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RoentDek Handels GmbH
Im Vogelshaag 8

D-65779 Kelkheim, Germany

page printed: http://www.roentdek.com//products/services

  RoentDek SERVICES
 
 
 
 
 
 
In order to assist customers to integrate/mount a RoentDek detector system or components into their experimental setup, RoentDek offers certain services beyond the standard detector procurement and after-sales services.

While detectors with Resistive Screen readout, e.g. DLD40X or RS-PMT40, are shipped readily mounted for operation, all other DLD, Hex and DET detectors require on-site assembly and mounting by the customer according to the manual. This is not included in the standard procurement service. 

Customers requiring assistance can order on-site support services (see below). Those customers how have ordered a detector with flange mounting option can additionally purchase services prior to shipping:

Shipping Readily Mounted (SRM) option:
The SRM option is available for most detectors whenever a detector including flange mounting parts is chosen, e.g. DLD40 with FT12TP100. In this case the detector will be shipped pre-assembled and mounted on the flange EXCEPT for the mounting of the MCP stack. It liberates the customer from the task of mounting the detector onto the flange and making the connections for the anode and the MCPs. However, due to the nature of the MCP stack it is not possible to ship it fully mounted. This option includes a verification of cable connection (but no function test), however, the customer is required to re-assure that all connections are still in place after shipment and the mounting was not affected by possibly harsh shipping conditions before use (verification procedure as defined in the manual). The shipping container must be returned to RoentDek in order to receive a reimbursement for the same. 

Shipping Readily Mounted and Tested (SRM&T) option:
Beyond the SRM option this service includes a function test and calibration and is available for most of our detector systems when ordered prior to shipping. While the SRM shipping option (available for detector systems that include a complete RoentDek flange-mounting gear) only includes the pre-assembly of all in-vacuum detector parts EXCEPT for the mounting of the MCP stack, the SRM&T option also includes a calibration of the anode parameters and an assessment of the achievable spatial resolution and linearity for the device via a full function test with an Am-241 (or similar) source at the RoentDek premises.

Customers may be invited to witness this test procedure at their own cost and risk.

On demand, a test option can be offered also for detector systems purchased without standard-flange-mounting gear. In this case, the detector will be tested in RoentDek’s premises and later disassembled/shipped like any standard system, only including additionally the test and calibration report.

For all options it is mandatory that the MCPs will be shipped separately and must be re-installed by the customer on the customer site. However, RoentDek offers additional on-site support for this task, see below. A customer may agree to collect a detector with mounted MCP from the RoentDek site and transport it to his premises at own risk.

None of these test options include a warranty that the detector will operate with exactly the same performance at the customer site, even when the same electronic units for read-out will be used and even not if on-site support by a RoentDek employee is provided. The reason for this limited warranty is that imaging response at the customer site will be affected by many effects, among which are fringing fields, magnetic fields, external noise sources typical for the customer site and also by the particle species to be detected.

Optimal performance can only be expected when ideal electronic settings are always applied, when the MCP stack is biased to saturated operation condition and when the steady global (1 MHz) and local (10 kHz/mm²) particle/photon exposure rate limits (typical for MCP stacks operated in saturated mode) are not exceeded.

Although monitored during the tests, a maximum MCP dark count rate level and uniformity at the customer site can explicitly not be guaranteed.

On-site support:
RoentDek can offer on-site support to any customer for any task within the capabilities of RoentDek personnel, as long as there are no special legal or environmental or health limitations concerning access for trained professionals in effect at the customer’s site.

Conditions of on-site support:

Customers may request on-site support service, e.g. for the complete assembly of a detector system and its preparation for being mounted within an adequate experimental station and/or assistance during the initial start-up procedure and performance.

A RoentDek employee cannot be made liable for any damage to equipment that was not provided by RoentDek. For that reason, a RoentDek employee will always ask a professional from the customer site to handle/operate non-RoentDek equipment. If the RoentDek employee is asked to assist in this, he does that explicitly under supervision of the customer’s personnel and on its responsibility.

Whether an installation job can be completed is determined by certain pre-requisites. It is the customer’s responsibility to care for those. If the customers neglects to care for proper conditions allowing an effective installation and/or testing procedure or in case of Force Majeure RoentDek will fully charge for the uncompleted business even if the agreed installation/test cannot be completed.

In this sense we can only guarantee 100% for our commitment if

  1. The customer has ordered a flange mounted system with _SRM or SRM&T option.
  2. The vacuum requirements are fulfilled: e.g. decent vacuum, no pumps present that produce EM noise or emit charged particles into the recipient or require ion gauges near the detector system to be turned on. Mounting flange ports and the space in which the detector is placed during operation must have sufficient clearing to other parts (high voltage safety).
  3. There are no external EM noise sources that prevent the detectors to function.
  4. All mains supplies shall be connected to (noise-free) sockets and necessary accessory like a NIM bin or SHV cables must be available and functional.

Since we CAN supply a 100% complete system, it is not our fault if a customer “forgot” something.  Please refer also to the Guidelines for ordering RoentDek products.

Very important: we can NOT guarantee to show that the customer’s full experiment is working. We MAY use the customer’s “source” of particles during the test, but if it does not produce operation conditions within the detector specs (i.e. too high rate) this will have to be solved later. If the customer cannot provide a decent particle source in this sense we will finish installation and only test with dark counts.

We will bring our own computer, TDC and oscilloscope. Thus we can verify that everything works in spite of possible problems with the customer’s PC. If the customer’s PC does not work with our hardware we will try to solve it but success is not guaranteed.

Installation under any other condition than mentioned above will follow a “best effort” principle without guarantee of success or legal commitment of finishing the task: If a customer has NOT ordered a flange-mounted system with SRM option we will try to assemble whatever is there. It should be very close to the RoentDek flange-mount design or be a mounting in any other sensible way, fulfilling minimum conditions as: High voltage safety approved and necessary electrical feedthroughs present in close-enough distance.

Installation/commissioning of a detector takes at least 3 days (incl. one day of spare time). Shorter visits are possible if a system is pre-installed but a guarantee for success cannot be given. Especially we will not be able to do our job in short time if things are ill-prepared, e.g. any of the following is not fulfilled:

  • Poor vacuum vessel/pumping conditions (see 2)
  • Detector assembly/cabling incomplete or wrong (connections, shorts, no high voltage safety)
  • Rest of system incomplete or customer-provided components insufficient
  • Not all tests suggested in the manual to do before biasing the detector have been done.
This list may not be complete.

Not included in the daily charges are the flight/travel costs and accommodation/local expenses. For overseas travel we charge at least for 4 days (2 days of travel plus 2 days full day work). Ticket charges should be estimated on the base of “economy plus” class for a re-bookable ticket plus re-booking fee.

Other services Besides such installation services RoentDek can offer on-/off-site training and verification/repair services. This includes customer-defined software integration and adaptation tasks that will be charged for by the hour or as a well-defined work package.  
 
 

For more information please inquire at: