Covaris M Series User manual

For research use only
M-Series
SERVICE MANUAL

M220 Service Manual Page 2 410085 Rev. B
Trademarks
Patented or patent pending and registered or registration-pending are trademarks of Covaris.
Registered names and trademarks used in this document, even when not specifically marked as such, are
not to be considered unprotected by law.
Information subject to change without notice
For Research Use Only
Not for use in diagnostic procedures
Publication P/N 410085
September 2013
Product covered by Patent No. US6, 719,449, US6, 948,843, and other pending applications
Copyright © 2013 Covaris, all rights reserved.
Covaris, Inc.
14 Gill St, Unit H
Woburn, Massachusetts
01801-1721 USA Printed in U.S.A.
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS
Universal Precautions should be followed on all specimen samples, regardless of whether a sample is known to contain
an infectious agent. Laboratories handling specimen samples are advised to comply with applicable parts of the following
governmental and clinical standards, or their equivalent in the country of use:
•Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Universal Precautions for Prevention of Transmission of HIV and Other
Bloodborne Infections, published 1987, updated 1996
•Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), GP17-A2 Clinical Laboratory Safety; Approved Guideline -
Second Edition, published 2004, ISBN 1-56238-530-5
•Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), M29-A3 Protection of Laboratory Workers from
Occupationally Acquired Infections; Approved Guideline, Third Edition, published 2005, ISBN 1-56238-5674
•Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 29 CFR 1910.1030 Bloodborne Pathogens
•International Standards Organization (ISO) 15190:2003, Medical Laboratories – Requirements for Safety

M220 Service Manual Page 3 410085 Rev. B
Warnings
For safety of operating personnel:
Make sure that the equipment is properly grounded. DO NOT operate if it is not properly grounded.
The unit is equipped with a power plug appropriate for the destination country. DO NOT, under any
circumstances, remove the grounding prong from the power cord.
DO NOT attempt to operate the equipment with the Acoustic Assembly and sample cover in the
open position the acoustic system will not work. If there is any indication that the Safety System is
not functioning properly, DO NOT operate the equipment and contact Covaris immediately.
If the equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the protection provided by
the equipment may be impaired.
To prevent damage to the equipment:
The instruments are designed to operate in ambient laboratory conditions e.g., 15 to 32°C (60 to
90°F). DO NOT operate the instrument in a cold room environment; the system is designed to
operate with a water bath and heater/chiller apparatus to control sample temperature.
NEVER run a method without a water bath; this could damage the transducer. The instrument is
equipped with a water level sensor to protect the transducer. The system will not allow the acoustic
wave treatment to start unless an adequate volume of water is detected.
Covaris AFA water should be used to fill the water bath.
Empty the water bath and wipe it dry EVERY day with a lint-free cloth. DO NOT leave water in the
instrument for an extended time as there is no water filtration or water cleaning system with the
apparatus.
Do not employ isopropyl alcohol, ammonia-based or abrasive cleaners on the instrument, as these
will damage the acrylic surfaces.
DO NOT load third party software onto the system without consulting with Covaris.

M220 Service Manual Page 4 410085 Rev. B
1). Scope of This Manual................................................................................................... 6
2). Safety and EMC Compliance Information ................................................................... 6
2.1 General Instrument Safety.................................................................................... 6
2.1.1 Acoustic Safety............................................................................................. 6
2.1.2 Safety and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Standards...................... 6
3). Introduction................................................................................................................... 7
Transducer....................................................................................................................... 7
Interlock Subsystem........................................................................................................ 7
Control Electronics System............................................................................................. 7
4). Maintenance and Repair ............................................................................................... 8
Recommended Daily Maintenance................................................................................. 8
Troubleshooting.............................................................................................................. 8
Diagnosis......................................................................................................................... 9
Contamination............................................................................................................. 9
Bath Temperature........................................................................................................ 9
Position of Treatment Vessel...................................................................................... 9
Water Level Errors...................................................................................................... 9
Acoustic Power Issues .............................................................................................. 10
Interlock Errors......................................................................................................... 10
Communication Errors.............................................................................................. 10
Other Indicators ........................................................................................................ 10
Repair Procedures......................................................................................................... 11
General Procedures................................................................................................... 11
Removing the outer Covers ...................................................................................... 11
Replacing the Water Level & Temperature Sensor Assembly................................. 16
Diagnosing and Replacing Printed Circuit Boards:...................................................... 25
RF Power Board........................................................................................................ 26
Controller Board:...................................................................................................... 29
Thermo-Electric (TE) Controller Board ................................................................... 33
Capacitor Reserve Board .......................................................................................... 35
Power Supplies.......................................................................................................... 38
24 Volt Supply.......................................................................................................... 38
48 Volt Supply.......................................................................................................... 38
Acoustic Power Testing Procedure................................................................................... 43

