformer. This keeps the SMPS in sync with the display so that the small magnetic fields that are created by the SMPS don't create a wavy pattern on the screen. Something to remember if a newly re-assembled unit shows a window screen like interference pattern on the display.

Bob's description of how a typical PC power supply works

(From: Bob Wilson (rfwilson@intergate.bc.ca).)

I really suggest you refer to a handbook on basic switchmode power supply design for the nitty-gritty.

I have a schematic of a 200 Watt PC power supply, and I assure you that there are enough cost-saving clever shortcuts in the design, that unless you know a fair amount about the design of switchers, it will just totally and completely baffle you.

Nearly all 200 W PC power supplies are *identical* knock offs of one-another (except for the power-good comparator section). The transformer has a +5 V output which is what is regulated. It also has a +12 V output and a -12 V output. The -5 V output is derived from the -12 V output using a 7905 regulator. All transformer outputs are related in voltage by the transformer turns ratio. The power supply topology is a Half Bridge, which normally requires a "buck section" in each output (namely an inductor, catch diode and capacitor). To vastly improve the cross regulation between windings, a common core is used to wind all the 3 output inductors on.

Basically, however, a 200 W PC power supply is a half-bridge design, with a bridge-type voltage doubler in front which simply rectifies 220 V, or doubles 110 V to 220 V. So the thing is basically a 220 Volt design.

The controller is typically a TI TL494 that operates off the output of the supply. This means that in order to start, there must already be an output voltage present! How they do this is really really clever, and also extremely confusing. The power transformer is itself, self oscillating. This generates a rudimentary output voltage that allows the thing to bootstrap up to normal operation, and the controller chip to take over.

The +12 Volt output is what is used to power the PWM chip. Thus, the supply runs off its own output. This is done to eliminate the need for troublesome opto-coupler feedback. To boot itself up (after all, there is no initial +12 V to allow itself to start), the driver transformer is modified (very cleverly) to form part of a blocking oscillator. Thus the unit initially self oscillates in a crude fashion until there is enough voltage on the +12 V output to allow the PWM to start, which then swamps out the self oscillation and normal operation commences.

Since the controller resides on the output side of the transformer, the drive to the 2 half-bridge NPN bipolar transistors is by a driver transformer (a direct connection cannot be made because the transistors are on the primary side).

Frequency of operation is 50 kHz, which is low by today's standards, but this means lower cost transformer winding (Litz wire is not needed, for example).

Steve's comments on PC power supply operation and repair

(From: Steve Bell (service@bell-electronics.freeserve.co.uk).)

There are not normally schematics available for PC power supplies.

If the PC's are very old, some service manuals included the PSU schematics - but these will be very very old, like the early Apricot that used the Astec AC9335, the Olivetti XT, and some PC's that ran CPM like the LSI Octopus.

Most AT class computers never had schematics available for their power supplies, the manufacturers simply intended them to be swapped out. Schematics were produced by the power supply manufacturers for companies such as Compaq, Sun Microsystems etc, but these where only released to their authorized service centres. These are far and few between and sign non disclosure agreements, so schematics are not available to anyone else. I used to work for one such company, they repaired all of Sun's power supplies from throughout Europe.

Here in the UK, and also in the USA, if a 'standard' AT or ATX power supply fails it's often cheaper to replace. Many PC power supplies aren't standard - we repair many from Compaq, Elonex, HP, Apple, Sun etc that are non standard and can be repaired far cheaper than the manufacturers exchange unit. Also in many countries a swap out isn't available or can be costly.

Even without schematics power supplies can be repaired. The same type of circuitry repeats itself. Older power supplies often used the TL494C pwm IC, newer use the UC3842/3/4/5 series driving MOSFETs. Some older still used the NE5560, SG3524 etc., many didn't use a PWM IC, but instead discrete components. Data sheets on the IC's used are very useful.

Considering the 'standard' 200 W AT PSU, these usually use 2 T0220 power transistors, and at power on a resistor, usually around 270 - 330 K turn on the top transistor, and current flows in the inverter transformer. A winding on the secondary supplies a voltage that is rectified and smoothed to feed the PWM IC and its drivers. These then drive the 2 transistors via a transformer and the power supply is running. The 5 V output voltage is then sensed and fed back to the PWM IC to maintain regulation. Most faults on these types of power supplies involve the high value resistors failing associated with the inverter transistors, the transistors and associated components, bridge rectifier shorted - also check inrush thermistor for cracks or pinholes. Secondary rectifiers can fail, and electrolytic caps can fail if the fan stops. The PWM circuitry can always be fed with an external DC supply and checked independently.

The other type of power supply, less common in older power supplies, uses the UC3842 series PWM IC driving a single MOSFET. This IC sits on the primary side, so its ground is floating high. An isolating transformer is needed when scoping anything on the primary, with the scope ground clip to primary ground.

Sourcing substitute components isn't normally difficult. I'd start by obtaining some decent transistor, diode and MOSFET data books so you can relate faulty parts to what's available locally.

If the power supplies are all 200 W, a simple resistive load will suffice for testing made from large ally clad resistors on a substantial heat sink. These will toast when running for longer, so will need fan cooling - a cheap desk fan is sufficient. If you are going to be repairing a lot of varying power and type over a prolonged period, it may be better to build an active load. This is basically banks of 2N3055's (for 5V & 3.3V) and 2N3773 (for 12 V upwards) in series with low value power resistors than can have their conduction varied and current monitored by other circuitry. You simply have a lead for each power supply type you test/repair. Also don't forget to check the PG o/p on the power supply.

PC power supply information (pinouts, testing and non-standard uses)

When testing or operating a common PC (computer) power supply without being connected to its mainboard and peripherals, a substitute load must be provided. This would be the case if you wanted to determine whether a supply was good or wanted to use the supply for other purposes.

To test the supply, you want to:

Remove all of the (expensive) stuff - mainboard, drives, etc. Unplug all of the power supply connectors.
Provide a dummy load to +5 and +12 outputs.
Typical (but not always) color codes for PC power supplies:

Red: +5, Yellow: +12, Black: Gnd (Probably case as well).
White: -5, Blue: -12, Orange: Power_good (output).

(Some newer supplies may have a +3.3 output as well which may be green).

PC power supplies (as well as most other switchers) need a minimum load on +5 and possibly on +12 as well. An amp (e.g., 5 ohms on +5) should be enough.

I use an old dual beam auto headlight. It adds a touch of class as well to an otherwise totally boring setup. :-) You can also use auto tail light bulbs or suitable power resistors or old disk drives you don't really care about (you know, those boat anchors).

There are no sense lines. There is a 'Power_Good' line which is an output from the power supply to the mainboard and can be ignored unless you want to connect it to an indicator to let you know all the outputs are within specs (it may need a pullup and I don't know its drive capability).
Pinout for the standard PC and clone connector (some companies like Compaq do NOT use this type of connector, however.). Black (Gnd) wires together for the P8 and P9 connectors when installed to mainboard.

· J8: Pin 1 = Power_Good J9: Pin 1 = Gnd

· Pin 2 = +5 Pin 2 = Gnd

· Pin 3 = +12 Pin 3 = -5

· Pin 4 = -12 Pin 4 = +5

· Pin 5 = Gnd Pin 5 = +5

· Pin 6 = Gnd Pin 6 = +5

Note: for an XT only, J8-Pin 1 is Gnd, J8-Pin 2 is no connect.

The peripheral connectors are: Pin 1: +12, Pin 2 and 3: Gnd, Pin 4 = +5.

Safe PC power supply loading

PC power supplies are often ideal for other purposes but the required loads represent wasted power. So, it would be nice to be able to eliminate them. Unfortunately, it probably isn't easy to modify a PC power supply so less/no load is needed for regulation. However, it is worth testing a supply to see how low you can actually go on the loads - many WILL regulate the +5 with no load on the +12 but probably not the reverse. While 20 percent load is often recommended, 5 percent or less may work just fine. And, some don't need any additional loads on either output (they will probably include a minimal load resistor internally).

CAUTION: Usually, a PC power supply will just shut down with too little load. However, some may be much more unhappy. Thus attempting to determine a safe minimum load does entail some risk of letting the smoke out.

The reason that you need a load is that the PWM controller can't do down to really small duty cycles needed for low loading. The design would need to be changed and differs from unit to unit.

Typical PC and ATX power supply schematic

Domaci Stranka's Web Site has a reverse engineered 200 W ATX PC Power Supply. (Local copy of diagram: Schematic of Typical ATX Power Supply.) Note: There are errors in this schematic. For example, one of the inputs to the overvoltage circuit (middle left) should be +12 VDC, not +5 VDC. So, use it as a guide only.

Notes on ATX power supply testing

You don't need a fancy "mainboard simulator" or "special ATX test tool" to run an ATX power supply on the bench.

(From: Stefan Krommes (stkro@gmx.net).)

There is a wire (Power_Supply_On) on the ATX connector that will turn on the main supply when pulled low. This color of that wire is mostly labeled on the side of the supply - or (as with fortron supplies) it is the one that is not labeled (green). If you look on top of the ATX connector as if it was plugged into the board the wire in question is the 4th from the right hand side on the top row (where there is the clip) - a look into your mainboard manual might give you a visual idea since the ATX connector is often depicted there with pins labeled.

As said if you fire up your supply it would be wise to load it. Check the label on the supply and load the main +5V and +12 V line to about 15-20% of their max. current capability. - Some automotive bulbs (headlight, brakelight, etc.) come handy not only for the 12 V but for the main 5 V line too. Below about 20% load there is the chance of the supply not regulating the voltage properly but it should start.

The 5 V standby line does not need any load - it should read a clean 5 VDC as soon as the supply is plugged in and the mains power switch is switched on.

The main supply should get on-line as soon as the Power_Supply_On wire gets pulled to ground and the voltages should measure within 5% if loaded to about 20% of maximum power.

(From: Sam.)

CAUTION: I have seen one case where an ATX supply actually blew up without a load using this "hot wire" technique. I don't know if there was already a problem with the unit or it really absolutely required a load. But almost immediately after grounding the green wire, multiple electrolytic caps on the secondary side exploded and spilled their guts, one of the MOSFETS shorted, and then the power fuse blew. :( It may be that the designers of this supply in their infinite wisdom assumed that since power is enabled via the mainboard, there would never be a circumstance where there wouldn't be at this that as a load!

(From: Tom (w_tom1@usa.net).)

You might try this and try that and.... Well that list is long and still does not say what is wrong. You want to identify the problem now, and then fix it. In but minutes with a 3.5 digit multimeter, we can identify the problem AND then replace the suspect. Do not attach or disconnect anything. Changing things may even exponentially complicate the problem. That 3.5 digit meter is available for less than $20 in Sears, Lowes, K-mart, Radio Shack, and Home Depot. That's the complex part.

With computer plugged into AC receptacle, use meter to measure voltage on purple wire between power supply and motherboard (connect probes to purple wire by pushing into nylon connector and other probe to chassis). That voltage must be more than 4.87 VDC. If not, power supply controller will not tell power supply to power on. Next measure voltage on green wire. It must be more than 2 volts before switch is pressed and must drop immediately to less than 0.8 volts when switch is pressed. This tells power supply to turn on.

Next measure voltage on gray wire. It must rise to more than 2.4 volts within seconds after power switch is pressed. Again, you want to see what happens when switch is pressed - not just long after switch is pressed. This signal tells motherboard that power supply is OK.

If gray wire is good or bad, then move on to one red, orange, and yellow wires. Measure each as switch is pressed. Within one second, each should exceed 3.23, 4.87, or 11.7 volts DC. If any does not rise, then find what ever on motherboard or peripherals is excessively loading that voltage.

Not only do numbers help you to find a the suspect. Those numbers, if posted, mean that your replies can include useful information. Without numbers, then every reply will be only 'try this and try that'; also called shotgunning. These numbers can also identify an intermittent failure before that failure occurs. Useful numbers obtained in but two minutes means a useful reply; and no shotgunning.

(From: Arthur Jernberg (stubbie45@hotmail.com).)

Here is the pinout for an ATX mainboard:

Left to right: First row voltage; Second row current/color:

[+3.3V] [+5V] [+12V] [-12V] [-5V] [+5VSB] [COM] [P-ON] [PG]

[14A] [22A] [9A] [1A] [.5A] [PUR] [BLK] [GRN] [GRY]

(From: Claudio Lima (claudio.jc.lima@bol.com.br).)

The following procedure is intended for the newer ATX v.2.x power supplies using a 24 pin connector, as all pinout references were made according to that standard.

1. If you fire up your supply it would be wise to load it. Check the label on the supply and load the main +5 VDC and +12 VDC line to about 15 to 20% of their maximum current capability, typically: 2.2 ohms, 15 W: pin 4 (+5 VDC) to pin 7 (GND); 33 ohms, 5 W: pin 10 (+12VDC) to pin 24 (GND).

2. With power supply plugged into AC receptacle, use meter to measure voltage between the purple wire (pin 9 – 5VSB) and pin 24 (GND). That voltage must be more than 4.87 VDC. If not, power supply controller will not tell power supply to power on.

3. Next measure voltage on green wire (pin 16, PS_ON). It must be more than 2 volts before pulled to ground and must drop immediately to less than 0.8 volts when pulled to ground. This tells power supply to turn on.

4. Next measure voltage on gray wire (pin 8, PWR_GOOD). It must rise to more than 2.4 volts within seconds after PS_ON is pulled to ground. Again, you want to see what happens when PS_ON is pulled to ground - not just long after. This signal tells motherboard that power supply is OK.

5. If gray wire is good or bad, then move on to one orange (pins 1; 2; 12; 13), red (pins 4; 6; 21; 22; 23), and yellow (pins 10; 11) wires. Measure each as PS_ON is pulled to ground. Within one second, each should exceed 3.23, 4.87, or 11.7 VDC.

(From: Sam.)

IMPORTANT CAUTION: Apparently, Dell, who has followed industry standards in most respects, changed the ATX power supply pinout on their PCs sometime in 1998 and may still be using this proprietary pinout. See: Dell Proprietary (Non-Standard) ATX Design. Since there is absolutely no valid technical reason for doing this, one can only assume it is due to some, shall we say, shady business decision to prevent people from going to a third party for upgrades or replacement mainboards or power supplies. Worse, installing a non-Dell power supply with a Dell mainboard will result in a destroyed power supply and possible damage to the mainboard. Thanks Dell. :( It's straightforward though not trivial to change the power supply pinout back to standard (but it isn't a matter of just moving pins around in the connector since the number of wires for some signals has also changed). But there should be no need. Companies should compete by selling a better product, not a closed system.

Detailed Procedure for ATX Power Supply Fault Diagnosis

Before blaming the power supply, make sure the outlet is live, the main power switch (if any) is on, and that any line voltage select switch hasn't changed position or shifted to an intermediate position accidentally (possibly when moving the PC).

(From: Petrus Bitbyter (p.kralt@hccnet.nl).)

I have written a set of notes on repairing ATX power supplies. It follows below and should contain all you need (and more) to decide whether your power supply has gone or not.

First of all read the document: SAFETY and the general information on SMPS repair elsewhere in this document.

Most of the times the fault is found between the mains connection and the transformer(s).

1. In the most simple cases only the fuse is blown. After replacing this fuse, connect the PS to the mains using the series light bulb trick.

o If the bulb burns brightly, you know that the old fuse had a good reason to quit, so the case is not simple anymore. The first thing you have to do now is to find the short circuit. The most suspected components are the mains rectifier, the filter capacitors and one or more of the power transistors. Use eyes, nose and an ohmmeter to find scene of the crime. Remove and check the suspected components. Replace defective components except for the power transistors at this time. It makes no sense to continue until you fixed the short circuit

o If the fuse is good but the PS still dead, you can start to check the voltages.

2. Check the voltage between pin 3 and pin 9 of the ATX to mainboard connector. This should be +5 VDC. If not you have to check the voltages on the mains side. Otherwise it will be wise to check the voltages on the mains side as well (Steps 3 to 5). Then continue reading up to Step 12, not to miss some explanation. Continue at Step 12.

3. The AC pins of the mains rectifier should show the mains AC voltage. If not you may have an interrupted trace or mains filter.

4. Between plus and minus of this rectifier you should find about +310 VDC or +325 VDC depending on your mains voltage. I call it the primary power voltage.

5. If not you may have a faulty mains rectifier.

6. If the voltage is much lower (analog meter) or jumping around (digital meter), the large filter capacitors (e.g., 470 uF, 200 V) are also suspected.

7. Both filter capacitors mentioned above are in series. The midpoint should be at half the primary power voltage. If it is not, the mains rectifier, the filter capacitors and the parallel resistors (parallel to the capacitors) may be defective. Another suspect is a third capacitor (typically 1 uF, 250 V) that leads from the midpoint to a transformer.

Explanation: ATX PSs usually has three power transistors at the mains side. One is connected to a small transformer, the other two connected to a larger transformer. You can recognize the pair of transistors best by finding the emitter of one of them connected to the collector of the other. First you have to deal with the one transistor and the small transformer. (Go to Step 8 if you removed this transistor already.)

6. Check the voltage on the collector of the transistor.

o If this voltage is zero or very low there may be an interruption between the collector and the primary power voltage.

o If this voltage is below the primary power voltage or jumping, there seems to be switching activity. You can check this with an AC voltmeter on a secondary coil of the transformer. The reading will not be correct, but if you find an AC voltage you have to continue checking the secondary rectifier and regulator.

o If this voltage is the primary power voltage the transistor is not conducting (open or not being driven).

7. Check the voltage on the base of the transistor. If this voltage is less than 0.6 V, the startup resistor may be defective. Otherwise, the transistor may be gone (most likely.)

8. Disconnect the PS from the mains and take the safety precautions to discharge the capacitors.

9. Remove the suspected transistor and check it with an ohmmeter or a transistor checker. Most of the times you will have to provide a new transistor. (Beware! Even a transistor that looks good under test conditions may malfunction in the actual circuit.) This is also the time to remove, check and replace other fried, exploded or discolored components near the transistor/transformer combination.

10. Re-power the PS using the series light bulb.

o If the lamp is burning brightly you have a short circuit in your PS. Most likely your (new) power transistor is conducting due to too high a continuous base current. You have to dive deeper into this part of the circuit until you find the cause of this problem.

o If the lamp is dim or not burning at all you can re-check the voltage between pin 3 and pin 9 of the mainboard connector. Finding +5 VDC, you can continue. Otherwise you have to restart your investigation of the small transformer/one power transistor part of the circuit. (Step 6.) It makes no sense to continue until this part of the PS functions correctly.

11. Disconnect the PS from the mains when you are done so far.

Explanation: For the next part of the repair procedure you have to provide some load to the PS. This is simply because of some PSs will not function well without load. You may use an (old) main board. Someone ever told me he uses 12 V car bulbs, one on the +5 VDC and another on the +12 VDC outputs. I prefer a huge and heavy old harddrive. Those old basalt blocks (we use to strengthen our dikes) consume a lot of energy. The one I use, provided enough load for all the PSs I ever repaired.

12. Replace the power transistors you may have removed earlier. Reconnect the PS to the mains using the series light bulb. Check the voltage between pin 3 and pin 9 of the main board connector. Connect pin 14 of the main board connector to pin 13. This will switch on the main part of the PS, the part with the two power transistors and the large transformer.

o If your loads start to work, check the voltages of the several power connectors. When they have the correct values your PS is on air again. Check it out by removing the series light bulb.

o If (even after removing the series light bulb) some but not all of the values are correct, you have a problem. You have to investigate the failing voltages from the secondary coil of the transformer till the connector. Quite a challenge.

o If the light bulb is burning brightly you have a short circuit. Most likely your power transistors are gone so you have to check (and almost sure replace) them and their surrounding components, especially the start resistors. Pay special attention to the freewheel diodes (between the collector and the emitter of the power transistors.) Don't forget to disconnect the PS and to discharge the filter capacitors first! When you are done, restart at Step 12.

o If your lamp is dim or dark but your load does not work you may have defective or blocking power transistors. A fault on the secondary side of the transformer is another possibility.

13. Search for switching activity on the secondary coils of the transformer using an AC meter.

o If you don't find AC voltage you have to check the voltages on the power transistors.

o If you find an AC voltage you most likely have a defective rectifier, filter capacitor or regulator at the secondary side. Disconnect from the mains, discharge the filter capacitors and try to find the failing components with an ohmmeter. You will have to remove the rectifiers from the board prior to testing because of the secondary coils have only few windings of thick wire so they are the shortest shortcuts as far as your ohmmeter concerns. Another trick is to use a controllable power supply. Connect it to the point where the removed rectifier was connected to its filter capacitor. Beware of the polarity! Power on both PSs and increase the voltage of your controllable PS to the level of normal operating of your defective PS. The regulator that sucks to much current with respect to the light load will be the main suspect. You have to go deeper into the circuit of this regulator if you want to repair it. Another challenge.

14. Check the voltages on the power transistors. The collector of one of them should be at the primary power voltage, the emitter of the other should be at the common. The remaining collector and emitter are tied together and should be at half the primary power voltage.

o If you can't find the primary power voltage at a collector you have an interruption. Maybe a bad soldering or the like.

o If no emitter is connected to common you also have an interruption.

o If the tied collector-emitter is not at half the primary power voltage you most likely have defective power transistors. (In my experience they always die together.) Disconnect, discharge and remove, check and replace the power transistors and their surrounding components. Restart at Step 12.

o If the tied collector-emitter is at half the primary power voltage you can check the base-emitter voltage of the power transistors. If they are less than 0.6 V you may be lucky and find only defective start resistor(s) and/or other base circuit components. But most of the times a defective base circuit will kill its transistor which in turn will kill its neighbor. So you will have to replace them all.

Of course, this story does not cover all possible faults of PC-power supplies, but I only once failed to repair a PS using this scheme.

War stories - the Boschert 2-stage SMPSU

(From: Tony Duell (ard@p850ug1.demon.co.ku).)

