ATS VDO User manual

This manual contains important operating and safety information. Carefully read and
understand the contents of this manual prior to the operation of this equipment.
www.atspa.com
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
VDO
Vacuum Degassing Oven

2
REVISED JANUARY 2024
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does
not represent a commitment on the part of:
Applied Test Systems (ATS)
154 East Brook Lane
Butler, PA 16002
USA
Telephone: [phone]
For assistance with set-up or operation, contact the ATS Service
Department. Please have this manual and product serial number readily
available when you call.
© Copyright Applied Test Systems 2024

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Table Of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................. 5
A.1 – Unpacking ..................................................................................................................................... 5
A.2 – Warranty Information................................................................................................................... 5
A.3 – After Sale Support ....................................................................................................................... 5
Safety ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
B.1 – For Owners, Operators, and Maintenance .............................................................................. 6
B.2 – Cautions & Warnings................................................................................................................... 6
B.3 – Caution & Warning Locations .................................................................................................... 9
System Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 10
C.1 Equipment Parts............................................................................................................................ 10
Front of Unit....................................................................................................................................... 10
Back of Unit....................................................................................................................................... 11
Interior Chamber............................................................................................................................... 12
Interior Controls ................................................................................................................................ 13
C.2 Product Description ...................................................................................................................... 14
C.3 Environmental Conditions............................................................................................................ 15
Verification Kit ........................................................................................................................................... 16
Installation ................................................................................................................................................. 17
D.1 Assembling the VDO .................................................................................................................... 17
D.2 Connecting and Powering Up ..................................................................................................... 18
D.3 Vacuum Adjustment ..................................................................................................................... 18
Verification................................................................................................................................................. 20
E.1 Verify Temperature ....................................................................................................................... 20
E.2 Verify Vacuum ............................................................................................................................... 23
F. Operation............................................................................................................................................... 24
F.1 Operation of VDO.......................................................................................................................... 25
G. Troubleshooting................................................................................................................................... 27
G.1 Preface ........................................................................................................................................... 27
G.2 No Power ....................................................................................................................................... 27
G.3 System Will Not Hold Vacuum.................................................................................................... 27

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G.4 Controller Error.............................................................................................................................. 28
G.5 Pump Error..................................................................................................................................... 28
H. Maintenance......................................................................................................................................... 29
H.1 Cleaning and Preventative Maintenance .................................................................................. 29
H.2 Spare Parts .................................................................................................................................... 29
APPENDIX A: Warranty .......................................................................................................................... 30
Appendix B: Wiring Diagram .................................................................................................................. 31
Appendix C: Image Glossary.................................................................................................................. 34

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NO.
AMP VAC
PH HZ
DWG
iFigure A.3.1 - ATS Sample Data Tag
Introduction
A.1 – Unpacking
Retain all cartons and packing materials until the unit is in operation. If
damage has occurred during shipping, notify Applied Test Systems (ATS) and the
carrier immediately. If it is necessary to file a damage claim, retain ALL the
packing materials for inspection by the carrier.
A.2 – Warranty Information
All new ATS systems are shipped with a warranty. Units have a warranty
against defective parts and workmanship for one calendar year from the date of
shipment. Please see APPENDIX A of this manual for complete details on the
warranty.
A.3 – After Sale Support
If there are any questions concerning the operation of the unit or software,
contact the ATS Service Department at servic[email protected]om.
Before emailing, please obtain the software revision number and the serial
number from the unit’s data tag. A sample data tag is illustrated below, and can
be completed with the unit’s information for easy reference. Please be prepared
to give a complete description of the problem to the ATS Service Department.

6
Safety
B.1 – For Owners, Operators, and Maintenance
All ATS equipment is designed to be operated with the highest level of
safety. This manual uses note, caution, and warning symbols throughout, to draw
attention to important operational and safety information.
Read and understand all instructions and safety precautions listed in this
manual before installing or operating your unit. If you have any questions
regarding the operation of the unit or instructions in this manual, contact the ATS
Service Department at +1.724.283.1212.
Read and follow these important instructions. Failure to observe these
instructions can result in permanent damage to the unit, significant property
damage, personal injury or death.
B.2 – Cautions & Warnings
Burn Hazard / Hot Surface
Electrical Shock / Electrocution. Dangerous high voltages present. Do not
attempt to open the enclosure or gain access to areas where you are not
instructed to do so. Refer any possible servicing to qualified service
personnel only.
Hand Crush / Force From Above
Protective Earth (Ground) / Obey all national and local electric code
requirements.

