Keeping an IBA Cyclone 18/9 cyclotron productive is not only about repairing components after a failure; it is about maintaining beam stability, vacuum integrity, target reliability, and production confidence before downtime occurs. Our maintenance and technical service approach is designed to support consistent isotope production, reduce unplanned interruptions, and protect the long-term operational performance of your cyclotron.

NME Engineering delivers IBA Cyclone 18/9 cyclotron service with a safety-first and engineering-driven methodology: controlled shutdown and restart, ion source and stripper system checks, RF and magnet performance verification, vacuum and diffusion pump condition assessment, cooling circuit inspection, target station evaluation, calibrated measurements, and traceable service reporting. The result is clear: your IBA Cyclone 18/9 cyclotron remains stable, predictable, compliant, and ready for routine production.

1) Service Planning & Site Readiness

• Define scope (preventive, corrective, performance optimization).
• Confirm production schedule and downtime window.
• Verify safety requirements, access permissions, and spare parts readiness.

2) Safety Gate (LOTO & Radiation Awareness)

• Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) implementation and verification.
• Radiation safety coordination and area controls.
• Utility isolation strategy (power, cooling, gases) as applicable.

3) Controlled Shutdown & System Stabilization

• Controlled shutdown procedure and system safe-state confirmation.
• Initial operational snapshot (alarms, trends, key parameters) for baseline comparison.

4) Visual Inspection & Condition Assessment

• Mechanical integrity checks (fasteners, supports, and abnormal vibration indicators).
• Leak and contamination indicators (cooling circuits, vacuum-related areas).
• Cable, connector, and cabinet hygiene checks.

5) Vacuum System Health Check

• Vacuum performance review (pump condition, valves, seals, leak-risk points).
• Chamber-related inspection points and vacuum stability confirmation.

6) Ion Source & Injection Subsystem Service

• Ion source condition assessment, cleaning/consumables check as needed.
• Injection alignment indicators and stability checks (aim: consistent beam start-up).

7) RF System Verification

• RF subsystem functional checks and thermal condition review.
• Cooling effectiveness and interlock behavior validation.
• Risk reduction actions to prevent trips and overstress.

8) Magnet & Power Supply Checks

• Magnet subsystem operational verification.
• Power supply stability review (ripple, connectors, thermal behavior).
• Parameter trend comparison versus baseline.

9) Cooling & Utilities Integrity

• Cooling loop checks (flow, pressure, temperature stability).
• Heat exchanger / chiller interface verification (site configuration dependent).
• Compressed air / utility quality checks where used.

10) Target Station & Beamline Checks (If Applicable)

• Target interface integrity, cooling, and sealing points review.
• Beamline components visual/function checks relevant to your configuration.
• Practical actions to protect yield and reduce contamination risk.

11) Safety Interlocks & Emergency Systems Validation

• Interlock chain verification (doors, radiation-related logic, critical permissives).
• Warning indicators, emergency stop functions, and safety signaling checks.

12) Restart, Leak Check & Operational Validation

• Controlled restart and stabilization.
• Leak checks (water/vacuum-related) and final functional verification.
• Beam-on readiness checks (where allowed within service scope).

13) Documentation, Reporting & Action Plan

• Service report with executed steps, findings, and measured checkpoints.
• Prioritized recommendations (Immediate / Next Planned Stop / Long Term).
• Optional spares list suggestion aligned to wear items and risk exposure.  

  Optional Add-Ons (High-Value)  

• Performance Stability Review: trend-based analysis to reduce tuning time and trips.
• Critical Spares Strategy: optimize consumables and lead-time items to protect uptime.
• Remote Pre-Check: alarm/log review before visit to shorten downtime.