In case you have been lucky enough not to have come across the beast, the basic idea is:

1. Rectify/smooth mains, giving 340V DC.

2. Put that into a non-isolated step-down switching converter using a fat power transistor, a freewheel diode and an inductor. The control IC for this is a 723 (!) with feedback applied via an optocoupler from the secondary side. Oh, and there's a current-limit shutdown from a 0R15 resistor in series with the 'load' (section 3, etc). The output of this stage is about 150V

3. The output of that feeds a pair of transistors that run as a free-running push/pull oscillator. That drives the primary of the main chopper transformer (which provides isolation from the mains).

4. The secondaries of that transformer are rectified to provide output voltages. There's a feedback to (2) as described, and also a crowbar.

Now for the failure mode (seen it happen):

1. The first chopper goes short-circuit because it feels like it. The 150 VDC line jumps to 340 VDC (remember, no isolation, and the inductor/transistor are in series from the 340 VDC line to the 150V line).

2. The crowbar fires, shorting the output. The primary-side current goes up as well.

3. The overcurrent trip operates, and the 723 tries to shut down. It removes the drive from the *first* chopper. But that's shorted, so removing the drive doesn't do a darn thing.

4. The 2 transistors in the push/pull circuit short as well.

5. Rectified mains is now connected acros : 3 shorted transistors, a few small windings (oscillator feedback transformer, inductor, etc), and the 0R15 resistor. The latter explodes.

6. 340 VDC is now applied across the connections of the ex-0R15 resistor. A few small transistors and the 723 expire, along with some PCB tracks.

7. The fuse (10 A, FF blow) fails.

Repairing that was an entertainment. I still have my photocopy of the schematic with all the dud components circled!

Capacitors, startup, and low voltage testing

(From: Kevin Beeden (kevin.beeden@rrl.co.uk).)

I was fighting with a Hitachi PSU (SP-13A unit from UK VT-F860E VCR).

Symptoms: Following line power disconnect, wouldn't start up. Traced circuit, found broken Tr in LV side, replaced, no good. No gate drive. Trouble figuring gate drive cct. Applied 30 VDC to HV side and drove gate from 10 kHz signal generator (5 V squarewave via 1K resistor). The MOSFET switcher was okay, output active but won't start. Startup drive is via a 1 uF, 250 V cap. Can't see any drive on gate when power applied from cold. Read these notes. Doh! Capacitor gone open circuit. Replace cap and now get gate drive until output settles.

I was happily surprised to find that the circuit worked off of 30 VDC, as I'm not keen on debugging live mains or 400 VDC! This may be a top tip for fellow debuggers. I simply connected 30 VDC to the post-rectification smoothing cap, hit the gate with the signal generator, and away it went. Note: this is under no load conditions; the PSU was removed from the VCR.

I also found a devious little component masquerading as a resistor. It appears to actually be back-to-back (Schottky? 1V3) diodes and a 220 ohm resistor in some series or parallel arrangement. Marked externally as 220R, identical appearance to other resistors.

Why is the main fuse rating so big?

On a typical SMPS (or piece of equipment like a TV, monitor, or VCR using an SMPS), the nameplate current rating may be much much smaller than the fuse rating (or equivalently, the nameplate power rating may imply a much smaller current). Why is this the case?

There are actually many reasons for the fuse to be much larger than the maximum current specified on the nameplate. Some of these include:

1. The peak current during power on is actually much higher due to the degauss coil and charging of the SMPS caps.

2. ?The power factor is much smaller than unity for a typical SMPS and this increase the average current - which is what the fuse sees.

3. The fuse for the SMPS is really there to protect against catastrophic failure so it can be much larger than the average expected current. If that fuse blows, it's usually the result of the failure of the main chopper transistor, not a slight overload (for which the SMPS should shut down).

Replacing the fuse with a smaller one really won't make the equipment any safer but may result in nuisance blowing.

· Back to SMPS Repair FAQ Table of Contents.

Service Information

Advanced troubleshooting

If the solutions to your problems have not been covered in this document, you still have some options other than replacement.

(Also see the related document: Troubleshooting and Repair of Consumer Electronic Equipment.

Manufacturer's service literature: Service manuals may be available for for your equipment. Once you have exhausted other obvious possibilities, the cost may be well worth it. Depending on the type of equipment, these can range in price from $5-100 or more. Sometimes, these may even be free (yes, even in this day and age where you have to pay for free air at your local gas station!) Some are more useful than others. However, not all include the schematics so if you are hoping to repair an electronic problem try to check before buying.

Inside cover of the equipment: TVs often have some kind of circuit diagram pasted inside the back cover. In the old days, this was a complete schematic. Now, if one exists at all for a monitor, it just shows part numbers and location for key components - still very useful.

Sams Photofacts: These have been published for over 45 years mostly for TVs and radios. There are some for VCRs and a few for some early PC monitors and other pre-Jurassic computers. However, for the power supplies in TVs, there will nearly always be a Sams with complete schematics.

Whatever the ultimate outcome, you will have learned a great deal. Have fun - don't think of this as a chore. Electronic troubleshooting represents a detective's challenge of the type hat Sherlock Holmes could not have resisted. You at least have the advantage that the electronics do not lie or attempt to deceive you (though you may beg to differ at times). So, what are you waiting for?

SMPS info and datasheets on-line

Many companies now have very extensive information available via the World Wide Web. Here are a few company sites:

The following site has a variety of information and links to SMPS related sites:

SMPS Design by Jerrold Foutz.

References on SMPS technology and troubleshooting

There is a nice detailed article on PC power supply repair from Nuts and Volts Magazine on-line at: PC Power Supply Repair by T. J. Byers. This is probably a good place to start if you are specifically interested in the common PC power supply. It looks like this article is pre-ATX but most of the information still applies.

SMPSPowerSupply.com has extensive information including a great deal on PC power supplies including explanations of how they work, schematics, standards, and more.

Also see the document: PC Switchmode Power Supplies.

Texas Instruments has an application note which is sort of the "short" version of SMPS repair. See: Off-Line SMPS Failure Modes PWM Switchers and DC-DC Converters.

Here are some suggested books with information relating to SMPS and DC-DC converter design, testing, troubleshooting, repair, etc.:

1. Power Supplies, Switching Regulators, Inverters & Converters, 2nd Edition.
Irving Gottleib
TAB Books, 1994
ISBN 0-8306-4404-0

2. Modern DC-to-DC Switchmode Power Converter Circuit
Rudolf P. Severns and Gordon E. Bloom
Van Nostrand Reinhold
ISBN 0-442-21396-4

3. Principles of Solid State Power Conversion
Ralph E. Tarter
Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc.
ISBN 0-672-22018-0

4. Advances in Switched-Mode Power Conversion
R.D. Middlebrook & Slobodan Cuk
Contact: TeslaCo, Pasadena, CA 91107 (last known address)

5. Simplified Design of Switching Power Supplies
John D. Lenk
Butterworth-Heinemann
ISBN 0-7506-9821-7.

6. Power Electronics, 2nd ed.
B.W. Williams
McGraw-Hill, 1992
ISBN 0-07-070439-2

7. Switching Power Supply Design
Abraham Pressman, Second Edition
McGraw-Hill, 1998
ISBN 0-07-052236-7.
ISBN 0-07-050806-2 (First Edition, 1991).

8. Switch Mode Power Conversion
K. Kit Sum

9. Switchmode Power Supply Handbook
Keith Billings
McGraw-Hill, 1989
ISBN 0-07-005330-8

10. Power Supply Cookbook
Marty Brown
ISBN 0-7506-9442-4

11. Transformer and Inductor Design Handbook
Colonel Wm. T. McLyman (yes, his 1st name is "Colonel" - not military)
Marcel Dekker, Inc.
ISBN 0-8247-6801-9

12. Magnetic Core Selection for Transformers & Inductors
Colonel Wm. T. McLyman
Marcel Dekker, Inc.
ISBN 0-8247-1873-9

13. Magnetic Components, Design and Applications
Steve Smith
ISBN 0-442-20397-7.

14. Soft Ferrites, 2nd ed.
E.C. Snelling
Butterworth, 1988
ISBN 0-408-02760-6

15. High Frequency Switching Power Supplies, Theory and Design
George Chryssis
McGraw-Hill Co., 1984

16. Switched Mode Power Supplies - Design and Construction
Whittington, Flynn and Macpherson published
Research Studies Press, Ltd.
ISBN 0-863-80203-6

In addition, many smeiconductor manufacturers publish extensive information on switchmode technology. Mostly, this is in connection with their product lines but will also contain a lot of general information. Much of this is available on Internet via the World Wide Web. Companies include: Maxim, Linear Technology, and Unitrode.

(From: OneStone (OneStone@bigpond.com).)

"Try the Linear Technologies Website.

Look for their App notes:

· AN25 Switching regulators for Poets.

· AN19 LT1070 Design manual

· AN29 Some thoughts on DC-DC converters

· AN30 Switching regulator circuit collection.

· AN31 Linear Circuits for digital systems.

Then try one of their new data sheets, such as the LT1370, for some modern circuit configurations, such as SEPIC converters. The above APP notes are all contained in their Linear Applications handbook, Volume 1, 1990. If you are a designer they also have a CD-ROM available, which includes some switcher and filter design software. It's a bit limited, but a great starting point if you don't need to stretch the boundaries."

For diagnosing power problems in TVs and Computer or Video monitors, here is one book that includes many illustrations and case histories.

17. Troubleshooting and Repairing Solid State TVs
Homer L. Davidson
2nd Edition, 1992
TAB Books, Inc.
Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214

(From: Ernst C. Land, Jr. (a6mech@ionet.net) and Mark Zenier (mzenier@eskimo.com or mzenier@netcom.com).)

The September 1996 (VOL. 17 NO. 9) issue of Nuts & Volts Magazine has a great article on theory, troubleshooting, and repair of PC power supplies. Their web site is: http://www.nutsvolts.com/.

When you get there, click on [more], then [back issues]

Parts information

I have found one of the most useful single sources for general information on semiconductors to be the ECG Semiconductors Master Replacement Guide, about $6 from your local Philips distributor. STK, NTE, and others have similar manuals. The ECG manual will enable you to look up U.S., foreign, and manufacturer 'house' numbers and identify device type, pinout, and other information. Note that I am not necessarily recommending using ECG (or other generic) replacements if the original replacements are (1) readily available and (2) reasonably priced. However, the cross reference can save countless hours searching through databooks or contacting the manufacturers. Even if you have a wall of databooks, this source is invaluable. A couple of caveats: (1) ECG crosses have been known to be incorrect - the specifications of the ECG replacement part were inferior to the original. (2) Don't assume that the specifications provided for the ECG part are identical to the original - they may be better in some ways. Thus, using the ECG to determine the specifications of the parts in your junk bin can be risky.

Other cross reference guides are available from the parts source listed below.

Information sources on the Internet

Many manufacturers are now providing extensive information via the World Wide Web. The answer to you question may be a mouse click away. Perform a net search or just try to guess the manufacturer's home page address. The most obvious is often correct. It will usually be of the form "http://www.xxx.com" where xxx is the manufacturers' name, abbreviation, or acronym. For example, Hewlett Packard is hp, Sun Microsystems is sun, Western Digital Corp. is wdc. NEC is, you guessed it, nec. It is amazing what is appearing freely accessible via the WWW. For example, monitor manufacturers often have complete information including detailed specifications for all current and older products. Electronic parts manufacturers often have detailed datasheets and application notes for their product offerings.

Interchangeability of components

The question often arises: If I cannot obtain an exact replacement or if I have a monitor, TV, or other equipment carcass gathering dust, can I substitute a part that is not a precise match? Sometimes, this is simply desired to confirm a diagnosis and avoid the risk of ordering an expensive replacement and/or having to wait until it arrives.

For safety related items, the answer is generally NO - an exact replacement part is needed to maintain the specifications within acceptable limits with respect to line isolation, X-ray protection and to minimize fire hazards. Typical parts of this type include flameproof resistors, some types of capacitors, and specific parts dealing with CRT high voltage regulation. However, during testing, it is usually acceptable to substitute electrically equivalent parts on a temporary basis. For example, an ordinary 1 ohm resistor can be substituted for an open 1 ohm flameproof resistor to determine if there are other problems in the the SMPS chopper before placing an order as long as you don't get lazy and neglect to install the proper type before considering the repair complete.

For other components, whether a not quite identical substitute will work reliably or at all depends on many factors. Some deflection circuits are so carefully matched to a specific horizontal output transistor that no substitute will be reliable.

Here are some guidelines:

1. Fuses - same type (usually normal or fast blow), exact same current rating and at least equal voltage rating. I have often soldered a normal 3AG size fuse onto a smaller blown 20 mm long fuse as a substitute.

2. Resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, switches, potentiometers, LEDs, and other common parts - except for those specifically marked as safety-critical - substitution as long as the replacement part fits and specifications should be fine. It is best to use the same type - metal film resistor, for example. But for testing, even this is not a hard and fast rule and a carbon resistor should work just fine.

3. Rectifiers - many of these are high efficiency and/or fast recovery types. Replacements should have equal or better PRV, Imax, and Tr specifications. However, the AC input bridge can usually be replaced with anything with at least equal voltage and current ratings.

4. Main filter capacitor(s) - use replacements with at least equal working voltage and similar uF rating. For testing, even something with half the capacity will be fine. For the final replacement bigger is not always better and even using a smaller one (uF) will be fine as long as you are not running the supply near full load capacity. Use of a higher temperature rated capacitor than the original may be desirable as its life may have been shorteded by a hot environment. This practice will never hurt.

5. Transistors and thyristors (except SMPS choppers or HOTs) - substitutes will generally work as long as their specifications meet or exceed those of the original. For testing, it is usually OK to use types that do not quite meet all of these as long as the breakdown voltage and maximum current specifications are not exceeded. However, performance (like regulation specifications) may not be quite as good. For power types, make sure to use a heatsink.

6. SMPS chopper (or horizontal output) transistors - exact replacement is generally best but except for very high performance monitors, generic HOTs that have specifications that are at least as good will work in many cases. Make sure the replacement transistor has an internal damper diode if the original had one. For testing with a series light bulb, even a transistor that doesn't quite meet specifications should work well enough (and not blow up) to enable you to determine what else may be faulty. The most critical parameters are Vceo/Vcbo, Ic, and Hfe which should all be at least equal to the original transistor. I have often used by favorite BU208D as a temporary substitute for other HOTs and SMPS (chopper) transistors. Make sure you use a heatsink (with insulating washer if applicable) and thermal grease in any case - even if you have to hang the assembly with a cable-tie to make it fit.

Also see the section: Replacement power transistors while testing.

The following are usually custom parts and substitution of something from your junk box is unlikely to be successful even for testing: flyback (LOPT) and SMPS transformers, interstage coils or transformers, microcontrollers, and other custom programmed chips.

Substituting entire circuit boards and other modules from identical models is, of course, possible and an excellent troubleshooting aid even if it is only used to confirm or identify a bad part. However, if the original failure was catastrophic, you do run some risk of damaging components on the substitute circuit board as well.

Replacement power transistors while testing

During testing of horizontal deflection circuits or switchmode power supplies, particularly where the original failure resulted in the death of the HOT or chopper, overstress on replacement transistors is always a possibility if all defective components have not be identified.

Therefore, using a part with better specifications may save you in the long run by reducing the number of expensive blown parts. Once all other problems have been located and repaired, the proper part can be installed.

However, this is not always going to work. In a TV and especially a high performance monitor, the HOT may be closely matched to the drive and output components of the deflection circuits. Putting in one with higher Vce, I, or P specifications may result in overheating and failure due to lower Hfe.

Where possible, a series load like a light bulb can be used limit the maximum current to the device and will allow you to power the equipment while checking for other faults. Some designs, unfortunately, will not start up under these conditions. In such cases, substituting a 'better' device may be the best choice for testing.

(From: Glenn Allen (glenn@manawatu.gen.nz).)

I been repairing SMPS of all types but when I started on those using MOSFETs I was blowning a few of them when replaced because something else was faulty.

Ever since I have been using a BUZ355 on a heat sink I haven't blown it. It is rated at 800 V, 6 A, and 220 W. it is a TO218 case bigger than a T0220. It seems the higher ratings allows you to do repair where as a something like a 2SK1117 or MTP6N60 will just blow.

Testing of replacement chopper transistors

The following is useful both to confirm that a substitute replacement chopper transistor is suitable and that no other circuit problems are still present. However, this will not catch single shot events that may blow the transistor instantly without any increase in temperature.

It was written with TV and monitor horizontal output transistors in mind but applies to the switchmode/chopper transistors found in line powered SMPSs as well.

(From: Raymond Carlsen (rrcc@u.washington.edu).)

After installing a replacement HOT in a TV set or monitor, I like to check the temperature for awhile to make sure the substitute is a good match and that there are no other problems such as a weak H drive signal. The input current is just not a good enough indicator. I have been using a WCF (well calibrated finger) for years. For me, the rule of thumb, quite literally, is: if you can not hold your finger on it, it's running too hot, and will probably fail prematurely. Touching the case of the transistor or heat sink is tricky....

Metal case transistors will be connected to the collector and have a healthy pulse (>1,200 V peak!) and even with plastic case tab transistors, the tab will be at this potential. It is best to do this only after the power is off and the B+ has discharged. In addition, the HOT may be hot enough to burn you.

A better method is the use of an indoor/outdoor thermometer. I bought one recently from Radio Shack for about $15 (63-1009). It has a plastic 'probe' on the end of a 10' cable as the outdoor sensor. With a large alligator clip, I just clamp the sensor to the heat sink near the transistor and set up the digital display near the TV set to monitor the temperature. The last TV I used it on was a 27" Sanyo that had a shorted H. output and an open B+ resistor. Replacement parts brought the set back to life and the flyback pulse looked OK, but the transistor was getting hot within 5 minutes... up to 130 degrees before I shut it down and started looking for the cause. I found a 1 uF 160 volt cap in the driver circuit that was open. After replacing the cap, I fired up the set again and monitored the heat sink as before. This time, the temperature slowly rose to about 115 degrees and stayed there. I ran the set all day and noticed little variation in the measurement. Test equipment doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Repair parts sources

For general electronic components like resistors and capacitors, most electronics distributors will have a sufficient variety at reasonable cost. Even Radio Shack can be considered in a pinch.

However, for modern electronic equipment repairs, places like Digikey, Allied, and Newark do not have the a variety of Japanese semiconductors like ICs and transistors or any components like flyback transformers or degauss Posistors.

See the document: Major Service Parts Suppliers for some companies that I have used in the past and others that have been recommended.

In addition, specifically for VCR SMPS repair:

Studio Sound Service
Fax: 1-812-949-7743
Email: studio.sound@datacom.iglou.com.

Rebuild kits for many popular VCR switchmode power supplies, VCR parts, some components. They will be happy to identify specific VCR part numbers as well based on model and description as well.

Back to SMPS Repair FAQ Table of Contents.

-- end V2.85 --

POWER SUPPLY REPAIR

Copyright November, 1994 by Randy Fromm

We live in a "disposable society."  Disposable razors, lighters, pens and

a myriad of other items are a part of our daily life.  Many operators

consider power supplies to be disposable as well.  Their rumored

inability to be repaired and relatively low cost create the impression of

disposability.

This is not the case, however.  I repair lots of power supplies and it's

really quite easy and practical.  In fact, a repaired supply may end up

having a longer life expectancy than a new one, as you'll see.

Switching Power Supply Operation

Modern power supplies are known as "switching regulator power supplies."

In most switching supplies, the 110 volt AC input is first rectified by

two diodes and filtered by a pair of capacitors.  This creates two high-

voltage sources; one positive and the other negative.

A pair of transistors is then used to switch these high voltage supplies

across the primary winding of a transformer.  This switching action is

very fast.  A typical switching speed is around 40,000 cycles per second

or 40 kilohertz.  An integrated circuit is commonly used to control the

transistors.  This IC not only controls the speed at which the

transistors are switched, but also controls the amount of time that each

transistor is energized.  The output voltage of the power supply is

determined by the "on" time of the transistors.  If the transistors are

keep on for a longer period of time, the output voltage of the supply

will rise, while shorter times lower the output voltage.  This is known

as "pulse-width modulation."

The output of the transformer (which is now alternating current) is then

rectified by special high-speed diodes to change it back to direct

current.  This output is not pure DC however, and requires extensive

filtering to remove the high-frequency "noise" that is generated by the

rapid switching action of the transistors.  Filtering is accomplished by

using a combination of coils (also known as "chokes") and capacitors.

The output voltage of the power supply is regulated by feeding some of

the output back to the integrated circuit that controls the switching

transistors.  If the output voltage is too low, the IC allows the

transistors to remain energized for a longer period of time, raising the

voltage.  An output voltage that is too high signals the IC to cut back

on the transistors, lowering the output voltage.

Power Supply Failures

I have found that there are only a small handful of components that fail

in switching regulator power supplies.  The most common failure is the

switching transistors themselves.  The transistors short-circuit, causing

massive amounts of current to be drawn across the transformer and blowing

the fuse.

Transistor failure is often caused by bad capacitors.  It is extremely

common to find output filter capacitors that are swollen or leaking.  Any

capacitor that appears to be bad should be replaced.  To prevent a

recurrence of this all-to-common failure, output filter capacitors should

be replaced with special "low ESR" (Equivalent Series Resistance)

capacitors.  These capacitors are specifically designed to handle the

rigors of filtering in a switching supply.  Most power supply

manufacturers do not install low ESR capacitors as original equipment

because they are somewhat more expensive that conventional capacitors.

However, it is well worth the money to use them as replacement components

as they will greatly extend the life of the power supply in the field.

When I work on a power supply, I replace all the output filter capacitors

with low ESR caps regardless of whether they appear to be good or bad.

Since a service call costs far more than the capacitors, it's a prudent

thing to do.

Diode failure is another common problem.  There are quite a few diodes

in a switching supply and failure of any one of them will cause the

supply to blow the fuse or shut down.  The most common diode failures are

shorted +12 volt or -5 volt output rectifiers.  Failure of these diodes

will not blow the fuse.  The supply simply detects the short and shuts

itself down.  Some of these failures may be caused by using the +12 or -5

volt outputs to power coin door lamps.  The -5 volt output is not over-

current protected in all power supplies.  A shorted lamp socket may blow

the diode by drawing too much current from the supply.  The +12 volt

diodes may be blown if 6 volt bulbs are inadvertently used instead of 12

volt bulbs.  The high-voltage input diodes may also short-circuit.  This

is often accompanied by shorted switching transistors and will blow the

fuse.