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General Danger. Thoroughly understand the safety features and operation
of the equipment. This manual will provide operators with safety concerns
and general procedures. Be familiar with correct operating principals and
use good judgment. Also, refer to the appropriate manuals for system
component safety manuals.
No Access For Unauthorized Personal
Read Operator’s Manual. Read and understand all instructions and safety
precautions listed in this manual before installing or operating your unit. If
you have any questions regarding operation of the unit or instructions in
this manual, contact our Service Department.
Disconnect power prior to performing maintenance. Turn off the unit and
disconnect the line cord from the power source before performing any
maintenance procedures.
Hot / Burn surface, use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when
operating the VDO, and handling materials associated with the testing
procedure.
Pinch Hazard

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Do not open the panel
Unpack and operate on a stable surface.
Installation of electrical devices must be accomplished by competent
personnel and done in accordance with any current local and national
codes. Equipment grounding is a MUST.
Before energizing the electrical power to the Vacuum Degassing Oven,
turn off all power switches and place all controls in an OFF position. Check
that your power source is of the appropriate voltage and is surge-
protected. Use appropriate power adapters based upon your region.

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iiFigure B.3.1 - Overhead View of Labels
iiiFigure B.3.2 - Side View of Labels
B.3 – Caution & Warning Locations

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2
3
4
6
5
1
ivFigure C.1.1 - Front of VDO Unit
System Overview
C.1 Equipment Parts
Front of Unit
1. Vacuum Gauge
4. Process Complete Indicator
2. Vacuum Lid with View Port 5. Vacuum Relief Valve
3. In Process Indicator
6. Controller

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vFigure C.1.2 - Back of VDO Unit
Back of Unit
1. On / Off Switch
4. AC Power Connection
2. End of Test Alarm
5. Fan
3. Voltage Selector Switch
(Make sure voltage is correct
as stated on the Data Tag;
Elements may become
damaged at wrong voltage)
6. Data Tag
1
2
3
4
5
6

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viiFigure C.1.4 - Tank Exterior
Interior Chamber
1. O-Ring
4. Vacuum Pump Intake
2. Exhaust
5. Vacuum Verification Port
3. RTD
6. Vacuum Relief Valve
1
4
2
3
5
6
viFigure C.1.3 - Tank Interior

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Interior Controls
1. Power Control
5. Pump Body
2. Fan
6. SSR (Solid State Relay)
For Heaters
3. Solenoid
7. Watlow Temperature
Controller
4. Relay For Vacuum Pump
8. Vacuum Gauge
1
6
4
5
2
7
3
8
viiiFigure C.1.5 - Controls

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C.2 Product Description
The Vacuum Degassing Oven is designed for degassing pressure aged
binder samples to precisely and accurately meet AASHTO R28, ASTM D-6521, and EN
14769 test standards.
Major Components
•Unit
•Lid
•Power Cord
Accessory Items
•Specimen Containers (4 included with unit)
•Specimen Removal Tool (included with unit)
•VDO Verification Kit consisting of a Temperature Monitor, RTD Probe,
VDO Chamber Cover, Vacuum Gauge, Brass Extension Fitting Parts, and
Calibration Fixture (Figure C.2.1).
Product Specifications
Unit Design
Bench Top Unit
Specimen Capacity
4 eight ounce or 8 four ounce specimen containers
Product Dimensions
20.25 inches wide X 14.25 inches deep X 14 inches high
Weight
59 lbs.
Temperature Range
Ambient to 410° F (210° C)
Temperature Accuracy
0.2° F (± 0.1° C)
RTD Temperature Measurement
Accuracy
Class A RTD at maximum temperature ± 1° F (± 0.55° C)
Over-Temperature Protection
Disc Thermostat open on rise Auto reset, Open 425° F ± 15°
F (218° C ± 8° C), Close 375° F ± 20° F (191° C ± 12° C)
Power Requirements
115 V / 60 Hz or 230 V / 50 / 60 Hz