M220 Service Manual Page 5 410085 Rev. B
Measure Power.............................................................................................................. 43
5Tools and Fixtures......................................................................................................... 43
6). M220 Series: SonoLab 7............................................................................................. 43
7). Appendix A................................................................................................................. 45
8). System Wiring Diagram ............................................................................................. 46

M220 Service Manual Page 6 410085 Rev. B
1 Scope of This Manual
This manual is intended to provide Covaris service personnel the necessary information to
perform effective fault finding and corrective actions for the Covaris M220 Sample Preparation
instruments. The M220 Series instrument is a third generation design that incorporates upgraded
electronic circuit boards and more user-friendly SonoLabsoftware.
The following definitions apply in this manual:
NOTE: Inconvenience only if disregarded – no damage or personal injury
CAUTION: Equipment damage may occur, but not personal injury.
WARNING: Personal injury may occur – DO NOT DISREGARD.
2 Safety and EMC Compliance Information
2.1 General Instrument Safety
2.1.1 Acoustic Safety
The Covaris M-Series instruments generate a focused high-power acoustic field in the
water bath. Potentially hazardous acoustic energy exists in the water bath, the entire
sample vessel (above and below the water level) and in the sample vessel cap. Service
personnel who run the instrument with the safety system defeated must not touch the
water bath, the sample vessel or the sample vessel cap.
WARNING: Service personnel who run the instrument with the safety system defeated
must not touch the water bath or the sample vessel.
2.1.2 Safety and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Standards
Safety:Meets Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC with Amendment 93/68/EEC.
Tested to EN/UL/CSA 61010-1:2004 “Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment for
Measurement, Control and Laboratory Use, Part 1: General Requirements”
EMC: Meets EMC Directive 2004/108/EC. Tested to EMI emissions requirements for
Industrial Scientific or Medical (ISM) equipment EN55011:1998 + A2:2002 Class A
Group1 and EMC requirements - Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control, and
Laboratory Use EN 61326-1:2005 Table 2,
EN61000-3-2:2004 and EN61000-3-3:1995 +A1:2001.

M220 Service Manual Page 7 410085 Rev. B
3 Introduction
The Covaris Adaptive Focused Acoustics process works by sending converging
acoustic energy wave packets from a flat transducer to a small, localized area.
Mechanical energy is thus applied to the sample, without directly contacting the
sample. At low energy intensities, gentle mixing is affected. At high energy
intensities, intense shock waves result in DNA shearing. The M220 accomplishes
this via the following subsystems, under the control of the Covaris SonoLab
software.
Transducer
The transducer converts an electrical signal into an acoustic signal.
Specifically, a burst of electrical sine-waves is converted into a series of
acoustic pressure waves. The transducer is focused such that the pressure
waves converge at a focal point inside the treatment vessel. The primary
mechanism to process a sample or compound is the growth and collapse of
cavitation bubbles within the acoustic focal zone, inside the sample vessel.
The collapse of the bubbles results in micro streaming acting upon the
sample.
Interlock Subsystem
Safety interlocks prevent energizing of the transducer when doing so might
result in damage to the transducer or injury to operators.
Control Electronics System
The control electronics are mounted at the rear of the instrument enclosure,
and connect to components located in the treatment area via bulkhead
connectors. The M220 has a 24 volt DC power supply for low voltage and
digital components of the RF Controller, RF Power, and Thermo-Electric
(TE) circuit boards. A 48 volt DC supply powers the transducer via the RF
Power board.
The operation of the control electronics is detailed later in this manual.