Testing and Repair

All testing is done with the power off.  Start by testing the pair of

switching transistors.  These will be mounted on a heatsink that helps

them run cooler.  Test them by using an ohmeter or a digital multimeter

set to the diode test range.  Check each transistor for a short between

emitter and collector.  Replace any transistors you find to be bad.

Although some technicians claim that you should replace them both even if

just one is bad, I have not found this to be necessary.

By the way, these transistors will always seem to test shorted between

base and emitter when tested "in-circuit."  I generally don't bother

testing the base-emitter junction of the transistors.  When the switching

transistors fail, they always short between emitter and collector.  If

you're in doubt, pull the transistors out of circuit to test them.  If

the transistors are shorted, the fuse will have blown.  Be sure to test

the high-voltage diodes as well.  The high-voltage diodes are usually

part of a bridge rectifier, although they may be individual diodes.

Next, test the output rectifiers.  There are three pairs of diodes to test.

  One pair is for the -5 volt output.  These will be fairly small;

approximately the same size as the ubiquitous 1N4004 with which we are

all familiar.  The +12 volt diodes are usually somewhat larger.  The two

+5 volt output diodes are housed together in a "dual-diode" package that

looks very much like a transistor.  Like the switching transistors, this

diode package is mounted on a heatsink.  It will generally have the diode

schematic symbols printed on it.  This diode will usually not test

properly in-circuit.  Testing can be simplified by unsoldering it with a

"solder sucker" instead of removing it completely from the printed

circuit board.  I have seen very few failures of the +5 volt output

diodes.  All diodes must be replaced with high-speed diodes or the power

supply will generate excessive noise.

Follow these tests by replacing all the output capacitors with low ESR

caps and fire up the power supply.  The supply should be tested under

load.  Use a 1 ohm, 50 watt resistor or equivalent as a "dummy load",

connected between the +5 volt output and ground (DC COM).  This will draw

5 amps from the supply, which is adequate for test purposes.  If the

supply is still inoperative, the integrated circuit may be bad.  Test the

IC by removing it from the printed circuit board and installing it in a

power supply that you know to be good.  I have a spare  power supply with

a socket in it that I use exclusively to test integrated circuits.  Just

about all the supplies use the same IC; a type 494.  Equivalent

integrated circuits are: TL494CN, uA494, uPC494C, IR3MO2, and MB3759.

The over-the-counter replacement for these is ECG1729.

Obtaining Replacement Components

One of the main arguments for tossing bad power supplies in the trash

has been that the cost of the replacement components is almost equal to

the cost of a new supply.  That's just not true.  The switching

transistors are available for around $.90 each from J.C. Electronics, Inc.

  1428 Broad Street  Hillside, NJ  07205  (201) 705-3400  (800) 828-4560.

Capacitors can be obtained from TTI.  TTI is the nations largest

distributor of passive components such as resistors and capacitors.  The

capacitors you want to order are made by Nichicon.  Order 3300 microfarad

at 16 volts (part number UVX1C332M) and 1000 microfarad at 25 volts (part

number UVX1E102M.)  These will be suitable as replacements for output

filter capacitors in virtually all makes and models of power supplies.

Remember, you can always substitute a capacitor of higher voltage when

replacing filter capacitors.  E.G.  A 1000 microfarad, 16 volt capacitor

can be replaced with a 1000 microfarad, 25 volt.   TTI has 20 offices

nationwide.  Contact them at (800) CALL TTI.

Minus 5 Volt Output Too High

Most switching regulator power supplies have three DC outputs. One is the

main +5 volt DC output that powers the computer system. The others are

the +12 and -5 volt outputs. These DC outputs are often used to power the

sound generating system and the audio amplifier itself. When you're

testing a power supply, it's important to check all three of the outputs.

This is especially true when you have a game that basically works okay

but has distorted or missing audio.

When a switching regulator power supply fails, all three outputs will

usually drop to zero volts (see Play Meter, June, 1989, page 107.)

Sometimes, however, the output voltage may rise. If you find that the +5

VDC and +12 VDC outputs are normal but the -5 VDC output is too high

(more than -6 VDC), try replacing the -5 output filter choke.

It's easy to locate the -5 volt filter choke, even without a schematic

diagram. Just follow the trace on the printed circuit board back from the

-5 VDC output of the power supply. You will eventually come to a

component that may look something like a capacitor but will be clearly

labeled "L" on the board and will generally be accompanied by the

schematic symbol for a coil as well. The coil is wound on a ferrite coil

and is covered with a plastic sleeve that has been heat-shrinked over it.

Examine the coil. If the heat-shrinked cover has been melted or is

missing entirely, the coil may be bad.

This is not a component that you can boogie down to Radio Shack for a

replacement. There are a couple of options for obtaining a replacement

coil. The preferred method is to take the coil off a junk power supply.

Alternately, you can pull the burned wire off the ferrite core and rewind

the choke yourself using the appropriate gauge wire. There aren't that

many turns of wire on it that you can't rewind a new coil in five minutes.

Switching Regulator Power Supplies ("Peter Chou" Style)

Output Capacitor Replacements

I have received a number of calls and letters from operators and

technicians that are having trouble obtaining replacement capacitors for

switching regulator power supplies. I recommend using Nichicon brand

capacitors. I have been using them for almost two years and to date I

have not seen a repeat capacitor failure.

Nichicon brand capacitors can be obtained from a company called TTI.

They have a score of offices across the United States of America, all of

which can be reached by calling (800) CALL TTI. I recommend that you

order just two different capacitors for use as replacements for the

output filter capacitors in the "Peter Chou" style power supply. It helps

a great deal when you have the part numbers. For the +5 VDC output, use

3300 microfarad, 16 VDC capacitors. The Nichicon part number is UVX1C332M.

 Each power supply requires two of these.

To make ordering and stocking easier, I use the same capacitor for both

the +12 VDC and the -5 VDC outputs. It's a 1000 microfarad, 25 volt

capacitor. The Nichicon part number is UVX1E102M. Although some power

supplies use a 2200 microfarad capacitor for the +12 VDC output, I have

found the 1000 microfarad to be perfectly satisfactory. Most power

supplies use one capacitor each for the +12 VDC and -5 VDC outputs so

order the same number of 1000 microfarad capacitors as you do the 3300

microfarad capacitors. When you replace the output filter capacitors,

it's a good idea to change them all at once.

Switching Regulator Power Supplies ("Peter Chou" Style)

Output Diode Replacements

Output diodes are a common failure item in the switching regulator power

supply. I would say that around twenty-five to thirty percent of them

have bad output diodes.

High Speed Diodes

There are three pairs of output diodes; one pair for each of the outputs:

+5 VDC, +12 VDC, and -5 VDC. These are not ordinary diodes. They are

special, high-speed, "fast-recovery" diodes. High speed diodes are made

to handle the very fast switching action (around 40 thousand cycles per

second) of the power supply.

I have rarely replaced the +5 volt diode assembly in a switching

regulator power supply. The +12 and -5 volt output diodes are the most

common failures. It is normal for these diodes to test bad when checking

them "in-circuit." There is usually a low ohm resistor (normally around

100 ohms) across the output of the power supply that causes a very low

reading when checking the +12 or -5 volt output diodes. Most people

unsolder and remove one end of each diode to test it but you can usually

bypass this step. When these diodes fail they will generally short

completely. Instead of reading around 100 ohms, you will get a reading of

around zero ohms; a dead short!

Substitute Diodes

The +12 volt output diodes will usually carry an original part number

like PXPR302 or FR302. These are 3 amp diodes. The -5 volt output diodes

will often be type PXPR1502 or similar. Good engineering practice

dictates that high speed, "fast-recovery" diodes be used in this circuit.

I have found normal diodes will fail prematurely and as such are

unacceptable as substitutions.

That's all there is to it.  The more you work on repairing power supplies,

the easier it gets.  When you consider that many power supply repairs are

effected with the replacement of a single diode, you can see that they

are anything but disposable!

How to Reset a Flip Video Camera

2012-07-06T06:53:00.000-07:00

How to Reset a Flip Video Camera

If you are one of the millions of consumers who flocked to a Flip tapeless digital camcorder during its four-year production, you may discover the camera, like many electronic devices, occasionally locks up and needs to be reset. However, Flip video camera owners have easy solutions to reset their video cameras when problems occur. Originally released in 2007 and acquired by Cisco Systems in 2009, the Flip video camera series was discontinued by Cisco in 2011. Smartphones may be partly to blame, according to the New York Times and PC Magazine. Flip camcorders' appeal is high-quality digital video recording in a small, easy-to-transport package. With many smartphones sporting video recording capabilities, Flip video cameras lost some of their edge. There are several Flip camera models, and each has a quick and easy way to reset it when necessary.

Read more: How to Reset a Flip Video Camera | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_12223894_reset-flip-video-camera.html#ixzz1zqmrZY00

Instructions

Flip Ultra
- 1
  
  Turn off your Flip Ultra video camera by pressing and holding the "Power" button.
- 2
  
  Slide the battery cover lock to the unlocked position. This lock is found on the bottom of the device. Slide down and remove the battery cover.
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- 3
  
  Remove the battery. Leave it out of the Flip Ultra video camera for at least 60 seconds.
Flip MinoPRO
- 4
  
  Open a safety pin or straighten one side of a paper clip. Insert the tip of the pin or paper clip into the reset hole. This hole is located on the bottom of the video camera inside the tripod mount.
- 5
  
  Press firmly inside the hole for five seconds. Pull out the pin or paper clip.
- 6
  
  Press and hold the video camera's "Power" button for five seconds.
Other Flip Video Cameras
- 7
  
  Press the "Power" button of your Flip Mino, Flip MinoHD, MinoHD II, MinoHD III or Flip SlideHD. Hold down the button for 10 seconds.
- 8
  
  Press the end of a safety pin or paper clip into the reset hole inside the tripod mount for five seconds if the power-button reset doesn't fix your Flip video camera's problem. Remove the pin or paper clip.
- 9
  
  Press the "Power" button and hold it down for five seconds.

Calibration of Electronic Distance Measurement Instruments

2012-07-06T06:51:00.002-07:00

Calibration of Electronic Distance Measurement Instruments

Western Australian Land Information Authority ABN 86 574 793 858
Calibration of Electronic Distance Measurement Instruments

1. Introduction

An Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) instrument is calibrated on a baseline to

determine instrument constants and errors.

A series of measurements on a baseline can also be used to check the performance and

reliability of the instrument and to assess its precision against the manufacturer’s claims

and specified minimum standards.

There are a number of sources of error inherent in surveying equipment. This procedure

concentrates on those found in EDM equipment. The three distinct systematic errors, which

may occur in EDM instruments, are:

• zero constant or index error;

• scale error; and

• cyclic or short periodic error

It is beyond the scope of this procedure to identify all sources of error inherent in surveying

equipment. Surveyors should be aware of the limitations of the equipment they use and

ensure that it is well maintained and regularly checked.

2. Controlling Legislation

Matters relating to the accuracy of surveys are detailed in Regulation 5 of the Licensed

Surveyors (Guidance of Surveyors) Regulation 1961 that states:

"The necessity for the greatest practical accuracy cannot be too strongly impressed upon

surveyors. In many instances no means exists by which errors can be immediately

detected. If therefore, it is found that a Surveyor's work is not up to the necessary standard

of accuracy, or is generally unreliable, or that he has in other respects neglected to comply

with these regulations, he will be dealt with under Section 21 of the Act".

3. Regulation 13 Certificate

A verifying authority is empowered to issue certificates under Regulation 13 of the National

Measurement Act that attest to the verification of a standard of measurement. Such a

certificate is evidence of the matters stated in it and may be received as evidence in any

court of law.

An increasing number of measurements are being made for regulatory purposes and these

require traceability within the meaning of Section 10 of the National Measurement Act, for

example, EDMs and Surveyor's tapes.

The Surveyor General of Western Australia is the verifying authority for length in this State.

Surveyors and other clients requiring this service should contact the Registration Services

Branch of Landgate. Western Australian Land Information Authority ABN 86 574 793 858

4. Verification of Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM)

The following errors are determined by a verification:

4.1 Zero constant or index error.

All distances measured by a particular EDM instrument and reflector combination are

subject to a constant error; caused by three factors:

• electrical delays, geometrical detours and eccentricities in the instruments

• differences between the electronic centre and the mechanical centre of the

instrument; and

• differences between the optical and mechanical centres of the reflector.

This error may vary with changes of reflector, or after jolts, or with different instrument

mounting and after service. It is an algebraic constant to be applied directly to every

measurement.

4.2 Scale Error

Scale error is proportional to the length of the line measured and is caused by:

• internal frequency errors, including those caused by external temperature and

instrument "warm up" effects;

• errors of measured temperature, pressure and humidity which affect the velocity

of the propagation; and

• non-homogeneous emissions/reception patterns from the emitting and receiving

diodes (phase inhomogeneities).

4.3 Cyclic Error

The precision of an EDM instrument is dependent on the precision of the internal phase

measurement.

Unwanted interference either through electronic/optical cross talk or multi-path effects of

the transmitted signal onto the received signal causes cyclic error. The major form of the

cyclic error is sinusoidal with a wavelength equal to the unit length of the instrument.

The unit length is the scale on which the EDM instrument measures the distance, and is

derived from the fine measuring frequency. Unit length is equal to one half of the

modulation wavelength (Rueger 1984). The magnitude of the cyclic error can be of the

order of 5 - 10 mm, but it will vary depending on the actual length measured.

5. Western Australian EDM Baselines

5.1 Curtin University Baseline

In 1995 the Surveyor General reconditioned a 10 pillar baseline at Curtin University which

had been in use for approximately ten years. Renovation included the placement of two

additional collinear pillars making the baseline a twelve pillar base. New stainless steel

pillar plate tops have been provided to all pillars, with a 5/8" whitworth threaded bolt at the

centre of each pillar top. In 2005 a replacement Pillar 11A was established following the

destruction of Pillar 11. Western Australian Land Information Authority ABN 86 574 793 858

This baseline is situated on Curtin University property parallel to Kent Street, Bentley. The

baseline is managed by Landgate.

The baseline is accessible by any vehicle at all times via the track alongside the length of

the baseline. Permission is not necessary to use the baseline. Any conflict of usage should

be decided on a first to occupy basis.

A software program [BaselineWA Version 2009.10.26.0] has been developed specifically

for the verification of EDM instruments over the baseline.

5.2 Kalgoorlie Baseline

This EDM calibration baseline is situated on the Department of Mines and Petroleum,

Explosives Reserve in Piccadilly Street, Kalgoorlie.

Access to the facility is available during normal business hours after obtaining the required

entry permission. Any conflict of usage should be decided on first to apply basis.

Contact Reserve Manager, on 9091 7590 to make appointments to go onto the reserve.

The following conditions will need to be met for continued access to the site.

• Requests for access, are made preferably at least one week in advance.

• The number of people coming onto the reserve to conduct calibration work is kept to

an absolute minimum.

• People conducting the calibration must be accompanied at all times by a reserve

officer while on the reserve.

The baseline consists of eight pillars set out such that all pillars are collinear.

The baseline is readily accessible to 2WD vehicles when dry.

A software program [BaselineWA Version 2009.10.26.0] has been developed for the

verification of EDM instruments over the baseline.

5.2 Busselton Baseline

This baseline was completed in 2009 and is situated on Reserve 44755. It runs parallel to

and to the North side of the Busselton Bypass Road, 1.3 Kilometres west of Redgum Way.

The baseline is managed by Landgate.

The baseline is accessible by any vehicle at all times via the track alongside the length of

the baseline, with entry via the west end of the truck bay. Permission is not necessary to

use the baseline. Any conflict of usage should be decided on a first to occupy basis.

The baseline consists of six concrete pillars set out such that all pillars are collinear. Western Australian Land Information Authority ABN 86 574 793 858

A software program [BaselineWA Version 2009.10.26.0] has been developed specifically

for the verification of EDM instruments over the baseline.

6. Minimum Standard for the Uncertainty of Calibration

The National Standards Commission now incorporated into the National Measurement

Institute, states that the minimum standard for the uncertainty of calibrations of an EDM

instrument used for cadastral surveys should be:

± (4.0mm + 20ppm) (5.1)

at the 95% confidence level. This recommendation means that an instrument correction is

derived for a distance meter/reflector combination from measurements on a certified EDM

baseline and that the uncertainty (against the National Standard) of this instrument

correction (IC) shall not exceed ± (4.0mm + 20ppm). Subsequent to a calibration, the

derived instrument correction is applied to distance measurements, thus bringing the

distance meter readings in line with the National Standard of length. In terms of standard

deviation, the instrument correction must be accurate to at least ± (2.0mm + 12ppm) (5.2)

It is important to realise that the uncertainty and standard deviations listed above refer to

the accuracy of the instrument correction and not to the precision of a distance

measurement. The expression at (5.2) does not relate in any way with the accuracy

specification quoted by manufacturers for their instruments.

7. Verification Method

The verification method involves the measurement of a set of segments on the EDM base

to determine the existence and magnitude of any errors present. This level of verification

will typically be undertaken when the equipment is to be used for precision survey work

requiring an accuracy of distance measurement of greater than 1 part in 12 000.

8. Verification Procedures

8.1 Booking Sheets

• Curtin University Baseline

• Kalgoorlie Baseline

• Busselton Baseline

8.2 Measurement Procedure on Baselines

Ascertain the unit length of the instrument (half of the modulation wavelength of the fine

measurement) and record on the booking sheet. This length should be provided under the

technical specifications for the instrument in the manufacturer's handbook.

8.3 Sequence of measurements for a complete verification.

• CURTIN UNIVERSITY BASELINE

Place EDM on pillar 2 and measure to pillars 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11A and 12 in turn. Then

shift EDM to pillar 3 and measure to pillars 12, 11A, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 in turn. This

sequence requires the reflector to be moved up and down the line only once. Western Australian Land Information Authority ABN 86 574 793 858

• KALGOORLIE BASELINE

Place EDM on pillar 1 and measure to pillars 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 in turn. Then shift EDM

to pillar 2 and measure to pillars 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 in turn. This sequence requires the

reflector to be moved up and down the line only once.

• BUSSELTON BASELINE

Place EDM on pillar 1 and measure to pillars 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in turn. Then shift EDM to

pillar 2 and measure to pillars 6, 5, 4, 3 and 1 in turn. This sequence requires the

reflector to be moved up and down the line only once.

If required, higher order calibrations can be obtained for EDMs. These require several

hours to complete the observations. Please contact the Manager of Geodetic Survey,

Landgate for more information.

8.4 EDM instruments, thermometer and barometer are to be shaded by an umbrella in

sunny and rainy conditions. Only one thermometer and barometer will be needed. A

psychrometer or hygrometer may be used to measure humidity for a more accurate

determination of atmospheric correction.

8.5 Level EDM instrument and reflector carefully on all stations. Start with all foot screws in

the mid position. The stainless steel pillar tops have been set level on pillars.

8.6 Measure all heights to the instrument and prism from the pillar plate accurately to +/-

1mm.

8.7 If possible the instrument should remain switched on during the whole calibration

(instruments with own thermostatically controlled oscillators must remain switched on

during the whole calibration).

8.8 The same reflector, reflector mounting and tribrach should be used for all

measurements. The reflector must have a unique identification (serial number) which must

be entered on the booking sheet.

8.9 All calibration measurements can be taken in either daytime or nighttime but a mixture

of day and night measurements is not acceptable.

8.10 Meteorological field equipment will have current calibration status.

8.11 On each line, four separate distance measurements should be taken as a minimum,

with repointing after each measurement. Pointing can be optically or electronically

performed as prescribed by the manufacturers.

8.12 Atmospheric Correction Control - Atmospheric corrections using corrected observed

temperature and pressure should preferably be entered into the EDM instrument. This is

essential for Pulsed EDM instruments. Temperatures and pressure should be noted for

every distance measured. Observers MUST note on the booking sheet whether the Western Australian Land Information Authority ABN 86 574 793 858

atmospheric correction control is set to zero, or has been set according to the prevailing

temperature and pressure.

9. Reduction and Interpretation

An EDM Calibration software program [BaselineWA Version 2009.10.26.0] has been

developed by Landgate for the calibration of EDM instruments against standard baselines.

The calibration of EDM instruments is carried out to determine the instrument corrections to

be applied to measurements and to ensure its reliability. On-line help provides the user

with the instructions necessary to run this software application. The software can be freely

downloaded from the Landgate Website.

The calibration results and measurements for each EDM instrument and baseline are

stored in a database for future reference and legal traceability. The CurtinA, Kalgoorlie and

Busselton baseline details have already been included in the database. A selection of EDM

instruments and reflector makes and models are also included.

The instrument details, measured distances and observed meteorological details are

entered interactively by the operator. After the observed data is reduced to obtain

horizontal distances and their associated variances, a least square adjustment is

performed. The adjustment is made as suggested by Dr J.M. Rueger (Rueger 1984) for

modeling systematic errors in EDM measurements.

The program produces several reports for analysing an EDM instrument calibration and for

analyzing a calibration of a baseline. A certificate which summarises the results of an EDM

instrument calibration is also produced.

To obtain in Western Australia a Regulation 13 Certificate for the purposes of legal

traceability to the Commonwealth standard of length, the instrument must be submitted to

Geodetic Survey at Landgate for verification and certification.

The minimum standards for the uncertainty of calibration are described in terms of

Recommendation No.8 of the working party of the National Standards Commission (now

NMI) on the calibration of EDM Equipment of 1 February 1983. All uncertainties are

specified at the 95% confidence level.

How do I Remove PDF Restrictions for Free?

2012-07-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

How do I Remove PDF Restrictions for Free?

Read more: How do I Remove PDF Restrictions for Free? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6920155_do-remove-pdf-restrictions-free_.html#ixzz1zqlICdRX

Portable Document Format (PDF) creation software allow the user to place a "lock" on a file. This lock prevents other people from editing the file, and may be used on contracts or other data-sensitive files. However, there is a way to remove PDF restrictions for free. These "unlocker" programs only take a few minutes to open a PDF file. Once you open the file, you can change the type in a PDF creation program and save it as a locked or unlocked file.

