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Instrument access and training
SIF’s sophisticated instruments are available to internal and external academic researchers, as well as industrial partners.
All users have access to our professional staff for training. Training varies by instrument; potential users will need to coordinate with the instrument manager for the technique and applications they are looking to use. For independent access, a user will need to demonstrate their ability to safely operate the instrument. While our laboratory staff are available for consultation and troubleshooting, we often cannot provide full training in the underlying theory of analytical techniques or details of specimen preparation methods. We recommend that users have some background in pertinent analytical techniques before using SIF tools.
Although we are primarily a user facility, laboratory staff members are available to perform analysis for external customers for an additional technical assistance fee.
- Each individual must register in the Mines Facility Online Manager (FOM) to schedule training, time on an instrument, or submit samples.
- After registering in FOM, request training by clicking on the name of the instrument on the right side of your FOM home page.
- Please note that external users will also need to provide a W9, Certificate of Insurance and sign a Facility Use Agreement prior to accessing instruments.
- External Users Billing: Invoices will be emailed at the start of each month for the previous month’s services and/or instrument usage. Payment is due within 30 days and can be made by credit card, ACH, or check.
Internal Users
- Go to the Mines login on the FOM website: https://mines.fomnetworks.com/fom/
- Select “Click here to login with Mines Multipass ID”
- If the new user registration box does not automatically pop up, go back one screen and select “Click here to login in with FOM username and password” and then click on “I am new user”. Be sure to select the “Internal User” radio button at the top.
- Fill in the information in the boxes on the registration page (you can ignore the boxes for Account Payable Contact and Fed Tax ID#)
- Select your advisor from the Supervisor list
- Be sure to complete the spam protection exercise at the bottom
- Click the Submit button
- Each internal Mines user will need to enter at least one charge code on the My Accounts page – this is the 6-digit Worktag for your project (please make sure the account has not expired and has adequate funding available)
- You can then request training on any instrument by selecting it from the list on the right side of the User Home window
External Users
- Go to the Mines login on the FOM website: https://mines.fomnetworks.com/fom/
- If you don’t arrive at the sign-in page for Mines, select “Mines” from the list
- Select “Click here to login with FOM username and password”
- Click on “I am a new user”
- Select the “External User” radio button at the top and then select “Shared Instrumentation Facility” from the drop down list. Please fill in the rest of the information (note that the last box is a security measure that requires you to add the digits of the number shown and type that sum into the box)
- You can then go to the My Accounts page and set up accounts for invoicing. Different accounts will be invoiced separately. We suggest using a PO number for the account number if you have one set up internally, but this is at your discretion. The account number will appear on the invoice.
- Please be sure to acknowledge the terms and conditions agreement in order to submit samples to our experts. If you intend to access the facilities, in lieu of sending samples, you will need to submit a a W9, Certificate of Insurance and sign a Facility Use Agreement prior to accessing the instrumentation.
- For Facility Use Only– Once you complete the steps above, you can request access to specific instruments on your Home page – just click on the names in the column on the right.
- For Facility Use Only- Please review Mines current safety training: Mines Lab Safety.