M220 Service Manual Page 8 410085 Rev. B
4 Maintenance and Repair
Recommended Daily Maintenance
At the start of each day, fill the acoustic block as follows:
•Fill the acoustic block with Covaris AFA grade water only.
•At the end of the day, the bath should be emptied using the 500299
Fill and Drain Kit. Wipe down the bath and transducer with 500298
Swab Cleaning Kit or a soft cloth or sponge.
Troubleshooting
The following table summarizes problems and their solutions. Refer to the
text following the table for detailed discussion of the corrective actions.
Symptom Possible Cause Check / Corrective Action
No power to instrument
(indicator light fails to come
on)
Line cord missing or blown
Fuse in line entry module
24 volt power supply
Verify line cord is connected.
Replace fuse
Check 24v supply output
Check Green D2 on
Controller Board
Ineffective treatment,
possibly with loud buzzing
noise
Bath temperature too high
Contaminated bath
Insufficient acoustic power
Verify TE module operation.
Clean bath, change water,
Run acoustic power test (see
Section 5).
Temperature will not regulate
message,Temp too low,Temp
too high,Temp not at
setpoint, Temp not regulated
that do not correct within a
few minutes.
TE Fan not running
Peltier Board problem
Safety Fault 2nd thermistor
problems (you can check TE
module status by viewing
LED status lights on TE
board) see figure 10
Verify TE Fan running
TE board LED’s (command
side and delivery side) Blue
on both sides “on”- cooling
Amber on both sides ”on”-
heating
Red “on” on command side –
Safety fault(open/shorted
thermistor),or out of
temperature range(2°C -55°C)
Water level error Insufficient bath water
Contaminated level sensor
faulty sensor
Fill bath
Clean bath and level sensor.
Replace sensor.
Door Interlock Error Bath interlock problem Verify sample door closed
Communication Error Corrupted USB drivers
Defective USB cable
USB cable too long
Controller Board Failure
Verify connection status
under “Ports” in Device
Manager
Reload drivers
Replace USB cable.
Verify operation
Table 1, Troubleshooting

M220 Service Manual Page 9 410085 Rev. B
Diagnosis
Contamination
The water bath can become contaminated from the growth of bio-film in
the acoustic block or from debris on sample vessels. Contamination does
not have to be visible to affect processing. If there is any doubt about the
cleanliness of the water bath, it should be changed. Wipe down the
inside of the bath and all submerged surfaces, including the transducer,
with a soft, lint-free cloth before refilling with Covaris AFA-grade water.
Bath Temperature
Bath temperature is controlled by Thermo-Electric (TE) control board.
The board is set to control temperature within +/- 2 °C. Temperature
values are set by user within the Method. The temperature is controlled
by a linear PID algorithm inside the controller. Default temperature will be
20 °C if not set by method. Heating and cooling is performed by a Peltier
thermo-electric device with a fan running continuously on the Peltier heat
sink to remove heat or cold as necessary. The operating temperature
range is 4-42°C (with 6-40°C set temperature). The bath temperature
can be adjusted by editing the method in SonoLab.
Bath Temperature Setpoint and Range in Method Editor
Position of Treatment Vessel
Check to ensure the proper waveguide fixture is being used with correct
tube. Insert waveguide fixture so notch is in bottom left corner when
inserting into treatment block.
Water Level Errors
If water level errors are not resolved by cleaning the sensor, the sensor
should be replaced. Follow the procedure provided in this manual.