Read more: How do I Remove PDF Restrictions for Free? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6920155_do-remove-pdf-restrictions-free_.html#ixzz1zqlRUIOi

Instructions

PDF Unlocker
- 1
  
  Download and install the Demo program PDF Unlocker. Open the program.
- 2
  
  Hit "Browse" to find your locked PDF file on your computer. Click on the PDF file name and hit "Open."
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  Hit the second "Browse" button to choose where you want to save the newly unlocked PDF file on your computer. Hit "OK."
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  Hit "Unlock PDF File" to remove the lock on the file.
Freeware PDF Unlocker
- 5
  
  Download and install the program Freeware PDF Unlocker. It will create an icon on your desktop.
- 6
  
  Drag and drop your locked PDF file onto the program icon. You will see a black box appear on your screen while the program is unlocking your file.
- 7
  
  Click on the black box to open your unlocked PDF file.
PDF Unlock
- 8
  
  Go to the website PDF Unlock.
- 9
  
  Hit "Browse" to locate the locked PDF file on your computer. Click on the PDF file name to load it into the "Browse" bar.
- 10
  
  Hit "Unlock!" to remove the lock on it.

How to Unlock PDF Files Free

2012-07-06T06:46:00.000-07:00

How to Unlock PDF Files Free

When you receive PDF files that you can't edit it can be so annoying! Especially if it is an application or a document that needs YOUR editing! If you could just unlock the crazy file, fill out the information and send it back. It would be so much easier than printing the sheet out, finding a pen that works, filling the form out. stuffing it in to your fax machine or scanning it back in and uploading the file to your email! Well, thank God! there is an easier way. Just unlock the file. Here is how to do it (the short and sweet version):

Read more: How to Unlock PDF Files Free | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5739019_unlock-pdf-files.html#ixzz1zqkvi9ig

Instructions

- 1
  
  Save the file that you have received on your computer. Pdf unlock will remove the the restrictions on it as long as it is not DRM protected.
- 2
  
  Go to http://www.pdfunlock.com.Press the browse button and you will be prompted to find your saved file.
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  Choose the file you want and there you have it! Editable material that won't drive you loco!

How to Change a Color PDF to Black and White Read more: How to Change a Color PDF to Black and White | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6372610_change-color-pdf-black-white.html#ixzz1zqkZ5IZM

2012-07-06T06:44:00.002-07:00

How to Change a Color PDF to Black and White

Read more: How to Change a Color PDF to Black and White | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6372610_change-color-pdf-black-white.html#ixzz1zqkZ5IZM

PDF files often contain large color images or design elements that can use up your printer's color ink or make the document a larger file size. To avoid these issues, you can convert a PDF document from color to black and white. Conversion is an easy process using the drop-down menus in Adobe Acrobat Professional. Adobe offers a free trial offer of Adobe Acrobat Professional.

Read more: How to Change a Color PDF to Black and White | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6372610_change-color-pdf-black-white.html#ixzz1zqkZ5IZM

Instructions

- 1
  
  Open your color PDF document in Adobe Acrobat. Choose "Advanced" from the drop-down menu, then scroll down to "Print Production" and over to "Convert Colors."
- 2
  
  Choose "Convert: RGB" or "Convert CMYK" from the menu. You may need to make your conversion more than once to see which works best for the document you are converting.
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- 3
  
  Select "Gray Gamma 1.8" or "Gray Gamma 2.2." You may need to do your conversion more than once to see which works better with the document you are converting.
- 4
  
  Change the "Conversion Option" to "Don't Embed Profile" and click OK. Acrobat will begin the conversion, page by page. The progress will show at the bottom of the document window.

How to Print a Locked PDF

2012-07-06T06:41:00.004-07:00

How to Print a Locked PDF

PDF files are often locked by the owner to prevent editing, printing and selecting text and graphics. The only way to lift the restrictions of these protected files is to decrypt them. With PDF Password Remover software, decryption happens instantly, allowing the user to open the file in any PDF viewer and print the locked file without any restrictions.

Read more: How to Print a Locked PDF | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5148055_print-locked-pdf.html#ixzz1zqkFYrAG

Instructions

- 1
  
  Download and install PDF Password Remover software. Once installation has completed, launch the program.
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  Click the "Open PDF(s)" button and locate the file which you would like to remove the password from. Click "Open."
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  SSL Certificates - thawte
  Choose from a complete range of certificates with the strongest SSL
  www.thawte.com
- 3
  
  Enter a name for the new PDF file. You cannot use the same name as the original file.
- 4
  
  Click "Save." A screen will popup and show you the status of the password removal. It will say "Succeed" if the file has been decrypted. Right-click the file and select "View Target Document" to print the PDF file.

How to Check Color Management Settings in a PDF File for CMYK Read more: How to Check Color Management Settings in a PDF File for CMYK | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5918924_check-settings-pdf-file-cmyk.html#ixzz1zqjdSSiG

2012-07-06T06:40:00.003-07:00

How to Check Color Management Settings in a PDF File for CMYK

Since Adobe Acrobat Version Eight, users are able to check and change color management settings. This comes in handy when using the PDF file format for printing. In order to get the correct colors when printing an electronic document, the color profile must be in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) not RGB (Red, Blue, Green), which is used for light, not ink or paint. It is best practice to check your PDF’s color management before you print the document.

Read more: How to Check Color Management Settings in a PDF File for CMYK | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5918924_check-settings-pdf-file-cmyk.html#ixzz1zqjj3uTr

Instructions

- 1
  
  Choose “Edit” from the menu bar, then “Properties”. Click on “Color Management”.
- 2
  
  Look for the color profile information. You can see the color profile that has already been chosen. If this is fine then you can just click “Okay”. If the color profile needs to change, you will need to choose a new color profile before clicking on “Okay”.
- 3
  
  Save your PDF to save the changes you have made.

How to Convert a PDF to CMYK

2012-07-06T06:36:00.003-07:00

How to Convert a PDF to CMYK

Adobe Acrobat's Portable Document Format, or PDF, allows you to create documents designed to display on computers, as well as print on printing presses. However, computers produce color for display on computer monitors by combining shades of red, green and blue -- the RGB color model. Printing presses, on the other hand, use the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, or CMYK, color model. In order to get PDFs to print properly on printing presses, it's often necessary to convert them from RGB to CMYK. You can convert RGB PDFs to CMYK from the Preferences dialog box in Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Read more: How to Convert a PDF to CMYK | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_10048439_convert-pdf-cmyk.html#ixzz1zqicRQ8o

Instructions

- 1
  
  Open the PDF you want to convert to CMYK in Adobe Acrobat Pro by selecting the "File" menu and choosing "Open." This displays the Open dialog box. Navigate to the file, select it, and then click the "Open" button.
- 2
  
  Click the "Edit" menu and choose "Preferences." This opens the Preferences dialog box.
- Sponsored Links
  
  Free Flash Flipbook
  Online Free Flash Pageflipper. Free and without inscription. Try now !
  www.pageflip-flap.com
- 3
  
  Click "Color Management" in the Categories list.
- 4
  
  Click the "Settings" drop-down menu and choose "North America Prepress 2." This tells Acrobat to preserve the document's CMYK values for a North American printing press.
  
  Note that many print shops contract out large CMYK print runs to printing companies all over the world. Acrobat Pro also has European and Asian prepress profiles. Ask your print shop which option to choose.
- 5
  
  Click the "CMYK" drop-down menu and choose the appropriate setting for your print shop's printing press. Ask your print shop which option to choose.
- 6
  
  Click "OK."
- 7
  
  Click the "File" menu and choose "Save As." Name and save the file.

Manual - Calibration System

2012-07-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

Calibration System Manual

EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 1 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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Most Recent Change
REV NO. CHANGE S UMMARY DOCUMENT
OWNER
APPROVER DATE
APPROVED
42
Updated rev number of docu ment to
match actual revision number
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker June 2011
Calibration System Manual
Electronic Measurements Group (EMG), Calibration and Repair Laboratories,
Standards Laboratories, Worldwide Customer Service and Support (WCSS),
and Manufacturing Test and Calibration (Manufacturing Process Centers)Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 2 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf

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Table of Content
Copyright Notice------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
Foreword ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
1.0 Purpose--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
2.0 Scope ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
3.0 Definitions --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
4.0 Management Requirements -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
4.1 Organization -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
4.2 Business Management System---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12
4.3 Documentation Control ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14
4.4 Review of requests, tenders and contracts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14
4.5 Subcontracting of tests and calibrations--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15
4.6 Purchasing services and supplies ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16
4.7 Service to the Customer ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 16
4.8 Complaints ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17
4.9 Control of nonconforming testing and/or calibration work -------------------------------------------------------------------- 17
4.10 Improvement------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18
4.11 Corrective action------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18
4.12 Preventive action------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
4.13 Control of records ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
4.14 Internal audits ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
4.15 Management reviews-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
5.0 Technical Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21
5.1 General --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21
5.2 Personnel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
5.3 Accommodation and Environmental Conditions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22
5.4 Calibration Methods and Method Validation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23
5.5 Equipment ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25
5.6 Measurement Traceability--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30
5.7 Sampling ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32
5.8 Handling of Test and Calibration Items --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32
5.9 Assuring the Quality of Test and Calibration Results---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33
5.10 Reporting the Results ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34
Appendix A – Process Documentation Showing Compliance to ISO/IEC 17025 ------------------------------------------- 37
Appendix B - Supporting Material --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
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Copyright Notice
© Copyright 2002-2009 Agilent Technologies. All rights reserved. Reproduction, adaptation, or
translation without prior written permission is prohibited, except as allowed under copyright
laws.
Agilent Technologies
EMG Calibration Facilities
This document constitutes the Calibration System Manual and is integrated into our documented
Business Management System. Authority to modify this document in any manner is reserved to be
the responsibility of EMG Business Management System Manager and the EMG Calibration
Program Manager. Revisions are indicated on page one of this document.
Approved: ______________________Date: September 2010
Ted Tucker
EMG Business Management System Program Manger
Approved: ______________________Date: September 2010
Kerry Gwin
EMG CSM Document Manger Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 4 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf