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C.3 Environmental Conditions
The Vacuum Degassing Oven (VDO) should be kept in the
following conditions, in an ideal setting:
•Temperature of 15° C to 35° C
•Relative humidity should not exceed 75%
•Air pressure of 75 kPa to 106 kPa
•No hard-frost, dew, percolating water rain, solar
irradiation, etc.
•Installation category II
•Pollution degree 2

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2
1
4
3
6
5
ixFigure C.2.1 - VDO Verification Kit
Verification Kit
1. Resistance Temperature
Detector (RTD) Probe
4. Vacuum Gauge
2. Temperature Monitor
5. Brass Extension Fitting
Parts
3. Calibration Fixture
6. VDO Calibration Cover

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xiFigure D.1.1 - O-Ring in Place
xFigure D.1.2 - Close Up of O-Ring
xiiFigure D.1.3 - O-Ring
Installation
D.1 Assembling the VDO
Carefully remove the VDO from the packing crate and place it on a level
work space. Make sure to remove any and all packing materials and / or
accessories that may have been placed inside the vacuum chamber during
shipment.
1. Place the O-Ring Gasket in the grove on the vacuum chamber flange.
These may already be in place. See Figures D.1.1 and D.1.2.

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2. The images above represent and show an O-Ring being placed onto
the Vacuum Degassing Oven (VDO) into the slotted cut out. The O-
Ring is in place to keep the vacuum within the spherical cylinder. Make
sure the O-Ring is properly greased with a thin film coating. Figure
D.1.3 is an isolated picture of the O-Ring.
3. Replace the lid on the vacuum oven.
D.2 Connecting and Powering Up
1. Make sure the voltage select switch is
set to the appropriate voltage that
was purchased for the machine
(selecting the incorrect voltage may
cause damage to the elements),
switch up is 115V, switch down is
230V.
2. Make sure the ON /OFF switch on
the back of the unit is in the OFF
position. Connect the power cord to
the AC power connection below it.
3. Plug the other end of the power
cord into a standard outlet
appropriate for the voltage
purchased (110 – 125 VAC 60 Hz
outlet, 10 amp or greater capacity;
or use 230 – 240 VAC 50 / 60 Hz 5
amp capacity).
4. Switch the ON / OFF switch upward
to the on position. The controller on
the front of the VDO should now be
illuminated, indicating that the power
is now on.
D.3 Vacuum Adjustment
1. Altitude conversion chart for negative pressure gauges. In order to achieve 15
kPa absolute pressure, use the chart on the following page to determine your
corrected 15 kPa value. Utilize the conversion chart below to correct 15 kPa
for your local altitude and barometric pressure.
2. After determining the corrected value, adjust the gauge installed on the VDO.
Perform this by first removing the VDO top cover. Then rotate the gauge to
align with 15 kPa.
xiiiFigure D.2.1 - AC Power Connection and ON / OFF Switch

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For greatest accuracy, use the lab barometer or check with the local
weather bureau for current (or average) barometric pressure in your location and
reference that to the pressure indicated in the gray-shaded columns on the table
below.
Applied Test Systems (ATS) assumes no responsibility to determining the proper
ambient barometric pressure for your specific location and altitude.

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xivFigure E.1.1 - VDO RTD
Verification
E.1 Verify Temperature
In order to perform an accurate verification of the VDO temperature, it is
recommended that customers purchase a VDO Verification kit from ATS. This kit
contains the necessary parts to properly connect a calibrated thermometer to the
temperature sensor of the VDO. It also includes the parts needed to provide the
insulating material necessary to create a stable oven temperature to perform the
verification process.
Should you choose to attempt a temperature verification of the VDO without the
use of an ATS VDO Verification Kit, you should be aware of the following:
•It is necessary to have a good thermal coupling between the temperature
sensor of the VDO and the temperature probe of the reference
temperature measuring device being used to verify the temperature
readout of the VDO. This is typically done by means of a brass block or
other device suitable to create a stable thermal conductivity between the
two devices.
•The VDO oven should have some type of insulating material covering the
top of the oven to prevent excessive heat loss during the verification
process.
The following temperature verification instructions assume that the customer is
using an ATS VDO Verification Kit:
1. Place the smaller end of the VDO Temperature Calibration Fixture over
the end of the RTD protruding from the bottom of the VDO oven
(Figures E.1.1 and E.1.2). Secure the brass setscrew in the side of the
calibration fixture to the RTD.
xvFigure E.1.2 - Calibration Fixture over RTD