Becoming a user
The X-ray facility in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy (MSM) is designated as a X-ray supervised area. As a result, access to the laboratory is strictly controlled in accordance with IRR17 and the process to gain permission to work in the facility is detailed below.
The page is divided into TWO sections, the first detailing steps that should be taken BEFORE submitting an user application form in PPMS. The second section details the step by step process of submitting a training request in PPMS, required to formally get permission to work in the facility and to get the required training to use the equipment needed.
EVERYONE working in the facility, either on their own or being supervised by a more senior colleague, MUST follow this process to be allowed access to the facility, the ONLY exceptions are external contractors servicing the instruments and members of the department’s Professional Services Staff carrying out their duties in the facility (or sub-contractors working on their behalf).
Section 1 – Pre-application tasks
1. Discuss your need to carry out work in the X-ray facility with your supervisor – Your supervisor must be made aware of and approve your working in the MSM X-ray facility. You will need to make a declaration to this effect when completing the training request form in PPMS.
2. Local Rules – When completing the training request form in PPMS, you will be directed towards the facility’s local rules document. A .pdf copy of the current local rules can be found here. You need to read this document and agree to abide by it before your training request will be processed by facility staff.
3. Safety test – If you are a member of MSM, you will complete the department’s safety test as part of you department induction. If you wish to use the MSM X-ray facility and you are not a member of MSM, you will need to complete the department’s Building Induction for Shared Facility Users (non-MSM members) online course (https://www.training.cam.ac.uk/course/msmhs-srf-sbsinduc). You will need to pass the abridged safety test before facility staff will progress your application.
4. Online training – You will also be directed to two additional safety courses that you need to complete before your application will be progressed:
Completion of the safety test AND both online courses, above, are required before any training request will be progressed. Facility staff will use UTBS to verify that these courses course have been completed and the assessments passed.
Section 2 – The PPMS application process.
The MSM x-ray facility use a website called PPMS to manage equipment booking, charging and permissions for all the instruments in the facility. The x-ray PPMS instance can be found athttps://ppms.eu/west-cambridge-campus
1. Create an account on PPMS – The X-ray facility uses PPMS to manage the booking and charging for equipment in the X-ray laboratory. In order to access the facility you will need an account on PPMS. Instructions on how to register for a PPMS account can be found on the PPMS account creation page.
2. Gain authorisation to accrue charges to your grant/account(s) – Log in to PPMS and select the Profile tab. In this section you will find a “New account authorization request” button. Select this button to launch the Account authorization request pop up. Complete this form and select save. Your accounts team will verify that you are requesting permission for the correct grant/account number and if this is the case grant permission to use this account.
This step needs to be completed BEFORE completing the X-ray user application form in step 3.
If you are unsure of which account to use, contact your supervisor or the accounts team. Once the application is made, accounts will approve the request after discussing the application with your supervisor. If you have any issues completing this step, please contact the accounts team for advice.
3. Complete X-ray user application form – Once you have a PPMS account set up, including permission to use you grant/account number, you will need to complete the X-ray facility user application form. Completion of this Instructions on how to access this form are detailed on the gaining permission to access the X-ray facility page.
Before you can complete the X-ray user application form, you will need to gain approval to charge X-ray usage to your financial account.
3. Receive X-ray lab induction - When you have a completed the user application form, a member of facility staff will contact you to arrange a suitable date for a laboratory induction. These inductions last around 40 minutes and are usually run at 10 am on Tuesday mornings.
On the arranged date, come to the department reception where you will be met by a member of facility staff. If you already have departmental access, you can make you way down to the X-ray laboratory (lower ground floor) and ring the doorbell to be let in.
As part of the induction, facility staff will talk to you about your sample and analysis requirements and suggest which instruments will be best for your requirements.
Once you have completed the laboratory induction, your X-ray user application form will be validated by a member of facility staff and a training session on the desired instrument will be arranged and communicated to you.
Please note that we train a minimum of two users at a time on an instrument, in order to best utilise facility staff time.
4. Instrument training – At the allotted date and time return to the department reception where you will be met by a member of facility staff. If you already have departmental access, please attend the laboratory and ring the doorbell to be let in. You will then be given basic training on the instrument.
Once you have completed the laboratory induction and received your training, your training session will be validated by a member of facility staff. This will allow you novice booking rights for the equipment you have been trained on. Novice rights allow you to book the equipment during normal working hours (08:45 – 17:15).
At the same time, a member of facility staff will email the Facilities Helpdesk to get your University Card updated to allow access to the laboratory (if applicable).
If you would like training on a second instrument in the X-ray laboratory, talk to a member of facility staff to arrange this.
5. Video guide to PPMS - Stratocore have produced a video guide on using PPMS. A link to this video together with a list of useful time stamps can be found on the Video guide to PPMS page.
University of Cambridge training - course description: "Dept. Materials Science & Metallurgy Building Induction for Shared Facility Users (non-MSM members)"