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Foreword
This calibration system manual has been written for all organizations within the Electronic
Measurements Group (EMG) o f Agilent Technologies.
Responsibility for the document contents belong to the EMG Business Management System
Manager and the EMG Calibration Program Manager.
1.0 Purpose
This document describes procedures employed by Agilent Technologies‟ Calibration Facilities
for the calibration of instruments. The paragraph numbering used in this document is consistent
with that used in ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E).
Section 4 of this document describes the calibration facilities‟ Business Management System.
This document is designed for use in conjunction with both the EMG Business Management
System Manual and the local department's documented process and procedures.
Section 5 of this document defines the system to be used for calibrations performed by
departments within EMG:
 Describes calibration facilities‟ policies, procedures, and processes established to meet
the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E), ANSI/NCSL Z540.1-1994 (R2002),
ANSI/NCSL Z540.3-2006, ISO 10012:2003(E) and the needs our customers and/or
external registration bodies.
 Provides a common standard upon which EMG facilities‟ calibration and Business
Management Systems are built.
 Provides a detailed description of how calibration is accomplished at Agilent
Technologies.Calibration System Manual
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2.0 Scope
This document is used by all facilities providing calibration services that include, but are not
limited to:
 Standards Labs
 Calibration Labs
 Manufacturing Test and Calibration Centers (Manufacturing Process Centers)
 WCSS Calibration Operations
o The scope of Calibration capabilities for Agilent Technologies Service centers is
located within the Siebel application
 Hardware Test Centers
Local calibration facility processes and procedures will be required to supplement, but not
supercede, the Calibration System Manual.
This manual may be used as a Business Management System Manual in areas of Agilent
Technologies that provide calibrations.Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
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3.0 Definitions
This document uses the definitions of International Vocab ulary of Metrology (ISO/IEC Guide
99:2007), ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E), ANSI/NCSL Z540.1-1994 (R2002) and ANSI/NCSL
Z540.3-2006, as well as other terms applied to our calibration activities described below.
Instruments
Measuring and Test Equipment (M&TE) – This comprises all of the measuring
instruments, measurement standards, reference materials, and auxiliary apparatus that are
necessary to perform a measurement. This term includes measuring equipment used in the
course of testing and inspection, as well as, that used in calibration.
Measure ment Standard – A material measure, measuring instrument, reference material or
system intended to define, realize, conserve or reproduce a unit or one or more known values
of a quantity to serve as a reference. Items used for measuring standards generally fall into
one of the four following categories :
 Primary - A standard, which has the highest metrological qualities in a specified field.
This standard is generally compared directly to national standards.
 Reference - A standard, generally in the highest order in a calibration system, which
establishes the basic accuracy values for that system. A reference standard is used to link
measurement traceability to an external laboratory.
 Transfer - Are designated measuring and test equipment used in a calibration system as
a medium for transferring the basic values of reference standards to lower echelon
transfer standards or measuring and test equipment. In some cases a transfer standard
may be used as a working standard.
 Working Standard - A material, measuring instrument, reference material or system
intended to define, realize, conserve or reproduce a unit or one or more known values of
a quantity.
Measuring Instrument – A device intended to make a measurement, alone or in conjunction
with, supplementary equipment. Furthermore, all products that meet the following criteria are
considered to be a measuring instrument: Calibration System Manual
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 The product has published specifications
 The specified parameters are traceable to national, international or consensus
standards
 A periodic calibration interval has been assigned
Measuring System – This consists of one or more measurement devices, and any other
necessary system elements, interconnected to perform a complete measurement.
Metrology Ope rations
Standards Labs – Highest measurement traceability chain within Agilent Technologies.
Calibration and Repair Labs – Typically, measurements are traceable through Standards
Labs
Manufacturing Test and Calibration (Manufacturing Process Centers) – Typically,
measurements are traceable through Calibration and Repair Labs.
Calibration – The set of operations that establishes, under specified conditions, the
relationship between values indicated by a measuring instrument or measuring system, and
the corresponding standard or known values derived from the standard and then making a
qualitative statement as to the measurand‟s suitability for use.
Standard Method of Calibration – Any calibration method recommended by the
manufacturer.
Verification – Evidence by calibration that specified requirements have been met.
Note: The result of verification leads to a decision either to restore to service, adjust,
repair, downgrade, or declare obsolete. In all cases, documentation of the verification
performed is maintained in the measuring instrument's individual record.
Calibration Service – The comparison of a measurement system or instrument of unknown
accuracy to a measurement standard of known accuracy to detect, correlate, report and
eliminate inadequate performance through adjustment, if appropriate.
Verification Service – The comparison of a measurement system or instrument to its
specifications, followed with a judgment on its compliance with said specifications.Calibration System Manual
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Characterization – The process of comparing a measurement system or instrument to a
measurement standard with known accuracy and reporting the values and uncertainties of the
measured parameters. There are no accuracy specifications verified or adjustments performed
on the instrument.
Functional Test –The purpose of a functional test is to demonstrate that products are
operating properly when the products do not meet calibration criteria as specified in the
Agilent Calibration Certificate Program Guidelines. This may also apply to instruments that
may not make traceable measurements (examples: protocol analyzers, bit error rate
analyzers) or to those instrument repairs that do not affect the measurement integrity of the
equipment (example: changing the transport tape of an 8510B).
Preventive Maintenance (PM) – Cleaning, electrical safety testing, and mechanical
inspection of measuring and test equipment (does not include calibration).
Traceability – The ability to relate individual measurement results to national standards or
nationally accepted measurement systems through an unbroken chain of comparisons, all
having defined uncertainties.
An accredited calibration is de-facto proof of traceability. Thus, a national standards
laboratory certificate number or an accredited calibration certificate number should not
warrant further analysis of the traceability path.
Note: Traceability to national standards does not imply that the linkage must
necessarily be to the national references of the country in which the Agilent
Technologies facility operates.
Calibration Interval – A predefined period of time between successive calibrations.
Approved Signatories –Individuals who are authorized by management to sign laboratory
calibration or test reports and certificates. In some cases authorisation by a local accreditation
body may also be necessary.
Calibration Condition Received Classifications
As Received and As Shipped (or As Completed) Condition - The condition of the instrument
prior to, and on the completion of, the calibration service. The following statements are used to
describe these states:
In Specification – This classification applies if all of the instrument‟s measured parameters
are found to not exceed specification.Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
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accessing this document fro m a public site.
Out of Specification – This classification applies if one or more of the instrument‟s
measured parameters are found to exceed specification.
Malfunctioning – This classification applies in the event that, upon receipt: 1) catastrophic
or operational failure makes it impossible to take data; or, 2) all data taken is found to be
within specification, but complete data is not available due to a partial operational failure of
the instrument.
Significant Out of Tolerance Condition – An out-o f-tolerance condition in a measuring device
or standard which causes a corresponding out-of-tolerance condition at the next level down in
the calibration chain. A significant out of tolerance condition is defined by either of the
following:
1. The out of tolerance standard has caused the degradation of a test uncertainty ratio
(TUR) to less than 4:1.
2. An original test uncertainty ratio (TUR) of less than 4:1 (as stated on the performance
test record) has been further degraded.
Non-Conforming Work – This is defined as calibration services that are found during an audit
or as the result of the detection of a problem with (or using) a procedure, method or equipment,
to be faulty.
Use of Guard Bands – See the Standard Measurement Report Guidelines, Section 4.3 located at
http://quality.communications.agilent.com/calcert/. See also the WCSS Adjustment & Guardband Policy at
http://webdoc.it.agilent.com/xpedio/groups/restricted/documents/data/epsg1063880.pdf
Measure ment Decision Risk – The probability that an incorrect acceptance decision related to a
measurand‟s As Received or As Shipped/Completed condition will result from a measurement.Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 10 of 48
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4.0 Management Requirements
4.1 Organization
4.1.1 This document applies to EMG, which is an organization within Agilent Technologies.
The facilities within EMG are capable of providing or obtaining a complete array of testing
and/or calibration services.
4.1.2 The description of how Agilent Technologies has established its calibration program is
described in Section 1, "Purpose", in this document.
4.1.3 The laboratory management system for each calibration area covers all work performed
by the calibration facilities. Please see Section 2, "Scope", in this document.
4.1.4 The organizational arrangements are such that the calibration facilities operate as an
organization; therefore, the organizational arrangements do not adversely affect the quality of
the calibration services. Agilent discourages monetary or other compensation that would
constitute a conflict of interest and affect the technical judgment of individuals involved in the
calibration of product. Engineering, responsible for design of the test process, is generally
separated from production (organizationally) and not rewarded on monthly shipment metrics.
Agilent Technologies Standards of Business Conduct emphasizes uncompromising integrity.
Quality metrics are reviewed by management to evaluate the ongoing quality of work.
4.1.5 General Organizational Require ments
a.) The calibration facilities‟ managers have the necessary authority and resources to ensure
that planning, organizing, directing and controlling the operation is provided to meet quality
and business expectations without departing from established procedures. See section 5.2,
Personnel, for more information.
b.) Every effort is made to ensure that employees working within the calibration facilities
environment are not directly subjected to work related pressures that could compromise the
quality of their work (See 4.1.4). Agilent Technologies Standards of Business Conduct
addresses employee integrity and ethics. Agilent managers are required to review these
standards with their employees every year.
Employees are trained to utilize specific processes to accomplish their tasks and have a clear
understanding of what must be done to realize positive results. Those processes have been
designed with quality measures in place to ensure co nformity of the deliverables.Calibration System Manual
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accessing this document fro m a public site.
c.) As noted earlier, employees review Agilent Technologies Standards of Business Conduct
each year. Customer confidential information, proprietary rights, and special requests
regarding a customer‟s calibration are not shared.
Example: Normally, customer data regarding their equipment or its calibration information
is not transmitted by direct data transmission. When direct data transmission is required,
Agilent Technologies provides data security through internal networking systems that are
installed behind an Internet firewall. Many layers of computer security are employed. For
faxed information, the appropriate customer‟s employee is notified that a fax will soon be
transmitted.
d.) Agilent Technologies Standards of Business Conduct contains company policy regarding
conflict of interest situations.
e.) The management structure is depicted in the calibration facilities‟ organizational charts.
These charts demonstrate the interaction of all parts of the calibration facilities. Local
documentation is needed to satisfy this requirement.
f.) Organizational charts, detailed job descriptions, various process flow charts and written
procedures, clearly indicate the responsibility, authority and connectivity of everyone
directly involved in performing calibration activities within the calibration facilities. Local
documentation is needed to satisfy this requirement.
g.) Calibration activities are supervised by personnel who have extensive background
experience and who are often assisted by team or group leaders as necessary to ensure the
quality of the calibrations being performed. The calibration facilities staff understands the
objective of calibration and how to assess results. Local documentation, such as training
records, is needed to satisfy this requirement.
h.) Each calibration facility has access to at least one person who is technically expert in
calibration and metrology. That person may be a metrologist, technical supervisor, technical
specialist, engineering support/management or the metrology manager and has the
responsibility to make decisions regarding the technical validity of all aspects of the
calibration process. That person may call upon resources in the EMG Metrology Leadership
Team for consultation on unique problems or those that require escalation to be resolved.
i.) Each calibration facility is supported by a quality representative who is responsible for
coordinating all quality functions including auditing, vendor assessments, training
recommendations, assessment of the effectiveness of the Business Management System and Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
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the assistance of employees with the concepts and tools necessary to use within quality
improvement projects and initiatives.
j.) The calibration facilities will identify and document alternate or backup personnel to the
technical and quality management positions. As is common in many companies and
organizations, management from another area may be asked to temporarily assume the tasks
of an absent manager.
k.) Personnel are made aware of the relevance and importance of their activities through the
use of a system of cascading business priorities and objectives. These business priorities are
communicated to personnel in various ways at the discretion of the group‟s general
manager.
4.1.6 EMG management communicates the effectiveness of the management system through
the use of newsletters, coffee talks, meetings and other appropriate means.
4.2 Business Management System
4.2.1 This document, in conjunction with the EMG Business Management System Manual and
the calibration facility‟s policies, procedures, guidelines, processes, manuals and other
locally defined documentation, comprise the documented Business Management System
employed by the EMG calibration facilities.
4.2.2 a), b), c) Refer to the quality policy below:
Agilent Technologies designs and manufactures test, measurement and monitoring
instruments, systems and solutions, and semiconductor and optical components. The
company serves markets that include communications, electronics, and life sciences. We are
committed to building on a foundation of more than 60 years of manufacturing experience
and the Hewlett-Packard heritage of excellence in all that we do. Agilent Technologies will
work with partners, customers, and employees, to produce quality products and services that
make a clear contribution to our customers, using clear standards of business conduct and
total quality management practices.
Agilent Technologies Quality Policy StatementCalibration System Manual
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All Agilent Technologies managers and employees support implementation of this policy in
accordance with their roles and responsibilities in the organization.
d.) All calibration facilities personnel are required to become familiar with the quality
documentation in order to implement its processes and procedures.
e.) This document demonstrates management‟s commitment to the implementation of the
requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005, as well as other applicable standards as outlined in
Section 1, and to the continual improvement of the effectiveness of the business management
system that it describes.
4.2.3 EMG has established a business management system that is administered at the highest
level within this group and is described in the EMG Business Management System Manual.
The management‟s commitment to the establishment and continual improvement of this system
is described in this manual and its supporting documentation.
4.2.4 EMG‟s top management communicates to all employees through several methods
including, but not limited to, coffee talks, newsletters and direct presentations. Through these
methods, all employees are made familiar with Agilent Technologies‟ Quality Policy which
expresses the importance of meeting customer, statutory and regulatory requirements.
4.2.5 The calibration facilities‟ Business Management System is composed of various levels of
documentation that include quality policy and objectives, information on the many processes
utilized in the calibration facilities, and key work instructions necessary to complete assigned
tasks. The aggregate combination of quality documentation, policy, responsibilities, processes,
work instructions, technical manuals, and procedures, form the documented Business
Management System.
4.2.6 The responsibility of the technical management is to ensure that sound metrological
practices are followed. The technical manager is designated as the technical specialist,
engineering support/management or the metrology manager. These personnel are competent in
making decisions concerning metrological practices, procedures, and results.
The responsibility of the quality manager/supervisor to ensure that the Business Management
System is implemented and maintained in compliance with the standards listed in the “Purpose”
section of this document.
4.2.7 When changes to the management system are planned and implemented, the integrity of
the system is taken into account. This activity is monitored and assured through diligent review
of the system by management as described in the EMG Management Review Process. Calibration System Manual
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4.3 Documentation Control
The Business Management System is comprised of many internal policies, procedures, guides,
processes, user reference materials, manuals, and other locally defined documentation that is
strategically placed within the organization. The intention is to maintain a system that is
professional and of real value. A bureaucratic approach is actively discouraged. Details of the
document management program are contained in the EMG Document Control Procedure
(Document # E100)
4.4 Review of requests, tenders and contracts
4.4.1 Procedures are in place to review requests, tenders and contracts. These procedures
ensure that:
a) The laboratory has appropriate methods and procedures,
b) The laboratory has the needed resources in equipment and personnel,
c) The laboratory selects an appropriate calibration method that meets the needs of the
customer.
4.4.2 Records of each review are maintained and include any customer paperwork and notes of
conversations with the customer during and after the formal Contract Review phase of the
process. These records shall be maintained in accordance with Agilent Technologies General
Retention Schedule.
4.4.3 Customer paperwork for instruments that are subcontracted to ano ther vendor for
calibration is also reviewed. Particular attention is given to the following:
 The selected subcontractor must be approved by the local calibration facilities quality
personnel,
 The customer must be informed that a subcontractor will be utilized.
4.4.4 The customer is informed of any deviations to the previously agreed- upon contract.Calibration System Manual
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4.4.5 When a contract must be amended, the contract review process is used and changes are
communicated to the appropriate personnel.
4.5 Subcontracting of tests and calibrations
4.5.1 As with selection of a suitable subcontractor for calibration of Agilent Technologies own
equipment, a documented vendor appraisal/performance monitoring procedure is used. Each
entity must administer a vendor control system that evaluates potential subcontractors on the
basis of criteria suitable for the work being requested. Such criteria may come from one or more
of the following sources:
 ISO/IEC 17025:2005
 ANSI/NCSL Z540.1-1994 (R2002)
 ANSI/NCSL Z540.3-2006
 ISO 9001:2008
 Specific Agilent or customer criteria
Accredited vendors will not be subject to appraisals, audits or surveys if they have accreditation
for the parameters being calibrated.
4.5.2 Provided it is not contrary to contracted conditions (with particular regard to shipment to
another country), the calibration facility may transfer customer instruments requiring standard
Agilent Calibration to another Agilent facility without prior notification of the customer. In the
case of equipment needing Standards Compliant or Accredited Calibration, the customer shall
be notified prior to its shipment to any other Agilent facility. The customer shall also be advised
of an intention to ship to any subcontractor (i.e. non-Agilent facility) for any service-type.
4.5.3 The calibration facilities are responsible for work performed by a subcontractor unless a
regulatory agency or the customer specifies the subcontractor to be used.
4.5.4 Records of evaluation/audit of external calibration sources are maintained locally or wit h
the calibration facility‟s Quality department. Copies of individual audits may be available on a
networked server while the originals reside within the calibration facility‟s Quality department.Calibration System Manual
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4.6 Purchasing services and supplies
4.6.1 Through a working relationship with our suppliers, the calibration facilities ensure that
materials, products, and services purchased in support activities for customer equipment,
conform to specified requirements. Should it be necessary to purchase parts or supplies from
vendors outside of Agilent Technologies that will be used in support of customer equipment, a
supplier approval against contractual and quality requirements will be made. Vendor
assessments, as required, will be conducted with the assistance of Agilent Technologies quality
personnel. When it is necessary to purchase calibration services from external suppliers, only
vendors who meet established requirements as listed in section 4.5.1, and have been approved
by the Agilent Technologies quality personnel will be utilized.
4.6.2 Consumable materials that affect the quality of calibration, such as mineral oil for baths
or saturated salt compounds for humidity calibrations, are inspected and/or verified prior to use.
Records of the inspection or verification are maintained. (It should be noted that not all
calibration facilities use these types of consumable materials.)
4.6.3 Purchasing documents for items that affect quality are reviewed to ensure that the
requirements of the Business Management System a re met.
4.6.4 Records of approved suppliers are on file. (See 4.5.4)
4.7 Service to the Customer
4.7.1 Customers are permitted to visit our calibration facilities, provided we are given adequate
scheduling notice. These visits may be in the form of a formal audit of our calibration processes
or to observe particular calibration procedures. Appropriate measures are taken to ensure the
confidentiality of all client equipment, materials and information present in the calibration
facility.
Customers are routinely notified of delays in the originally scheduled finish date for services.
4.7.2 Feedback is obtained from our customers through various methods (see section 9 of the
EMG Business Management System Manual).Calibration System Manual
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4.8 Complaints
Upon receipt of a complaint, the quality or technical manager or appointed person will conduct
an investigation of the complaint. If the complaint is related to the processes in the laboratory, it
will be communicated to the management team for possible process improvement action. If the
complaint is calibration results related, the technical manager or appointed person will
investigate the cause. If the investigation result casts doubt on past calibrations of customer
instruments, the customer will be advised of the particulars and given the option to return the
affected instrument to the laboratory for a no-charge, re-test, re-calibration or verification as
necessary.
The quality manager/supervisor is responsible for ensuring that complaints are resolved in a
timely manner. Such complaints and corrective actions are reviewed in the quality management
review. Refer to section 4.15 of this document.
4.9 Control of nonconforming testing and/or calibration work
4.9.1 In addition to the policies, processes and procedures outlined in the EMG Control of
Nonconforming Product document (doc # 103), which applies to all EMG entities, those
performing calibrations must also abide by the following:
4.9.1.1 When non-conforming work is reported, an evaluation is performed as described in the
paragraphs below. Non-conforming work can be the discovery of an improper calibration
method, a mistake in a calibration procedure, an out of limit condition of the environment, or
an out of tolerance condition of one of the standards. Out of tolerance (OOT) conditions are
the most common form of non-conforming work. If the out of tolerance condition will
significantly affect the calibration of other devices, the calibration facility will identify all
suspect calibrations. For more information, see the EMG Out of Tolerance Procedure
document.
a.) The production supervisor, lead technician, manager, or quality representative, has
the responsibility to halt work, or withhold calibration certificates or reports when
nonconforming work is identified.
b.) Problems identified that relate to procedure, method, environment, or audit, will
be evaluated as prescribed in the corrective action section of this Calibration System
Manual.Calibration System Manual
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c.) Notification of out of tolerance conditions or other sources of nonconforming
work must be sent to owners of affected equipment. It is the responsibility of the
equipment owner or designated functions with technical expertise to determine the
impact on their processes and to resolve the out of tolerance conditions of their own
equipment. See the EMG Out of Tolerance Procedure document.
Should the non-conforming work be significant as defined in section 3 of this
document, the customer is notified, advised of the nature and extent of the incident,
and given the opportunity to decide his course of action as he evaluates the impact of
the non-conforming work on his product or service. In cases where the customer
considers the non-conforming work condition to be significant to his process, the
liability of the calibration facility will be limited to a re-calibration of the affected
equipment at no charge.
d.) The personnel identified in paragraph 4.9.1.a will make the decision when to
resume calibration after a significant nonconforming event. Should there be any
disagreement between production and quality, the decision will be escalated to the
next level of management. Until a decision is reached, all affected work will be
terminated.
4.9.1.2 If the nonconforming work shows evidence that the event may recur, corrective or
preventive action will be implemented as described in the EMG Corrective and Preventive
Action Requirements document (Doc # E101).
4.10 Improvement
The EMG Business Management System, of which this calibration system is a part, is
continually improved through the use of Agilent‟s quality policy, quality objectives, audit
results, analysis of data, corrective and preventive actions and management review as described
in the EMG Business Management System Manual. A map of all of the processes and their
interrelationships can be found on the EMG BMS Website at:
http://epsg.communications.agilent.com/quality/bms/040318_docMap.asp .
4.11 Corrective action
4.11.1 General Procedures for dealing with corrective action are contained in the EMG
Corrective and Preventive Action Requirements document (Doc # E101) and supplemented by Calibration System Manual
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the calibration facility‟s Business Management System documentation describing compliance to
“Corrective Action”.
4.12 Preventive action
4.12.1 General Procedures for dealing with preventive action are contained in the EMG
Corrective and Preventive Action Requirements document (Doc # E101) and supplemented by
the calibration facility‟s Business Management System documentation describing compliance to
“Preventive Action”.
4.13 Control of records
4.13.1 General Procedures for handling of general records produced by the calibration
facilities are contained in the EMG Quality Records Requirements document (Doc # E104) and
are supplemented by the calibration facility‟s Business Management System documentation
describing the control of quality records.
4.13.2 Technical Records
4.13.2.1 In addition to the requirements stated above, the control of technical records must
also conform to the following:
Calibration records, specifically derived data (where applicable), original observations, and
certificates of calibration, are generated for each calibration performed. Original observation
is interpreted to mean measured values or pass/fail results, as appropriate. The personnel
involved in the process of performing the calibration are identified on these records by
appropriate means. Copies of these records are retained by the laboratory in either paper or
electronic form. This allows replication of the calibration for the customer if needed. The
laboratory manages its M&TE calibration records in an identical manner.
The laboratory retains calibration records for a period consistent with corporate guidelines.
For more information concerning corporate record retention guidelines, refer to the General
Retention Schedule produced by Records and Information Management (RIM).
4.13.2.2 Records of each calibration and associated data are recorded at the time of the
calibration event. This information is identifiable to each calibrated device by a unique
equipment identification number or service order number.Calibration System Manual
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4.13.2.3 When mistakes occur on a manually prepared calibration report or test record, the
entry is crossed-out with a single line and the correct value is entered. The person making the
correction will initial or sign by the entry. Both the correction and the signature must be in
ink. Changes to electronically stored records will be subject to similar measures to avoid loss
of the original data.
In the case of automated calibrations, data is generated by the software and is considered to
be error free. Quality records stored electronically are routinely backed up.
4.14 Internal audits
The purpose of the Audit Program is to assure that the Quality and Metrology systems are fully
implemented and the integrity of the systems are maintained. The audit frequency for various
facilities will be documented on audit schedules. Detailed procedures for audits are contained in the
EMG BMS Assessment Program Manual.
4.15 Management reviews
4.15.1 The calibration facilities perform a program of reviews conducted by the entity‟s
executive management that conforms to the requirements set forth in the EMG Management
Review Process document (Doc # E106). Calibration System Manual
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5.0 Technical Requirements
This section defines the calibration system for business entities within EMG.
5.1 General
Appropriate factors affecting calibration results are accounted for when:
 Developing and validating calibration methods and procedures
 Designing facilities
 Establishing qualifications for personnel
 Developing training for personnel
 Selecting standards
5.2 Personnel
5.2.1 All personnel are trained in accordance with the EMG Training Process Requirements.
The laboratory has a staff of sufficient size and knowledge to satisfy the capacity and technical
capability needed to support its workload. Personnel are hired to fulfill specific job
requirements. Some formal training may be required as a method of providing employee
technical education. Some entities utilize on-the-job training (OJT). OJT gives the employee the
opportunity to experience new situations or service a broader product range by learning in a
controlled environment where assistance is readily available through a mentor. Implementation
of OJT is per management discretion and continues until a mentor is satisfied that the required
level of competence has been attained.
Acquired experience is also valuable in supporting specific products and, if substantiated, can be
a training qualifier for those products. Qualification criteria include, but are not limited to, the
following aspects:
 Supervisor knowledge and assessment during qualification,Calibration System Manual
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 Support of a minimum number of products to qualify,
 Previous support of related products or product lines
5.2.2 Training and education goals for the calibration facilities personnel are reviewed each
year as part of the employee job performance process. Available training may include formal
training classes, attendance of metrology conferences, etc. Training records are available for
each member of the calibration facilities.
Under the direction of the Technical Manager and/or Manager of the lab, the technicians can
develop technical areas of specialization. The calibration facilities technicians are responsible
for creating and continuously improving processes, procedures, and software in the assigned
area(s) of responsibility. These activities form much of the basis for technician technical
training. The technician with primary responsibility for an area also oversees any day-to-day
cross training of other technicians in that technical area.
5.2.3 Temporary and/or contract technicians or other personnel are subject to the same
requirements as permanent employees depending on work responsibilities. These personnel
work under the direct supervision of a mentor until appropriately trained.
5.2.4 Job descriptions are located on the Job Family Matrices website within the Meidas
application.
5.2.5 Technicians are authorized by management to perform calibrations (or repairs) or operate
particular types of equipment. This authorization is documented in training or competency
records which must include the date upon which the scope and level of competence was
decided. Historical records must be kept as evidence of qualification to perform the stated work
at the time of its provision.
5.3 Accommodation and Environmental Conditions
5.3.1 In the design of the calibration environment, consideration has been given to the
operating specifications of the required M&TE and the operating specifications of the unit under
test. The facility is air-conditioned and consideration has been given to cleanliness, temperature
and humidity. Where necessary, the laboratory power line supply is regulated with proper line
conditioning to ensure proper operation of the measurement and test equipment. Consideration
will be given to the environmental requirements of the most sensitive measurement performed.
Environmental conditions are reported as a range of acceptable values. Generally, the required Calibration System Manual
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operating temperature range for the calibration facilities is (23 ± 5) Deg C. The required relative
humidity is (5 to 80) % and non-condensing. Options for these requirements are: 1) as stated
above, 2) tighter than stated limits above, 3) range of product specifications which requires
actual temperature or humidity to be reported.
Note: Some facilities, such as primary standards laboratories will require tighter limits that will
be dictated by the type of calibrations being performed and/or the equipment being used. When
calibration is performed at a customer's site, the environmental conditions are defined by the
customer facility. Agilent recommends a typical set of conditions in which to perform the
calibrations. If the customer is unable to provide an area that meets these conditions, Agilent
Technologies will not perform the calibration.
5.3.2 Each calibration facility is equipped with an enviro nmental monitoring system. Data is
maintained by a department with the necessary capability to demonstrate conformance with
locally defined ambient conditions. For example, this may be site facilities engineering. This
evidence is retained for a period that complies with the EMG Quality Records Requirements.
If at any time the temperature or humidity limits are exceeded, the calibration operation shall be
suspended until that condition has been investigated and corrected.
5.3.3 Activities are effectively separated when the failure to do so could compromise the
integrity of the calibrations being performed. Measures shall be taken to prevent crosscontamination.
5.3.4 Access to the calibration facility is controlled. Proper ESD precautions are taken when
handling M&TE and the unit under test. ESD requirements are set forth in the Agilent
Technologies ESD Control Manual.
5.3.5 Each member of the calibration facility is responsible for the area‟s general housekeeping
and for complying with all Health & Safety regulations. Common areas and building systems,
such as air conditioning, are maintained by a workplace services group or contract personnel
who shall meet Agilent security and access requirements.
5.4 Calibration Methods and Method Validation
5.4.1 General Calibration and verification procedures shall be maintained and followed in the
calibration facilities. Procedures may consist of the performance tests contained in the
instrument's Operating and Service Manual, for Agilent Technologies equipment, or its Calibration System Manual
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equivalent. Also, procedures may originate and be written by the manufacturing process center
or calibration/standards lab. Calibration procedures may also be contained entirely in software.
Instructions for calibrating or verifying measuring and test equipment are maintained as part of
each calibration facility‟s locally defined Business Management System documentation, where
applicable.
Agilent calibration and verification procedures are documented and we do not deviate from the
methods described in those procedures unless required by specific customer
calibration/verification requirements.
5.4.2 Selection of Methods Most calibration procedures are developed by Agilent
Technologies calibration/standards labs and instrument manufacturing process centers using
established measurement techniques. Each calibration procedure will be uniquely identified.
Published generic standards (calibration procedures) such as those distributed by ASTM, ASME
or ANSI are not normally used for calibration in EMG.
Should a customer request a method of calibration not normally used the request will be
negotiated with the customer.
5.4.3 Laboratory-Developed Methods I f a procedure doesn‟t exist, or special calibrations are
required which are not covered by a procedure, the technical manager or quality manager will
administer a program to write a calibration procedure, which will properly verify the instrument
to specification, accuracy, and resolution.
5.4.4 Non-Standard Methods I f it is necessary to utilize a non-standard method for
calibration, the method will be validated before use.
5.4.5 Validation of Methods When it becomes necessary for the laboratory to develop or
modify a calibration procedure, a validation process will be used. See the EMG Measurement
Method/Measurement Uncertainty Validation Process Requirements
[http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/emg-quality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/emg_measurement_method__mu_validation_requirements%20-
%20epsg1059922.pdf ] and the EMG Guideline for introducing option 1A7 & A6J
[http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/emg-quality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/emg_guideline_on_the_introduction_of_options_1a7_a6j_1038
158%20-%20epsg1038158.pdf] Calibration System Manual
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5.4.6 Estimation of Uncertainty of Measurement The preferred methodology used for
deriving the collective uncertainty of measurements is in accordance with the ISO "Guide to the
Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement" or derivative documents (such as EA–4 /02). Other
methods have been used for earlier analysis and are deemed to be acceptable.
5.4.7 Control of Data
5.4.7.1 When written calculations are performed as a part of the calibration, or data is hand
scribed, the technician performing the calibration will review the data for correctness before
completing the calibration procedure. A second party may also make a review as part of a
sample inspection process if implemented by the entity.
Data reports printed by a computer will be reviewed for correctness by the technician making
the measurement at the completion of the calibration procedure.
5.4.7.2 Software used for the calibration of instruments is controlled using the procedures in