M220 Service Manual Page 10 410085 Rev. B
Acoustic Power Issues
If acoustic activity is not observed in the sample vessel, follow the
acoustic power test procedure described at the end of Section 4 to verify
that acoustic components are operating properly and also check 48v
power supply output.
Transducer:A mechanical or electrical failure of the transducer
may cause weak acoustic output. If the on-screen power meter
deviates more than +/- 20% from the nominal specified power
(Peak Incident Power x Duty Factor), the transducer may be
damaged.
RF Power Board: As with the transducer, if the on-screen
power meter deviates more than +/- 20% from nominal, the RF
Power board may be damaged.
Calibration Data Missing or Incorrect: Calibration for the
M220 Series is performed on each RF Board prior to installation
in a device. Calibration values can be reviewed in SonoLab by
accessing the Maintenance > RF Power Board menu location.
Calibration data should be visible in a grid format. If calibration
values are not visible within this menu, Covaris Technical
Support should be contacted.
Interlock Errors
There is one interlock on the M220 associated with the sample door. The
door must be closed and magnet/switch combination satisfied to allow
acoustic processing.
Communication Errors
In the event of communication errors, verify that the problem is not a
defective USB cable. Also use Windows Device Manager to verify that
Windows is recognizing the M220 and that the device drivers are
properly installed.
Other Indicators
Normal processor functioning is indicated by the blinking yellow
LED(approximately 1 blink per second) on the RF controller and by the
blinking green led(approximately 1 blink every ½ second) on the RF
power board (see Figures 14 and 15 later in this document).

M220 Service Manual Page 11 410085 Rev. B
Repair Procedures
General Procedures
Removing the outer Covers
•Open the front acrylic cover and lift it off the hinge pins on the left
side.
•Remove six 2mm button head screws around the base, and lift off
the white, cosmetic cover.
Removing the Electronics Drawer from Chassis
•Remove the outer covers as described above.
•Disconnect the cables attached at J3, J4, J5, J6, and the transducer
cable from the connectors on the front of the bulkhead.
•Access the rear of the chassis and remove the ten screws shown
below.
•Slide the electronics drawer out of the chassis.
•Reverse the procedure to reinstall the drawer.
Accessing Instrument Configuration Settings
•Power on the M220 and start the SonoLab software
•Click on the Setup tab, then on the User Authentication tab. See
figure below.
Remove 10 Philips screws to
remove electronics tray from
chassis.

M220 Service Manual Page 12 410085 Rev. B
•Click on the User Authentication checkbox.
•Click on the Login button at the upper right.
•Enter the login name service and password Fld1Svc. The login and
password are case sensitive. The Log In button changes to Log Out.
•Click on the Maintenance tab. Instrument, power board, and
transducer setup, and firmware updating are now accessible.
•When finished, click on the Setup tab and uncheck the User
Authentication box.
SonoLab screen showing Setup
tab, User Authentication tab &
checkbox, and Login button

M220 Service Manual Page 13 410085 Rev. B
Replacing the Transducer Assembly
Replacing the transducer includes replacing the matching network and entering
the new transducer data to instrument firmware. Note: the thermal block
assembly should not be removed from the M220 when servicing the
transducer.
•Remove covers and invert instrument (alternatively, instrument may
be placed at the edge of the bench, with the transducer assembly
overhanging the edge, allowing access from below).
•Disconnect the transducer cable from the BNC connector on the
bulkhead.
•Remove the clamp securing the transducer cable to the instrument
body.
•Remove the four screws which secure the two transducer retaining
clamps to the thermal block. Remove the clamps and transducer.
Transducer cable retaining
clamp and screws.

M220 Service Manual Page 14 410085 Rev. B
•Verify that the replacement transducer includes a new orange O-ring.
Do not reuse the O-ring from existing transducer.
•Reverse the above steps to install the replacement transducer, but
do not connect the cable to the bulkhead BNC connector at this time.
•Set the instrument upright, and remove the electronics tray from the
chassis, as described in General Procedures at the start of this
section.
•Locate the transducer matching network mounted to the bulkhead
behind the transducer cable BNC connector. See figure below.
Clamps
Transducer viewed from bottom (with
thermal block removed for demonstration
purposes).
O-ring installed
onto transducer

M220 Service Manual Page 15 410085 Rev. B
•Disconnect the cable between the matching network to the RF
Power board from the matching network.
•Remove the two screws securing the matching network to the
chassis, and the nut securing the BNC connector to the bulkhead.
Remove the matching network.
•Reverse the above two steps to install the new matching network.
•Reinstall the electronics tray into the chassis.
•Reinstall covers, connect to power and start SonoLab software.
The following steps describe how to update the instrument configuration settings
with the new transducer specifications. These specifications are included with
the replacement transducer kit.
•Start the SonoLab software and access the instrument configuration
settings as described in the General Procedures section above.
•Click on the Transducer tab (or select Transducer from the list at the
left of the Maintenance window).
•Enter new transducer’s Serial Number, Impedance, and Center
Frequency into their respective screen fields. See figure below.
Matching network mounted to
electronics tray.
Cable to RF Power board