the entity's locally defined Business Management System documentation.
Automated calibration programs do not necessarily duplicate the data points in the manual
procedures, but are metrologically correct and verify the instrument. Master and working
software copies are controlled.
Basic principles are:
 Software is documented and a validation procedure is used to ensure its adequacy.
 Access to the program code or data is controlled by the laboratory supervisor. The
systems used in the support of calibration are password protected and have a hierarchical
level of access.
5.5 Equipment
General All measuring and test equipment having an effect on the accuracy or validity of
calibrations are calibrated. The M&TE are identified by unique equipment numbers in Emerald,
CATS or another suitable tracking system.
The Emerald and CATS and other systems also generate management reports such as, Overdue,
Due This Month and Due Next Month listing of standards and M&TE. These reports may be run
on any interval desired.Calibration System Manual
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Calibration due reports should be run periodically to ensure all instruments due for calibration
are calibrated by the due date. These reports can be run by the calibration lab or the equipment
owner. All past due measurement and test equipment or standards are removed from use or
flagged with appropriate labels, tie-on tags or other suitable means, to guard against inadvertent
use. Additionally, the calibration label „due dates‟ of the M&TE being used for calibration will
be checked before use.
5.5.1 The calibration facilities have the necessary equipment to perform the calibration
procedures used within its facility.
Should it be necessary to borrow equipment, the calibration facilities ensure that equipment on
loan from other manufacturing divisions or other suppliers (e.g. rented, customer supplied, etc.),
is calibrated (if required) , traceable to national or international standards and free from viruses
(see the EMG Anti-Virus Requirments Document).
Arrangements must be made to ensure calibration integrity of such items while on loan. Since
out-o f-tolerance conditions require further investigation, loaned equipment must be uniquely
identified in Emerald, CATS or a nother suitable tracking system.
5.5.2 The calibration facility is supported by a system of standards at an accuracy level,
resolution, stability, and calibration range that satisfies the requirements imposed by measuring
and test equipment specifications as well as product requirements. Instruments are calibrated to
a level needed to meet the calibration requirements of the customer (e.g. instruments used to
perform a “Standards-Based Calibration”, see the Agilent Calibration Services website, such as
ISO 17025 or ANSI/NCSL Z540, will themselves have received a “Standards-Based
Calibration” of equal or higher level). If an instrument does not meet that performance
specification, it will be repaired or receive a limited use label. As appropriate, all instruments
are calibrated prior to being placed into service. Not all devices require calibration. The results
of the calibrations are recorded in Emerald, CATS or another suitable tracking system.
5.5.3 Personnel authorized to operate specific equipment are identified as in section 5.2 of this
document. The documents necessary to operate or maintain specific equipment can be found in
the entities‟ Business Management System documentation.
5.5.4 Each item of calibration equipment is assigned a unique trace (traceability) number.
5.5.5 Individual records are maintained in the entity for each item of M&TE or standard. These
records are in paper form (hardcopy), through electronic media or a combination of both. The
entity‟s service manuals, which contain manufacturer‟s instructions regarding test equipment,
can be found in the entity‟s local library.Calibration System Manual
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The records for M&TE or standards contain the following information:
 Instrument identification (including manufacturer's name, model number, serial number,
trace number and a description of the item),
 Physical location,
 Current calibration interval,
 Documentation for interval adjustment using the Calibration Interval Guidelines
document (or similar document) if different from manufacturer's recommended interval,
 Date of last calibration,
 Calibration source(s), (where the unit was calibrated)
 Calibration procedure used,
 Results of previous calibrations,
 Corrective action taken, as documented on the Out of Tolerance (OOT) Procedure
document (or similar document),
 Indications of erratic behavior or operational failures,
 Calibration certificate or report number
5.5.6 Procedures for handling, transport and storage are described in section 5.8 of this
document.
5.5.7 M&TE that is known or suspected to be broken, out of tolerance, unstable or have
intermittent problems is removed from use or flagged with an appropriate label, tie on tag or
other suitable means, to guard against inadvertent use until appropriate corrective action can be
taken.
5.5.8 Proper control of the use and distribution of standards and M&TE requires consistent and
reliable identification of each unit. The calibration facility uses an assortment of labels to
achieve the required control. Each standard or M&TE item will be labeled or coded to indicate
its calibration or preventative maintenance status. In so far as possible, labels or coding shall be
affixed to the front of the unit without obscuring other information.Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
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If the standard or M&TE is of a size which precludes application of a calibration label, the label
is applied to its container or an attached tag.
Internal M&TE calibration labels will have as a minimum the following requirements:
 Each label will be distinctly identified with the Agilent Technologies logo, name or both,
 Each label will indicate the date calibrated,
 Each label will indicate the date DUE for re-calibration.
If extent of calibration or performance of the item is limited, or have other special conditions, it
will be stated on the label.
Equipment that DOES NOT need calibration, such as the equipment used in Marketing, R&D,
and Manufacturing Engineering, may not be subject to periodic calibration. Devices that do not
require calibration must be labeled with a valid “Not Subject to Periodic Calibration” (NSPC) or
“Not Calibrated” (NC) label.
5.5.8.1 Changing the status of measure ment equipme nt.
5.5.8.1.1 Owners are responsible to monitor the status of each piece of equipment for
possible change of calibration status.
5.5.8.1.2 If an owner wants to change the status of a piece of equipment to NSPC, the owner
needs to contact the Electronic/Mechanical Maintenance Departme nt, or
responsible party, who will take appropriate steps to inactivate the equipment in the
calibration recall tracking system and provide the owner with an NSPC label to be
affixed to the device.
5.5.8.1.3 If an owner wants to change the status of a piece of equipment from “Not
Calibrated” to “Calibrated,” the owner must contact the Electronic/Mechanical
Maintenance Department, or responsible party, who will take appropriate steps to
activate the equipment in the calibration recall tracking system and provide the
owner with the information they need to have the item properly calibrated.
5.5.8.1.4 If EMG-Owned M&TE is to be retired or transferred to another entity, (i.e. one that
tracks its equipment and usage records using a different system) the sending entity
must first determine that it has had no detrimental effect on any calibrations in
which it was previously used. This check is made by either:Calibration System Manual
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a. Running a report showing that the unit had not been used since its last
calibration.
b. If the unit had been used, it must be calibrated prior to release to determine
if it is within specification. Equipment that does not meet specification is
processed using the procedures detailed in section 4.9 of this document.
Regardless of the outcome of the investigation above, the results of the report
and any subsequent calibration must be kept as a record and retained with the
equipment‟s file.
5.5.9 Equipment loaned to another facility will be given a functional and physical check prior to
being returned to service. Should the verification check indicate a potential problem, a full
calibration will be performed.
Equipment loaned to organizations outside of the calibration facility will be re-calibrated upon
return.
5.5.10 Procedures for intermediate checks (cross-checks) between calibration intervals are
described in section 5.9 of this document.
5.5.11 Calibration facilities that require correction factors to improve measurement accuracy
may do so by entering their standard‟s calibration data into computer data files. In such cases,
procedures for updating these data files must ensure the accuracy of correction factor data. In
cases where data is entered manually, some means of validating the data entry must be used, and
a record of the validation kept.
5.5.12 All calibrated measuring and test equipment shall be sealed with tamper-resistant seals to
preclude any tampering with calibration controls or adjustments.
Seals shall be applied in quantity and location as necessary to prevent tampering with any
calibration controls or adjustments that are not specified as part of an operator‟s normal
operating procedure for the unit. As a general procedure, seals shall be applied to seal the largest
unit assembly (i.e. unit‟s outer covers are sealed). If such sealing is not applicable, then the next
larger subassembly shall be sealed or, if necessary, individual controls or adjustments may be
sealed to achieve the objective.
Units with broken tamper-resistant seals, when discovered on calibration facility standards or
measuring and test equipment shall immediately be corrected in accordance with the local
calibration facility‟s processes and procedures.Calibration System Manual
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For specific reasons, seals may be broken to gain access to a unit when it can be stated that such
entry in no way affects the calibration status of the item, (i.e. removing covers to gain access to
the GPIB or IEEE488 Interface Bus (HPIB) address switches). The item shall then be re-sealed.
In cases where the unit is a main frame and it is necessary to calibrate plug- ins without the
covers in place, all accessible calibration controls or adjustments shall be sealed.
Control of calibration software is described in section 5.4.7.2 of this document.
5.6 Measurement Traceability
5.6.1 General All equipment subject to periodic calibration, including environme ntal
monitoring equipment, will be calibrated prior to being placed into service.
NOTE: Environmental monitoring equipment does not provide traceable parameters for
calibrations and so this equipment does not need to be listed on the calibration certifica te.
The environmental conditions provided by this equipment are typically accounted for in the
uncertainty analysis.
Review of Recently Calibrated M&TE Any standard whose measured or predicted
characteristics are used (rather than simply its specifications) to enhance the accuracy of
calibrations performed using it, must be periodically assessed for stability.
Stability is assessed by statistically comparing the difference between data points of the latest
and previous calibrated values using locally defined procedures.
Note: A simplistic approach which may be used; if the difference is more than the Root Sum
Square (RSS) of the uncertainties reported by the calibrating lab(s), the device is considered
to be unstable and inadequate for this type of critical application and must be repaired or
replaced.
Trending of Standards Certain “measurement critical” applications may require the use of
trended standards as a means of obtaining better than spec performance, without resorting to
impractically frequent calibration intervals. In cases where trending is used, the uncertainty
associated with trending must be accounted for in the total uncertainty budget of any
calibration procedure which makes use of the trended values.Calibration System Manual
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5.6.2 Specific Require ments
5.6.2.1 Calibration
5.6.2.1.1 Traceability Calibrations performed by the calibration facilities are
traceable to the International System of Units (SI) as described in the ISO/IEC
17025:2005(E). External calibration sources shall comply with the
requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E), ANSI/NCSL Z540.1-1994 (R2002)
and/or ANSI/NCSL Z540.3-2006. Calibration sources shall demonstrate
traceability and compliance to appropriate metrological specifications via
accreditation, or surveys and audits, as appropriate. A calibration certificate
bearing the logo of a lab that is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E) for the
parameters tested will be accepted as sufficient to meet this requirement.
Test reports and certificates for equipment calibrated by external laboratories
are reviewed for content and accuracy before being placed into service.
5.6.2.1.2 For calibrations that cannot be strictly made to SI units, traceability
to appropriate measurement standards shall be used.
5.6.2.2 Testing
Testing is applicable only to testing laboratories, and does not apply to the calibration
facility activities.
5.6.3 Reference Standards and Reference Materials
5.6.3.1 Reference Standards All calibration facilities use reference standards.
Reference standards shall only be used for calibration (e.g., not for diagnostics). If
adjusted, reference standards will be calibrated before and afterwards. However
reference standards are not normally adjusted.
5.6.3.2 Reference Materials The calibration facilities do not typically use reference
materials. If reference materials are used, e.g., salt solutions for humidity calibrations,
they shall be traceable to certified reference materials, or otherwise traceable to SI
units of measure where possible.Calibration System Manual
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5.6.3.3 Inte rmediate Checks Crosschecks are made to ensure confidence in a
calibration facility‟s reference, primary, transfer or working standard‟s reliability
between calibration intervals. Crosschecks are not required for all instruments or
standards. The Cross-check Guidelines document describes the crosscheck process in
more detail. Other locally documented crosscheck processes may be used if needed.
5.6.3.4 Transport and Storage Procedures for handling, transport, and storage are
described in section 5.8 of this document.
5.7 Sampling
Typically, sampling is applicable to testing laboratories, not calibration laboratories. However, some
areas may use a reduced test procedure (fewer data points) as appropriate. If sampling is required, it
shall be documented locally.
5.8 Handling of Test and Calibration Items
5.8.1 Agilent instruments, reference standards, and customer equipment shall be ha ndled, stored
and transported in a manner which shall not adversely affect the calibration or physical
condition of the equipment or its measurement integrity. The shipping and receiving department
uses Agilent Technologies‟ corporate documented shipping and handling procedures in
conjunction with its own local procedures. A more detailed description of the processes used
can be found in the entity's locally defined Business Management System documentation.
If instruments contain hazardous materials, they shall be handled in accordance with local
environmental health and safety requirements and are shipped using the guidelines in the
Agilent Technologies "Dangerous Goods Transportation Program".
5.8.2 Documented instructions to control and identify all calibration items are included in the
entity's locally defined Business Management System documentation
5.8.3 All products received for calibration are verified or matched to appropriate paperwork as
to model number, serial number, etc. In the event of any discrepancy, the appropriate people are
notified and the discrepancy resolved, using local calibration facility processes and procedures,
where applicable.Calibration System Manual
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5.8.4 For information concerning facilities and security refer to sections 5.3 of this document.
SSU facilities must comply with the guidelines set forth in the WCSS Guide for Safe Handling
and Storage of Test Equipment.
5.9 Assuring the Quality of Test and Calibration Results
Agilent Technologies, Inc, where appropriate, utilizes the following quality control programs for
monitoring the validity of test and calibrations. Where the analysis of data resulting from these
programs is found to be outside acceptable limits, appropriate EMG Corrective and Preventive
Action Requirements are completed.
5.9.1 Inte r-laboratory Comparisons and Proficiency Testing
Standards laboratories participate in a program of inter-laboratory comparisons and proficiency
testing as necessary to maintain confidence in their measurements. Where the laboratories are
accredited, participation in proficiency testing and inter- laboratory comparisons is a function of
the regional accreditation activity.
Most calibration facilities use the services of Agilent pr imary standards laboratories within
Agilent Technologies‟ manufacturing divisions or major customer support centers for the
calibration of their most accurate working standards. Primary laboratories participate, as
necessary, in inter- laboratory comparisons and proficiency testing programs and are directly
traceable to recognized national standards laboratories.
5.9.2 Cross-checks
Calibration facilities will develop a crosscheck process to ensure the reliability of the standards
and instruments used for calibration. The Cross-check Guidelines document describes the
crosscheck process in more detail. Other locally documented crosscheck processes may be used
if needed.
5.9.3 Maintenance of Calibration Intervals
Measurement equipment is required to be calibrated at established intervals with the intent that
the desired accuracy and quality level is maintained. Details regarding the establishment and Calibration System Manual
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adjustment of calibration intervals are contained in the Calibration Interval Guidelines
document.
5.9.4 Computation of the Reliability Target
The calibration laboratory‟s overall M&TE reliability for a given period is computed by
dividing the number of units that passed calibration by the sum of the number of units that
passed and the number that failed. For example, if a lab had 50 units calibrated in a given
quarter, 45 passed and 5 failed, then the lab‟s reliability percentage for the quarter would be
90%. The computed percentage shall be equal to or greater than the reliability target, which is
85 percent. (If less than 85 percent, corrective action, such as modification of the calibration
interval review and adjustment algorithm, shall be taken as necessary.)
5.10 Reporting the Results
5.10.1 General Depending upon the contract with the customer, a calibration documentation
package may contain a certificate of calibration, test data, a copy of a work order and/or any
other attachments as necessary. The results of tests or calibrations may be reported to the client
in a simplified manner. This package will contain sufficient information to comply with the
customer's requirements.
Regardless of a customer‟s requirement for a calibration certificate or data report, all
information concerning the calibration will be recorded and maintained except under special
circumstances initiated by the customer and explicitly stated as a custom calibration deliverable
in a written agreement. This includes all “As Received” and “As Shipped / As Completed”
data.
5.10.2 Test Reports and Calibration Certificates
Each test report or calibration certificate includes specific information based on the type of
calibration service rendered and the customer‟s specific requirements, if any. For more
information, refer to the Agilent Technologies Calibration Certificate Process web site.
5.10.2 For a description of how Agilent Technologies calibration facilities meet the
require ments of sections 5.10.2 a) thru k) of the 17025 standard, refer to the Calibration System Manual
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accessing this document fro m a public site.
Calibration Certificate Content and Explanations (Business rules) document listed o n the
Agilent Technologies Calibration Certificate Process web site.
5.10.3 Test Reports This is applicable to testing laboratories, not calibration laboratories.
5.10.4 Calibration Certificates and Measurement Uncertainty
For a description of how Agilent Technologies calibration facilities meet the
require ments of sections 5.10.4.1 thru 5.10.4.4 of the 17025 standard, refer to the
Calibration Certificate Content and Explanations (Business rules) document listed on the
Agilent Technologies Calibration Certificate Process web site.
a) Z540.1 compliant products and services:
Confidence in the integrity of measured values (and specification status) is achieved
by taking the collective uncertainty into account through the use of a “Test
Uncertainty Ratio” (TUR).
This ensures the standards and techniques are adequate for measurements be ing
made. Agilent defines TUR as the ratio obtained by dividing the specification of the
calibrated item by the uncertainty of the standards and methods used.
A TUR of 4:1 will be maintained where possible to ensure that, when claiming
compliance to a published specification, the measurement decision risk will be less
than 0.8%.
Where it is not possible to meet a 4:1 ratio (and for single-sided measurements), the
collective measurement uncertainty for each corresponding measurement is reported.
Either the Measurement Uncertainty (MU) or the Test Uncertainty Ratio (TUR) shall
be included with the test report.
b) Z540.3 and ISO 17025 compliant products and services:
Requirements for Z540.3 and ISO 17025 compliant products and services are
contained in Section 3 of the Agilent Instrument Calibration format for ISO 17025
/Z540.3 Measurement Report (Document# epsg1037921).Calibration System Manual
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5.10.5 Opinions and Interpretations This is applicable to testing laboratories, not calibration
laboratories.
5.10.6 Testing and Calibration Results Obtained from Subcontractors The Agilent
Technologies certificate of calibration will identify those services performed by a subcontractor.
The subcontractor‟s certificate and supporting documentation will be included with the
calibration documentation to the customer. For more detailed information see the Instructions
for 3rd Party Certificates of Calibration document (Doc# epsg1040023).
5.10.7 Electronic Transmission of Results Electronic transfers shall be made upon agreement
with the customer. Information will only be transmitted to the original customer. (Issues of
customer confidentiality are further addressed in Agilent‟s Standards of Business Conduct
manual.)
5.10.8 Format of Reports and Certificates The format for calibration certificates is contained
in Emerald, CATS or another suitable tracking system and complies with the requirements of
ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E). The format of certificates issued by accredited laboratories is
prescribed or otherwise agreed to by the accreditation agency. (See the Agilent Technologies
Calibration Certificate Process web site.).
5.10.9 Amendment to Test Reports and Calibration Certificates Material amendments are
issued as follows:
 Amendments to test reports or calibration certificates will be issued as a separate
document informing the customer of the amendment/supplement. This document will
include the statement “Supplement to Test Report (or Calibration Certificate)”
referencing the original that it replaces.
 Test Reports and Calibration Certificates are available for reprint/reissue. These
documents will be reprint/reissues of the originals that they replace. Calibration System Manual
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Appendix A – Process Documentation Showing Compliance to ISO/IEC
17025
*****************************************************************************************************************
These documents describe the EMG Calibration Quality System.
ISO 17025 SECTION SUPPORTING DOCUMENT FURTHER
INFORMATION
4 Management requirements
4.1 Organization
4.1.1 Local Documentation
4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4 CSM Organization
Local Training records.
4.1.5 a) Agilent Training Requirements:
Section 3.0 Re sponsibility
http://wcosedoc.cos.agilent.com/stell
ent/groups/quality/documents/end_u
sers/007820.doc
CSM General Organizational
Requirements.
Local Training and
Authorization records.
b) Agilent Standards of Business
Conduct
http://sbc.corporate.agilent.com/
Local Documentation, Training
Records and Authorization
Documents.
c) Agilent Standards of Business
Conduct 1.2.1 General Policy
http://sbc.corporate.agilent.com/
d) Agilent Standards of Business
Conduct 1.1.2 Outside
Employment and Other
Activities
http://sbc.corporate.agilent.com/
e), f), g) Local Organization, Training
and Authorization records.
h), i), j) Local Documentation should
name the Technical Manager,
Quality Manager, and backup.
4.2 Busine ss Management
System
4.2.1 Agilent Busine ss Management
System Manual: Our Approach
to Quality
http://www.agilent.com/quality/qualit
yman.pdf
CSM
Local Documentation
4.2.2 Agilent’s Quality Policy http://emg.communications.agilen
t.com/quality/policy.aspCalibration System Manual
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a) Agilent Busine ss Management
System Manual - Management
Responsibility
http://www.agilent.com/quality/qualit
yman.pdf
b) Local Documentation
c) Agilent Busine ss Management
System Manual - Agilent’s
Quality Framework
http://www.agilent.com/quality/qualit
yman.pdf
EMG BMS Manual http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/e
mg_bms_manual%20-
%20epsg1026386.pdf
Local Documentation
d), e) Local Documentation
4.2.3 CSM
Local Documentation
4.2.4 Local Documentation
4.3 Document control
4.3.1 General Agilent Document Control
Requirements
HTTP://w cosedoc.cos.agilent.com
/stellent/groups/quality/document
s/end_users/007799.doc
EMG Document Control
Requirements
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.
com/sites/emgwide/sd/no%20prog/nps/emg%20do
c%20control%20requirements%20[e
100]%204-21-09%20-
%20epsg1028732.pdf
Local Documentation
4.3.2 Document approval
and issue
4.3.2.1 Local Documentation
4.3.2.2 a), b), c), d) Local Documentation
4.3.2.3 CSM Document approval and
issue
Local Documentation
4.3.3 Document changes
4.3.3.1 Agilent Document Control
Requirements - 7.3 Document
Changes or Revisions
HTTP://w cosedoc.cos.agilent.com
/stellent/groups/quality/document
s/end_users/007799.doc
EMG Document Control
Requirements
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.
com/sites/emgwide/sd/no%20prog/nps/emg%20do
c%20control%20requirements%20[e
100]%204-21-09%20-
%20epsg1028732.pdf
4.3.3.2, 4.3.3.3, 4.3.3.4 Local Documentation
4.4 Review of requests,
tenders and contracts
4.4.1, 4.4.2, 4.4.3, 4.4.4, 4.4.5 Local DocumentationCalibration System Manual
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4.5 Subcontracting of tests
and calibrations
4.5.1 SoCo calibration supplier
approval process:
http://www.soco.agilent.com/org/callabs/supplier/excal.htm
Local Documentation
4.5.2, 4.5.3 Local Documentation
4.5.4 CSM Subcontracting of tests and
calibration
Local Processe s and Records.
4.6 Purcha sing service s and
supplies
4.6.1 CSM Purchasing Services and
Supplies
Local Documentation
4.6.2, 4.6.3, 4.6.4 Local Documentation
4.7 Service to the client Local Documentation
4.8 Complaints Local Documentation
4.9 Control of
nonconforming te sting
and/or calibration work
Agilent Control of nonconformity
requirements
http://wcosedoc.cos.agilent.com/stell
ent/groups/quality/documents/end_u
sers/007818.doc
EMG Control of Nonconforming product
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.
com/sites/emg-quality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/emg
_control_of_nonconforming_product
_e103_1028735%20-
%20epsg1028735.pdf
4.9.1 a), b), c), d) Local Documentation
OOT Procedure document
4.9.2 Local Documentation
4.10 Improvement Agilent Corrective and
Preventive Action Requirements
HTTP://w cosedoc.cos.agilent.com
/stellent/groups/quality/document
s/end_users/007804.doc
EMG Corrective and Preventive
Action Requirements
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/e
mg_corrective_and_preventive_a
ction_requirements_e101%20-
%20epsg1028733.pdf
4.11 Corrective action
4.11.1 General Local Documentation
4.11.2 Cause analysis Local Documentation
4.11.3 Selection and
implementation of corrective
actions
Agilent Corrective and
Preventive Action Requirements
HTTP://w cosedoc.cos.agilent.com
/stellent/groups/quality/document
s/end_users/007804.doc
EMG Corrective and Preventive
Action Requirements
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/e
mg_corrective_and_preventive_a
ction_requirements_e101%20-Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
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
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accessing this document fro m a public site.
%20epsg1028733.pdf
Local Documentation
4.11.4 Monitoring of
corrective actions
Local Documentation
4.11.5 Additional audits Local Documentation
4.12 Preventive action Local Documentation
4.12.2 Agilent Corrective and
Preventive Action Requirements
HTTP://w cosedoc.cos.agilent.com
/stellent/groups/quality/document
s/end_users/007804.doc
EMG Corrective and Preventive
Action Requirements
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/e
mg_corrective_and_preventive_a
ction_requirements_e101%20-
%20epsg1028733.pdf
Local Documentation
4.13 Control of records
4.13.1 General Agilent Quality Records
Requirements
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.
com/sites/emg-quality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/emg
_quality_records_requirements_e10
4%20-%20epsg1028767.pdf
4.13.1.1 Agilent Record Retention: http://legal.agilent.com/rim/index.sht
m
4.13.1.2, 4.13.1.3, 4.13.1.4 Local Documentation
4.13.2 Technical records
4.13.2.1, 4.13.2.2, 4.13.2.3 Local Documentation
4.14 Internal audits EMG -Under development
4.14.1 EMG BMS Internal Audit
Process
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.
com/sites/emg-quality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/emg
_bms_audit_program_manual_e102
%20-%20epsg1028734.pdf
4.14.2, 4.14.3, 4.14.4 Local Documentation
4.15 Management reviews
4.15.1, 4.15.2 EMG Management Review
Process
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/e
mg_mgmnt_review _process_e106
_epsg1028737%20-
%20epsg1028737.pdf
5 Technical requirements
5.1 General
5.1.1, 5.1.2 Local Documentation
5.2 Personnel Agilent Training Process and
Requirements
http://wcosedoc.cos.agilent.com/stell
ent/groups/quality/documents/end_u
sers/007820.doc
EMG Training Program
Requirements
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/eCalibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 41 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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This manual contains links to subordinate documents that are restricted to Agilent personnel only and may not work if
accessing this document fro m a public site.
mg_training_process_and_requir
ements_e105%20-
%20epsg1028736.pdf
5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3, 5.2.4, 5.2.5 Local Documentation, Training
Records and Authorization
Documents.
5.3 Accommodation and
environmental conditions
EMG ESD Control Program http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/esd%20control%20docs/esd
_control_manual%20-
%20epsg1039112.pdf
5.3.1, 5.3.2, 5.3.3, 5.3.4, 5.3.5 Local Documentation
5.4 Test and calibration
methods and method
validation
5.4.1 General Local Documentation
5.4.2 Selection of methods Local Documentation
5.4.3 Laboratory-developed
methods
Local Documentation
5.4.4 Non-standard methods Local Documentation
5.4.5 Validation of methods EMG Measurement
Method/Measurement
Uncertainty Validation Process
Requirements
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/e
mg_measurement_method__mu_
validation_requirements%20-
%20epsg1059922.pdf
EMG Guideline for introducing
option 1A7 & A6J
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/emgquality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/e
mg_guideline_on_the_introductio
n_of_options_1a7_a6j_1038158%
20-%20epsg1038158.pdf
5.4.5.1, 5.4.5.2, 5.4.5.3 Local Documentation
5.4.6 Estimation of
uncertainty of measurement
5.4.6.1, 5.4.6.2, 5.4.6.3 Local Documentation
WCSS Measurement
Uncertainty Analysis
Guidelines
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/wcssssu/sd/ssu%20bqms/quality_metr
ology/metrology/policy%20docum
ents/mu_analysis_guidelines-
110330%20-%20epsg1062693.pdf
5.4.7 Control of data
5.4.7.1, 5.4.7.2 a), b), c) Local Documentation
5.5 Equipment
5.5.1, 5.5.2, 5.5.3, 5.5.4, 5.5.5,
5.5.6, 5.5.7, 5.5.8, 5.5.9,
Local Documentation Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 42 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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This manual contains links to subordinate documents that are restricted to Agilent personnel only and may not work if
accessing this document fro m a public site.
5.5.10, 5.5.11, 5.5.12
5.6 Measurement traceability
5.6.1 General Local Documentation
5.6.2 Specific requirements
5.6.2.1 Calibration
5.6.2.1.1, 5.6.2.1.2 Local Documentation
5.6.2.2 Testing
5.6.2.2.1, 5.6.2.2.2 Local Documentation
5.6.3 Reference standards
and reference materials
5.6.3.1 Reference standards Local Documentation
5.6.3.3 Intermediate checks Local Documentation
5.6.3.4 Transport and
storage
Local Documentation
5.7 Sampling
5.7.1, 5.7.2, 5.7.3 Local Documentation
5.8 Handling of te st and
calibration items
5.8.1, 5.8.2, 5.8.3, 5.8.4 Local Documentation
5.9 Assuring the quality of
test and calibration results
Local Documentation
5.10 Reporting the results
5.10.1 General Local Documentation
5.10.2 Te st reports and
calibration certificates
Agilent Calibration Certificate
Program Guidelines
http://quality.communications.agil
ent.com/calcert/
Local Documentation
5.10.3 Te st reports
5.10.3.1, 5.10.3.2 Local Documentation
5.10.4 Calibration certificate s EMG Calibration Certificate
Program Guidelines
http://quality.communications.agil
ent.com/calcert/
5.10.4.1, 5.10.4.2, 5.10.4.3,
5.10.4.4
Local Documentation
WCSS Adjustment &
Guardband Policy
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agil
ent.com/sites/wcssssu/sd/ssu%20bqms/quality_metr
ology/metrology/policy%20docum
ents/adj%20guard%20policy%20-
%20epsg1063880.pdf
5.10.5 Opinions and
interpretations
Local Documentation
5.10.6 Te sting and
calibration results obtained
from subcontractors
Local Documentation
5.10.7 Electronic
transmission of re sults
Local Documentation
5.10.8 Format of reports and
certificates
EMG Calibration Certificate
Program Guidelines
http://quality.communications.agil
ent.com/calcert/Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 43 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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This manual contains links to subordinate documents that are restricted to Agilent personnel only and may not work if
accessing this document fro m a public site.
EMG Measurement Report
Guidelines
Local Documentation - Data
Reports
5.10.9 Amendments to te st
reports and calibration
certificates
Local Documentation Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 44 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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This manual contains links to subordinate documents that are restricted to Agilent personnel only and may not work if
accessing this document fro m a public site.
Appendix B - Supporting Material
Agilent Technologies Quality Policy
http://www.agilent.com/quality/qpolicy.pdf
Standards of Business Conduct
http://sbc.corporate.agilent.com/
EMG Business Management System Manual
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/emg-quality/sd/emgbms/emg%20required%20docs/emg_bms_manual%20-%20epsg1026386.pdf
EMG Calibration System Manual
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf
Agilent Technologies Calibration Services Website
http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/editorial.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=1883629-1-eng&nid=-
35734.0&id=1883629-1-eng
Agilent Job Family Matrices
https://meidas.hr.agilent.com/java/ehr.Home?Page=/manager/compensate_and_reward/wage_plan
ning/job_family_matrice_pd.xml&Geography=ususa&LanguageCode=en
Shipping hazardous material
http://wps.service.agilent.com/global_trade/dg/
General Retention Schedule for records
http://legal.agilent.com/rim/retention_schedule.shtm
Workmanship Specification for Electrostatic Discharge Control
http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/emg-quality/sd/emgbms/esd%20control%20docs/esd_control_manual%20-%20epsg1039112.pdf
EMG Home page
http://emg.communications.agilent.com/
EMG Quality Home Page
http://epsg.communications.agilent.com/quality/
Service Notes (note: log in and then click on the Service Notes tab at the top of the page)
https://litstation.marketing.agilent.com/litapp/Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 45 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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This manual contains links to subordinate documents that are restricted to Agilent personnel only and may not work if
accessing this document fro m a public site.
Agilent Technologies Corporate Quality
http://customer.quality.agilent.com/qual_mgt_systems/qms.shtml
Agilent Calibration Certificate Program Guidelines
http://quality.communications.agilent.com/calcert/
Worldwide Customers Service and Support (WCSS) Home Page
http://emg.communications.agilent.com/wcss/
WCSS Quality Home Page
http://ssuweb.business.agilent.com/ssuquality/
WCSS Software Quality Assurance
http://www-ist.scs.agilent.com/sw_qa/index.shtmlCalibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 46 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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This manual contains links to subordinate documents that are restricted to Agilent personnel only and may not work if
accessing this document fro m a public site.
Document Control Log
REV NO. CHANGE S UMMARY DOCUMENT
OWNER
APPROVER DATE
APPROVED
Original First Issue
Ed Tong, Jerry
Rorie
Jim Horner 14 Oct. 2002
A Updated Coversheet.
Ed Tong
Jerry Rorie
Jerry Rorie 3 May 2002
B
Updated Environ ment temperature value
to “(23 ± 5) deg C”.
Ed Tong
Jerry Rorie
Jerry Rorie 18 Jun. 2002
C
Updated Quality Po licy to meet
currently published information.
Ed Tong
Jerry Rorie
Jerry Rorie 16 July 2002
D Submitted for review through WebDoc.
Ed Tong
Jerry Rorie
Steve Hughes
Harold Julander
John Grubb
Ed Tong
Bill Ey ler
Joe Lang
Jerry Rorie
Ley-Choo Lim
Bob Brown
Jim Gurney
14 Feb 2003
E Various editorial changes
Ed Tong
John Grubb
Ed Tong
John Grubb
10 July 2003
F
Clarified equip ment status definitions in
section 5.5.8.
Ed Tong
John Grubb
Ed Tong
John Grubb
6 Aug 2003
G
Modified 5.10.4 regarding TUR and
TAR to separate Z540 vs. 17025.
Modified 5.10.1 regarding simp lified
reports.
Ed Tong
Steven Hughes
Ed Tong
Steven Hughes
26 March 2004
18
Modified Para. 5.3.4 to reflect the
discontinuance of the Agilent ESD
Standard. Changed document Owner &
Approver. Changed revision reference
to align with the method used by
Webdoc.
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
22 July 2004
19
Modified paragraph 4.7 to clarify client
confidentiality requirements.
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
23 Sept 2004
20
Removed all references to the now
defunct ISO 10012-1-1992 Standard.
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
3 December 2004
21
Added section 5.5.8.1.4 that stipulates
what must be done when removing a
calibrated item fro m service and
removed the term “TA R” fro m the
second paragraph of section 5.10.4.
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
1 Ju ly 2005
22
Changed the reference in the document
header fro m EPSG to EMG
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
Kerry Gwin
Steven Hughes
23 Sept 2005Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 47 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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This manual contains links to subordinate documents that are restricted to Agilent personnel only and may not work if
accessing this document fro m a public site.
23 Updated Manual to comply with the
requirements of ISO 17025:2005
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark 9 March 2006
24
Rewo rded paragraph 5.10.2 to clarify
calibration offerings statement
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark 31 March 2006
25
Reworded paragraph 5.2.5 to clarify
content of training records
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark 21 April 2006
26
Removed references to CSG throughout
the document. Changed “Support
Solutions Unit” to “Serv ice Solutions
Unit” throughout the document and
corrected all URL references to the
GRS.
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark 7 August 2006
27
Added ISO 10012:2003(E) to the list of
standards to which EMG co mp lies
section 1.0
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark 1 November 2006
28 Corrected the Rev ision No. Kerry Gwin Diana Clark 27 June 2007
29
Clarified language usage in sections
4.5.1, 5.10.1 and 5.10.4. Added
definition of Measurement Decision
Risk to section 3. Added “where
applicable” to references to local
documentation in sections 5.4.1 and
5.8.3
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark April 2008
30
Ed ited paragraph 4.5.2 to clarify that
when a customer must be notified prior
to transshipment of a unit to be
calibrated.
Ed ited paragraph 5.5.2 to clarify internal
ETE calibration level requirements.
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark Feb 2009
31
Re-publication of the changes in Rev 30,
specifically paragraph 4.5.2 wh ich was
inadvertently left out of Rev 30.
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark March 2009
32
Updated links to the EMG Calibration
Certificate Process Web Page in Section
5.10 and Appendix A
Kerry Gwin Diana Clark March 2009
33
Removed references to CSG, uncertainty
F# and reviewed and updated all
sections.
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker 31 July 2009
34
Amended paragraph 2 of section 5.10.1
regarding custom calibration
deliverables. Corrected hyperlin k to
Siebel in section 2.0
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker September 2010
35
Changed the name of this table to Most
Recent Change and corrected error in
date column of the document control
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker November 2010Calibration System Manual
EMG Quality  Doc # epsg1024153
Revision No: 42 Page 48 of 48
Document URL: http://sharedoc.collaboration.agilent.com/sites/EMGWide/SD/ISO/ISO%2017025/EMG_CSM_epsg1024153.pdf


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This manual contains links to subordinate documents that are restricted to Agilent personnel only and may not work if
accessing this document fro m a public site.
log.
36
Skipped as part of the ShareDoc
Revision synchronization.
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker January 2011
37
Updated link to Siebel in Section 2.
Replaced the term “Quality System”
with “Business Management System”
throughout the document. Renamed
section 4.7. Clarified the reference in
section 4.9.1.d to refer to 4.9.1.a.
Corrected reference in section 4.9.1.2 to
point to the EMG CA & PA Process.
Updated the link to the Agilent
Calibration Serv ices web page in section
5.5.2 and Appendix B. Added text to
Section 5.6.1 to clarify instruments to
appear as traceable standards.
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker January 2011
38
Updated to tie Rev Nu mber with
ShareDoc Rev after file name change –
no content change. (Andrew Soulsby)
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker January 2011
39
Updated URL in header section. No
content changes.
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker February 2011
40
Updated Revision number in header
section to match the Rev ision History.
No content changes.
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker May 2011
41
Updated web lin ks throughout the
document in order to acco mmodate the
migration fro m WebDoc to ShareDoc
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker June 2011
42
Updated rev number of docu ment to
match actual revision number
Kerry Gwin Ted Tucker June 2011

CALIBRATION PRINCIPLES

2012-07-06T06:31:00.002-07:00

1
1
CALIBRATION PRINCIPLES
After completing this chapter, you should be able to:
Define key terms relating to calibration and interpret the
meaning of each.
Understand traceability requirements and how they are
maintained.
Describe characteristics of a good control system technician.
Describe differences between bench calibration and field
calibration. List the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Describe the differences between loop calibration and
individual instrument calibration. List the advantages and
disadvantages of each.
List the advantages and disadvantages of classifying
instruments according to process importance—for example,
critical, non-critical, reference only, OSHA, EPA, etc.
1.1 WHAT IS CALIBRATION?
There are as many definitions of calibration as there are methods.
According to ISA’s The Automation, Systems, and Instrumentation Dictionary,
the word calibration is defined as “a test during which known values of
measurand are applied to the transducer and corresponding output
readings are recorded under specified conditions.” The definition includes
the capability to adjust the instrument to zero and to set the desired span.
An interpretation of the definition would say that a calibration is a
comparison of measuring equipment against a standard instrument of
higher accuracy to detect, correlate, adjust, rectify and document the
accuracy of the instrument being compared.
Typically, calibration of an instrument is checked at several points
throughout the calibration range of the instrument. The calibration range is
defined as “the region between the limits within which a quantity is
measured, received or transmitted, expressed by stating the lower and
Cable05.book Page 1 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AM2 Calibration Principles
upper range values.” The limits are defined by the zero and span values.
The zero value is the lower end of the range. Span is defined as the
algebraic difference between the upper and lower range values. The
calibration range may differ from the instrument range, which refers to the
capability of the instrument. For example, an electronic pressure
transmitter may have a nameplate instrument range of 0–750 pounds per
square inch, gauge (psig) and output of 4-to-20 milliamps (mA). However,
the engineer has determined the instrument will be calibrated for 0-to-300
psig = 4-to-20 mA. Therefore, the calibration range would be specified as
0-to-300 psig = 4-to-20 mA. In this example, the zero input value is 0 psig
and zero output value is 4 mA. The input span is 300 psig and the output
span is 16 mA.
Different terms may be used at your facility. Just be careful not to
confuse the range the instrument is capable of with the range for which
the instrument has been calibrated.
1.2 WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A
CALIBRATION?
Calibration Tolerance: Every calibration should be performed to a specified
tolerance. The terms tolerance and accuracy are often used incorrectly. In
ISA’s The Automation, Systems, and Instrumentation Dictionary, the
definitions for each are as follows:
Accuracy: The ratio of the error to the full scale output or the ratio of the
error to the output, expressed in percent span or percent reading,
respectively.
Tolerance: Permissible deviation from a specified value; may be expressed
in measurement units, percent of span, or percent of reading.
As you can see from the definitions, there are subtle differences
between the terms. It is recommended that the tolerance, specified in
measurement units, is used for the calibration requirements performed at
your facility. By specifying an actual value, mistakes caused by calculating
percentages of span or reading are eliminated. Also, tolerances should be
specified in the units measured for the calibration.
Cable05.book Page 2 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AMCalibration 3
For example, you are assigned to perform the calibration of the
previously mentioned 0-to-300 psig pressure transmitter with a specified
calibration tolerance of ±2 psig. The output tolerance would be:
The calculated tolerance is rounded down to 0.10 mA, because
rounding to 0.11 mA would exceed the calculated tolerance. It is
recommended that both ±2 psig and ±0.10 mA tolerances appear on the
calibration data sheet if the remote indications and output milliamp signal
are recorded.
Note the manufacturer’s specified accuracy for this instrument may
be 0.25% full scale (FS). Calibration tolerances should not be assigned
based on the manufacturer’s specification only. Calibration tolerances
should be determined from a combination of factors. These factors
include:
• Requirements of the process
• Capability of available test equipment
• Consistency with similar instruments at your facility
• Manufacturer’s specified tolerance
Example: The process requires ±5°C; available test equipment is capable
of ±0.25°C; and manufacturer’s stated accuracy is ±0.25°C. The specified
calibration tolerance must be between the process requirement and
manufacturer’s specified tolerance. Additionally the test equipment must
be capable of the tolerance needed. A calibration tolerance of ±1°C might
be assigned for consistency with similar instruments and to meet the
recommended accuracy ratio of 4:1.
Accuracy Ratio: This term was used in the past to describe the relationship
between the accuracy of the test standard and the accuracy of the
instrument under test. The term is still used by those that do not
understand uncertainty calculations (uncertainty is described below). A
good rule of thumb is to ensure an accuracy ratio of 4:1 when performing
calibrations. This means the instrument or standard used should be four
times more accurate than the instrument being checked. Therefore, the test
2 psig
300 psig ÷
× 16 mA
0.1067 mA
----------------------------
Cable05.book Page 3 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AM4 Calibration Principles
equipment (such as a field standard) used to calibrate the process
instrument should be four times more accurate than the process
instrument, the laboratory standard used to calibrate the field standard
should be four times more accurate than the field standard, and so on.
With today's technology, an accuracy ratio of 4:1 is becoming more
difficult to achieve. Why is a 4:1 ratio recommended? Ensuring a 4:1 ratio
will minimize the effect of the accuracy of the standard on the overall
calibration accuracy. If a higher level standard is found to be out of
tolerance by a factor of two, for example, the calibrations performed using
that standard are less likely to be compromised.
Suppose we use our previous example of the test equipment with a
tolerance of ±0.25°C and it is found to be 0.5°C out of tolerance during a
scheduled calibration. Since we took into consideration an accuracy ratio
of 4:1 and assigned a calibration tolerance of ±1°C to the process
instrument, it is less likely that our calibration performed using that
standard is compromised.
The out-of-tolerance standard still needs to be investigated by reverse
traceability of all calibrations performed using the test standard.
However, our assurance is high that the process instrument is within
tolerance. If we had arbitrarily assigned a calibration tolerance of ±0.25°C
to the process instrument, or used test equipment with a calibration
tolerance of ±1°C, we would not have the assurance that our process
instrument is within calibration tolerance. This leads us to traceability.
Traceability: All calibrations should be performed traceable to a nationally
or internationally recognized standard. For example, in the United States,
the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), formerly
National Bureau of Standards (NBS), maintains the nationally recognized
standards. Traceability is defined by ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 (which
replaced MIL-STD-45662A) as “the property of a result of a measurement
whereby it can be related to appropriate standards, generally national or
international standards, through an unbroken chain of comparisons.”
Note this does not mean a calibration shop needs to have its standards
calibrated with a primary standard. It means that the calibrations
performed are traceable to NIST through all the standards used to
calibrate the standards, no matter how many levels exist between the shop
and NIST.
Traceability is accomplished by ensuring the test standards we use
are routinely calibrated by “higher level” reference standards. Typically
the standards we use from the shop are sent out periodically to a
standards lab which has more accurate test equipment. The standards
Cable05.book Page 4 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AMCalibration 5
from the calibration lab are periodically checked for calibration by “higher
level” standards, and so on until eventually the standards are tested
against Primary Standards maintained by NIST or another internationally
recognized standard.
The calibration technician’s role in maintaining traceability is to
ensure the test standard is within its calibration interval and the unique
identifier is recorded on the applicable calibration data sheet when the
instrument calibration is performed. Additionally, when test standards
are calibrated, the calibration documentation must be reviewed for
accuracy and to ensure it was performed using NIST traceable equipment.
FIGURE 1-1.
Traceability Pyramid
Uncertainty: Parameter, associated with the result of a measurement that
characterizes the dispersion of the values that could reasonably be
attributed to the measurand. Uncertainty analysis is required for
calibration labs conforming to ISO 17025 requirements. Uncertainty
analysis is performed to evaluate and identify factors associated with the
calibration equipment and process instrument that affect the calibration
accuracy. Calibration technicians should be aware of basic uncertainty
analysis factors, such as environmental effects and how to combine
Process Instrument
Primary Standards
National
Measurement
Standard
(e.g., NIST)
Working Standards
(“normal” shop instruments)
Secondary Standards
Cable05.book Page 5 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AM6 Calibration Principles
multiple calibration equipment accuracies to arrive at a single calibration
equipment accuracy. Combining multiple calibration equipment or
process instrument accuracies is done by calculating the square root of the
sum of the squares, illustrated below:
Calibration equipment combined accuracy
Process instrument combined accuracy
1.3 WHY IS CALIBRATION REQUIRED?
It makes sense that calibration is required for a new instrument. We
want to make sure the instrument is providing accurate indication or
output signal when it is installed. But why can’t we just leave it alone as
long as the instrument is operating properly and continues to provide the
indication we expect?
Instrument error can occur due to a variety of factors: drift,
environment, electrical supply, addition of components to the output
loop, process changes, etc. Since a calibration is performed by comparing
or applying a known signal to the instrument under test, errors are
detected by performing a calibration. An error is the algebraic difference
between the indication and the actual value of the measured variable.
Typical errors that occur include:
FIGURE 1-2.
Span Error
( ) calibrator1 error
2
( ) calibrator2 error
2
( ) etc. error
2
+ +
( ) sensor error
2
( ) transmitter error
2
( ) indicator error
2
+ ( ) etc. error
2
+ +
100%
0
100%
ACTUAL VALUE
% INPUT
% OUTPUT
SPAN ERRORS
Cable05.book Page 6 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AMCalibration 7
FIGURE 1-3.
Zero Error
FIGURE 1-4.
Combined Zero and Span Error
100%
ACTUAL VALUE
0
100%
% INPUT
% OUTPUT
ZERO ERRORS
100%
0
100%
ACTUAL VALUE
% INPUT
% OUTPUT
COMBINED ZERO AND
SPAN ERRORS
Cable05.book Page 7 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AM8 Calibration Principles
FIGURE 1-5.
Linearization Error
Zero and span errors are corrected by performing a calibration. Most
instruments are provided with a means of adjusting the zero and span of
the instrument, along with instructions for performing this adjustment.
The zero adjustment is used to produce a parallel shift of the input-output
curve. The span adjustment is used to change the slope of the input-output
curve. Linearization error may be corrected if the instrument has a
linearization adjustment. If the magnitude of the nonlinear error is
unacceptable and it cannot be adjusted, the instrument must be replaced.
To detect and correct instrument error, periodic calibrations are
performed. Even if a periodic calibration reveals the instrument is perfect
and no adjustment is required, we would not have known that unless we
performed the calibration. And even if adjustments are not required for
several consecutive calibrations, we will still perform the calibration check
at the next scheduled due date. Periodic calibrations to specified
tolerances using approved procedures are an important element of any
quality system.
1.4 WHO PERFORMS CALIBRATIONS? – THE
CONTROL SYSTEM TECHNICIAN
A control system technician (CST) is a skilled craftsperson who
knows pneumatic, mechanical, and electrical instrumentation. He or she
understands process control loops and process control systems, including
100%
0
100%
ERRORS CAUSED
BY NONLINEARITY
DESIRED VALUE
% INPUT
% OUTPUT
Cable05.book Page 8 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AMCalibration 9
those that are computer-based. Typically, he or she has received training
in such specialized subjects as theory of control, analog and/or digital
electronics, microprocessors and/or computers, and the operation and
maintenance of particular lines of field instrumentation.
A CST performs calibration, documentation, loop checks,
troubleshooting, and repair or replacement of instrumentation. These
tasks relate to systems that measure and control level, temperature,
pressure, flow, force, power, position, motion, physical properties,
chemical composition and other process variables.
1.5 CHARACTERISTICS OF A CONTROL SYSTEM
TECHNICIAN
Honesty and Integrity: A CST must possess honesty and integrity above all
else. Most technicians work independently much of the time. Calibrations
must be performed in accordance with procedures and must be properly
documented. Additionally, the calibration department may be
understaffed and production schedules may demand unrealistic
completion requirements. These factors can have a real impact on proper
performance and documentation of calibrations. Remember: Nobody can
take away your integrity; only you can give it away.
Attention to Detail: Calibrations should be performed in accordance with
detailed instructions. Each different make/model instrument is adjusted
differently. Each instrument is installed in a different physical and loop
configuration. Because of these and many other differences, attention to
detail is very important. The minute a technician is not paying attention to
detail, safety and proper performance are jeopardized.
Excellent Documentation Practices: In many facilities, the impression of
quality is determined by the content and appearance of documentation.
Many technicians complain the paperwork is 90% of the work. In today’s
world of ISO9000, cGMPs, A2LA, and other quality standards,
documentation is essential. If it isn’t documented, it wasn’t done.
Calibration Data Sheets must be neat, complete, signed and, if required,
reviewed in a timely manner. When changes occur, all related
documentation, such as drawings, manuals, specifications and databases
must also be updated.
Cable05.book Page 9 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AM10 Calibration Principles
Understanding of Processes: One thing that sets technicians apart is an
understanding of the process, particularly how the instruments monitor
and control the process. There is a difference between calibrating an
individual component and calibrating an instrument as part of the bigger
process control loop. For example, knowing when a controller can be
placed in manual without affecting the process and what to do while that
controller is in manual, requires an understanding of the process.
Additionally, when an operator says there is a problem with his
indication, a technician who knows the instrument loop and process will
be more capable of identifying the cause of the problem.
Some basic concepts on how calibrations should be performed need
to be discussed before we go on. Some of these may be new concepts not
used in your facility, but you should be familiar with them. Some of these
practices are industry dependent. Although calibrations are generally
performed the same, some different practices have developed. These
practices are:
• Loop Calibration vs. Individual Instrument Calibration
• Bench Calibration vs. Field Calibration
• Classification of Instruments as Critical, Non-Critical, For
Reference Only, etc.
1.6 LOOP CALIBRATION VS. INDIVIDUAL
INSTRUMENT CALIBRATION
An individual instrument calibration is a calibration performed only on
one instrument. The input and output are disconnected. A known source
is applied to the input, and the output is measured at various data points
throughout the calibration range. The instrument is adjusted, if necessary,
and calibration is checked.
DISADVANTAGES OF INDIVIDUAL
CALIBRATION
ADVANTAGES OF INDIVIDUAL
CALIBRATION
1. Entire loop is not verified within
tolerance
2. Mistakes on re-connect
3. Less efficient use of time to do one
calibration for each loop instrument as
opposed to one calibration for the
loop
1. Correct instrument will be adjusted
2. More compatible with multifunction
calibrators
Cable05.book Page 10 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 9:36 AM