M220 Service Manual Page 16 410085 Rev. B
Caution: prior to saving, review impedance and frequency
values. Typical values for impedance are 35 to 45 ohms, for
Center Frequency 490 to 510 KHz. Values substantially outside
this range may damage the electronics and/or transducer.
•Click the Save Configuration button at the bottom of the screen.
•Click the About SonoLab tab, and verify that the new values are
correctly displayed.
•Disable User Authentication by unchecking the box, and test
operation of new transducer.
Replacing the Water Level & Temperature Sensor Assembly
The water level sensing device changed after serial number 2172. The current
replacement water level and temperature sensor assembly, part number 500324,
includes a replacement 200425 cable assembly, second generation cover, and
other hardware required to convert from the original water sensor to the current
version.
Tools Required: 2.5 mm Hex Wrenches, straight-slotted screwdriver
capable of measuring 14in-oz Torque.
TE Cable Harness Replacement
The first time the water level sensor is changed on an M220 prior to serial
number 2172, the pn 200425 cable must be installed in place of the existing
200407 cable. The following section describes updating this cable harness on
instruments prior to serial number 2172.

M220 Service Manual Page 17 410085 Rev. B
•Remove the the (6) M3 x 6mm button head screws that secure the
cosmetic cover. Remove the cover and set aside.
•Remove the clear plastic safety door and set aside.
•Disconnect the transducer cable from the BNC feed-through. See
photo below.
•Disconnect cables from J3, J4, J5, & J6, as shown below.
•Cut the tie wrap from the tie mount to free the cables.
•From behind the unit, remove the (7) M3 x 8mm Phillips screws and
the (3) M3 x 8mm pan head screws securing the electronics bay.
•Remove the electronics bay by sliding straight back. See photo
below.
Transducer Cable J3 J5 J4
J6 Cable Tie Point

M220 Service Manual Page 18 410085 Rev. B
•Remove connectors P1, P2, P3, P8 and P11 from the TE Controller
board shown below.
•Remove the (4) M3 x 8 mm Pan hd screws securing the TE
controller board. Remove the board and place it in an anti-static bag
or on a static mat.
•Remove Cable Assembly 200407 Rev C. by disconnecting P4 from
the RF Controller BD, and removing J5 and J6 from the feed through
panel. Remove the grounding nut from the grounding stud and
disconnect the Ring Lug for Cable Assembly 200407. In newer
M220’s the Grounding lug and nut has been relocated adjacent to
J3. (See image below)
•Discard Cable assembly 200407.
P4 Connector
J5, J6, and Ground Lug
P3
P1
P8
P2
P11

M220 Service Manual Page 19 410085 Rev. B
•Install cable assembly 200425 included with the 500324 kit by
inserting J5 and J6 into the feed through panel, attaching the ground
terminal. Connect P4 and P6B to the RF Controller board. P6B
connects to J6, at opposite end of board from J4.
•Reinstall the TE Controller board and reconnect P1, P2, P3, P8, and
P11.
•Reinstall the electronics drawer to chassis.
Replacing the Water Level /Temperature Sensor Assembly
Note that all pictures below reference second generation sensor assembly.
•Lay the M220 on its left side, so that the water level sensor assembly
is facing up.
•Remove 3 screws securing the water sensor cover (2 screws on first
generation cover) and remove the cover. See photo below.
J5
J6
Ground Rin
g
Cable Assembl
y
200425
P6B
P4

M220 Service Manual Page 20 410085 Rev. B
•Remove the two Philips screws securing the capacitive unit to the
water level sensor. This step is not necessary on old sensor
assembly.
Remove screws securing water
level sensor Gen 2 cover. Two
screws on top, one next to wire on
Remove two Philips screws