heart videos websites

2012-07-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.healthline.com/vpvideo/heart-bypass-surgery

http://www.healthline.com/hlvideo-5min/innovative-heart-bypass-surgery-for-people-at-risk-516957933

http://www.healthline.com/hlvideo-5min/learn-about-order-of-operations-285014757

A normal heart (left) and one affected..

2012-07-05T05:20:00.000-07:00

The interior of the heart is composed of valves, chambers, and associated vessels

----------------------------00000000000000000000000000-------------------------------------

The external structures of the heart include the ventricles, atria, arteries and veins. Arteries carry blood away from the heart while veins carry blood into the heart. The vessels colored blue indicate the transport of blood with relatively low content of oxygen and high content of carbon dioxide. The vessels colored red indicate the transport of blood with relatively high content of oxygen and low content of carbon dioxide.

-------------------------------------------------9999999999999999999999999-----------------------------------------------

An atrial septal defect is a congenital heart defect where the wall between the right and left atria does not close properly, leaving a hole between the two atria.

-------------------------------------------888888888888888888888888--------------------------------------------------------------

A normal heart (left) and one affected by atrial septal defect. The defect is a hole in the wall that separates the chambers of the heart, resulting in the mixing of oxygenated and unoxygenated blood. (Illustration by GGS Information Services.)

Models of Tracheotomy Instruments

2012-07-05T05:05:00.001-07:00

Tracheotomy Instruments

71-0864 - Trousseau's tracheal dilator 5¾" (14½cm)
71-0865 - Chevalier-Jackson's tracheal tubes with pilot one inner tube 16 to 34 french gauge, 10 sizes normal radius
71-0866 - Magill's catheter introducing forceps, adult 10" (25cm)
71-0867 - Child 8" (20cm)
71-0868 - Senn-Miller tracheal retractors, double ended
71-0869 - Senn-Green tracheal retractors, Fig. 1-2

Models of Towel Holding Forceps

2012-07-05T05:04:00.001-07:00

Towel Holding Forceps

16-0228 - Jone's towel forceps cross action 3½" (9cm)
16-0229 - Schadel's towel forceps cross action 3½" (9cm)
16-0230 - Towel forceps, english pattern cross action 3½" (9cm)
16-0231 - Doyen's towel forceps with ring 7" (18cm)
16-0232 - Roeder's towel forceps, box joint 5¼" (13½cm)
16-0233 - Mayo's towel forceps, box joint 5½" (14cm)
16-0234 - Backhaus towel forceps, box joint 3½" (9cm)
16-0235 - Backhaus towel forceps, box joint 4½" (11½cm)
16-0236 - Backhaus towel forceps, box joint 5¼" (13½cm)
16-0237 - Moynihan's towel forceps, screw joint 7½" (19cm)
16-0238 - Moynihan's towel forceps, box joint 7½" (19cm)

Models of Thumb Dressing & Tissue Forceps

2012-07-05T05:02:00.000-07:00

Thumb Dressing & Tissue Forceps

19-0274 - Thumb dressing forceps, broad point 4½" (11½cm)
19-0275 - 5" (13cm)
19-0276 - 5½" (14cm)
19-0277 - 6" (15cm)
19-0278 - 7" (18cm)
19-0279 - 8" (20cm)
19-0280 - 10" (25cm)
19-0281 - 12" (30cm)
19-0282 - Thumb dressing forceps, fluted handle 4½" (11½cm)
19-0283 - 5" (13cm)
19-0284 - 5½" (14cm)
19-0285 - 6" (15cm)
19-0286 - 7" (18cm)
19-0287 - 8" (20cm)
19-0288 - 10" (25cm)
19-0289 - 12" (30cm)
19-0290 - Thumb dressing forceps, fine point, curved 5" (13cm)
19-0291 - Thumb dressing forceps, turnover end 5" (13cm)
19-0292 - 6" (15cm)
19-0293 - 7" (18cm)
19-0294 - 8" (20cm)
19-0295 - 10" (25cm)
19-0296 - 12" (30cm)
19-0297 - Semkin's dressing forceps, delicate 5" (13cm)
19-0298 - Chiron's dressing forceps 5" (13cm)
19-0299 - Chiron's dressing forceps 5½" (14cm)
19-0300 - Tissue forceps, 1x2 teeth 4½" (11½cm)
19-0301 - 5" (13cm)
19-0302 - 5½" (14cm)
19-0303 - 6" (15cm)
19-0304 - 7" (18cm)
19-0305 - 8" (20cm)
19-0306 - Tissue forceps, 2x3 teeth 5" (13cm)
19-0307 - Tissue forceps, 2x3 teeth 5½" (14cm)
19-0308 - Tissue forceps, 2x3 teeth 6" (15cm)
19-0309 - Tissue forceps, 3x4 teeth 5" (13cm)
19-0310 - Tissue forceps, 3x4 teeth 5½" (14cm)
19-0311 - Tissue forceps, 3x4 teeth 6" (15cm)
19-0312 - Tissue forceps, 1x2 teeth, fluted handle 4½" (11½cm)
19-0313 - 5" (13cm)
19-0314 - 5½" (14cm)
19-0315 - 6" (15cm)
19-0316 - Treves tissue forceps, 1x2 teeth, delicate/heavy pattern 5" (13cm)
19-0317 - 5½" (14cm)
19-0318 - 6" (15cm)
19-0319 - 7" (18cm)
19-0320 - Gillies tissue forceps, 1x2 teeth 6" (15cm)
19-0321 - McIndoe dressing forceps 6" (15cm)

20-0322 - Dressing forceps with flat end, Swedish pattern 5" (13cm)
20-0323 - 6" (15cm)
20-0324 - 6½" (17cm)
20-0325 - 8" (20cm)
20-0326 - Adson dressing forceps, serrated 4¾" (12cm)
20-0327 - Adson dressing forceps, 1x2 teeth 4¾" (12cm)
20-0328 - Bonney tissue forceps 7" (18cm)
20-0329 - Adlerkreutz tissue forceps, narrow/broad 5" (13cm)
20-0330 - 6" (15cm)
20-0331 - 8" (20cm)
20-0332 - Lane tissue forceps, 1x2 teeth 5½" (14cm)
20-0333 - Lane tissue forceps, 1x2 teeth 7" (18cm)
20-0334 - Lane tissue forceps, 2x3 teeth 5½" (14cm)
20-0335 - Lane tissue forceps, 2x3 teeth 7" (18cm)
20-0336 - Lane tissue forceps, 3x4 teeth 5½" (14cm)
20-0337 - Lane tissue forceps, 3x4 teeth 7" (18cm)
20-0338 - Duval tissue forceps, Fig. 1 to 2, 5¾" (14½cm)
20-0339 - Tuttle tissue forceps 7" (18cm)
20-0340 - Tuttle tissue forceps 9" (23cm)
20-0341 - Tissue forceps, Russian Pattern 6" (15cm)
20-0342 - 8" (20cm)
20-0343 - 10" (25cm)

Models of Thoracic & Lung Surgery

2012-07-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Thoracic & Lung Surgery

	57-0745 - Bone shears 9" (23cm) 57-0746 - Rib shears 8¾" (22cm) 57-0747 - Collin rib shears 8" (20cm) 57-0748 - Gluck rib shears 7½" (19cm) 57-0749 - Gluck rib shears 8¾" (22cm) 57-0750 - Robert's rib shears 12¼" (31cm) 57-0751 - Bethune's rib shears 13½" (22cm) 57-0752 - Coryllo's rib shears left 13¾" (35cm) 57-0753 - Coryllo's rib shears right 13¾" (35cm)
	58-0754 - Willauer lobectomy scissors, slightly curved 10¾" (27cm) 58-0755 - Crafoord lobectomy scissors slightly curved 12" (30cm) 58-0756 - Nelson lobectomy scissors straight/curved 10" (25cm) 58-0757 - Nelson lobectomy scissors straight/curved 12" (30cm) 58-0758 - Finochietto lobectomy scissors angled on flat 10¼" (26cm) 58-0759 - Tuttle thoracic thumb forceps 9" (23cm) 58-0760 - Nelson thoracic thumb forceps 6x7 teeth 9" (23cm) 58-0761 - Mayo harrington thumb forceps 13¾" (35cm)
	59-0762 - Wangensteen needle holder, box joint 10½" (27cm) 59-0763 - Finochietto needle holder, box joint 10½" (27cm) 59-0764 - Johnson needle holder, box joint 10½" (27cm) 59-0765 - Duval lung forceps, screw joint 8" (20cm) 59-0766 - Duval lung forceps, box joint 8" (20cm) 59-0767 - Duval collin lung forceps, box joint Fig. 1-2, 8" (20cm) 59-0768 - Lahey artery forceps, box joint 9" (23cm)
	60-0769 - Davidson pulmonary vessel clamp, box joint 9" (23cm) 60-0770 - Finochietto artery and ligature forceps, box joint 9½" (24cm) 60-0771 - Roberts lung forceps, box joint, straight/curved 8¾" (22cm) 60-0772 - Roberts lung forceps, box joint, straight/curved 9½" (24cm) 60-0773 - Mixture thoracic forceps, box joint, Fig. 1, 8¾" (22cm) 60-0774 - Mixture thoracic forceps, box joint, Fig. 2, 10" (25cm) 60-0775 - Mixture thoracic forceps, box joint, Fig. 3, 11" (28cm) 60-0776 - Price-Thomas bronchus clamp, box joint 8¾" (22cm)
	61-0777 - Satinsky cardiovascular clamp, box joint, Fig. 1-2, 10¾" (27cm) 61-0778 - Brock cardiovascular clamp, box joint, Fig. 1-3, 9" (23cm) 61-0779 - Pott's clamp, box joint, Fig. 1-6, 6½" (16½cm) 61-0780 - Pott's clamp, box joint, Fig. 1-6, 8½" (21½cm)

Model of Suture Instruments

2012-07-05T04:58:00.001-07:00

Suture Instruments

	24-0421 - Childe's approximation forceps 7" (18cm) 24-0422 - Childe's approximation forceps, with clip holder 7" (18cm) 24-0423 - Championniere approximation forceps, straight 5½" (13½cm) 24-0424 - Championniere approximation forceps, curved 5½" (13½cm) 24-0425 - Wachenfeldt clip applying forceps 4¾" (12cm) 24-0426 - Michel's clip applying forceps 4¾" (12cm) 24-0427 - Michel's clip applying forceps 4¾" (12cm) 24-0428 - Farkas clip applying forceps 5" (12½cm) 24-0429 - Heath's clip removing forceps 5" (13cm)
	25-0430 - Michel clip applying and removing forceps, box joint 4¾" (12cm) 25-0431 - Michel clip applying and removing forceps, box joint 4¾" (12cm) 25-0432 - Lutz Michel clip removing hook 6" (15cm) 25-0433 - Littauer's ligature scissors 5½" (14cm) 25-0434 - Heath's ligature scissors 6" (15cm) 25-0435 - Reverdin needles, small pattern, Fig. 1 to 4 25-0436 - Reverdin needles, standard pattern, Fig. 1 to 4
	26-0437 - Reverdin needles, large pattern, Fig. 1 to 4 26-0438 - Cooper's ligature needles, Fig. 1 to 2, 7½" (19cm) 26-0439 - Kocher's ligature needles, Fig. 1 to 3, 7½" (19cm) 26-0440 - Deschamp's ligature needles, Fig. 1 to 4, right or left handle 8" (20cm)

Models of Sterilizer Instruments

2012-07-05T04:57:00.004-07:00

Sterilizer Instruments

88-1002 - Davis sterilizer forceps 6" (15cm)
88-1003 - Davis sterilizer forceps 10" (25cm)
88-1004 - Davis sterilizer forceps 7" cross action (18cm)
88-1005 - Davis sterilizer forceps 10" cross action (25cm)
88-1006 - Sterilizer forceps, 3 prongs 8" (20cm)
88-1007 - Sterilizer forceps, 3 prongs 12" (30cm)
88-1008 - Cheatle's sterilizer forceps, screw joint 10½" (27cm)
88-1009 - Box joint 10½" (27cm)
88-1010 - Heavy pattern 11" (28cm)
88-1011 - Harrison's bowl sterilizer forceps, screw joint 10" (25cm)
88-1012 - 12" (30cm)
88-1013 - 14" (35cm)
88-1014 - 18" (45cm)
88-1015 - Bunt's holder for sterilizer forceps & scissors 5½" (14cm)
88-1016 - 4¾" (12cm)

Models of Splinter Forceps

2012-07-05T04:56:00.009-07:00

Splinter Forceps

21-0344 - Splinter forceps, very fine points, straight/curved without guide pin 3½" (9cm)
21-0345 - 4½" (11½cm)
21-0346 - 5" (13cm)
21-0347 - Splinter forceps, very fine points, straight/curved with guide pin 3½" (9cm)
21-0348 - 4" (11½cm)
21-0349 - 5" (13cm)
21-0350 - Carmalt's splinter forceps, straight 4½" (11½cm)
21-0351 - Curved 4½" (11½cm)
21-0352 - Feilchenfeld forceps 3½" (9cm)
21-0353 - 4½" (11½cm)
21-0354 - 5" (13cm)
21-0355 - Walter's splinter forceps, straight 4¼" (11cm)
21-0356 - Curved 4¼" (11cm)
21-0357 - Hunter's splinter forceps, straight 4½" (11½cm)
21-0358 - Curved 4½" (11½cm)
21-0359 - Arthur's splinter forceps, box joint, straight 5" (13cm)
21-0360 - Curved 5" (13cm)
21-0361 - Straight 5½" (14cm)
21-0362 - Curved 5½" (14cm)
21-0363 - Stieglitz's splinter forceps, box joint, straight 5½" (14cm)
21-0364 - Curved 5½" (14cm)
21-0365 - Ralk's splinter forceps, box joint 5½" (14cm)

Models of Sinus & Dressing Forceps

2012-07-05T04:56:00.004-07:00

Sinus & Dressing Forceps

	22-0366 - Sinus forceps, screw joint 5" (13cm) 22-0367 - 6" (15cm) 22-0368 - 7" (18cm) 22-0369 - 8" (20cm) 22-0370 - Sinus forceps, box joint 5" (13cm) 22-0371 - 6" (15cm) 22-0372 - 7" (18cm) 22-0373 - 8" (20cm)
22-0374 - Bryant's dressing forceps, screw joint 5" (13cm) 22-0375 - Bryant's dressing forceps 5" (13cm) 22-0376 - French pattern dressing forceps, screw joint 5" (13cm) 22-0377 - Kronleins dressing forceps, box joint 5" (13cm) 22-0378 - Maiers dressing forceps, screw joint 8" (20cm)	22-0379 - Maiers dressing forceps, screw joint 10" (25cm) 22-0380 - Gross dressing forceps, screw joint 5" (13cm) 22-0381 - 5½" (14cm) 22-0382 - 6" (15cm) 22-0383 - 7" (18cm) 22-0384 - 8" (20cm)

FOR U

Service Manual Vela Ventilator Systems

Service Manual Vela Ventilator Systems

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POWER POINTS TIPS

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Instructions

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Calibration of Electronic Distance Measurement Instruments

Calibration of Electronic Distance Measurement Instruments

Western Australian Land Information Authority ABN 86 574 793 858Calibration of Electronic Distance Measurement Instruments

1. Introduction

2. Controlling Legislation

3. Regulation 13 Certificate

4. Verification of Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM)

4.1 Zero constant or index error.

4.2 Scale Error

4.3 Cyclic Error

5. Western Australian EDM Baselines

5.1 Curtin University Baseline

5.2 Kalgoorlie Baseline

5.2 Busselton Baseline

6. Minimum Standard for the Uncertainty of Calibration

7. Verification Method

8. Verification Procedures

8.1 Booking Sheets

8.2 Measurement Procedure on Baselines

8.3 Sequence of measurements for a complete verification.

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Manual - Calibration System

Calibration System Manual

CALIBRATION PRINCIPLES

heart videos websites

A normal heart (left) and one affected..

Models of Tracheotomy Instruments

Tracheotomy Instruments

Models of Towel Holding Forceps

Towel Holding Forceps

Models of Thumb Dressing & Tissue Forceps

Thumb Dressing & Tissue Forceps

Models of Thoracic & Lung Surgery

Thoracic & Lung Surgery

Model of Suture Instruments

Suture Instruments

Models of Sterilizer Instruments

Sterilizer Instruments

Models of Splinter Forceps

Splinter Forceps

Models of Sinus & Dressing Forceps

Sinus & Dressing Forceps

Service Manual

Vela
Ventilator Systems

Western Australian Land Information Authority ABN 86 574 793 858
Calibration of Electronic Distance Measurement Instruments