Suggested Training Course Strategy

Linac Engineer Training

Training Courses for Engineers for the Elekta Digital Linear Accelerator
1st Line, 2nd Line Engineers and Data Server as required.

These course strategies are what we recommend for new engineers, there are no prerequisites for our 1st line training course. Any engineers who have had any years’ experience can gain exemption from the 1st Line Course by taking the 1st Line Exemption Test. This allows students to be booked
directly onto a 2nd Line Engineers Course.

After 1st Line training it is possible for an engineer who will be involved in Installations to take our Installation Phase 1 Training Course.

An Elekta Digital Linear Accelerator to SL/ SLi/ MLCi Conversion Course is available for those engineers who have to work on both Digital and the historic SL Systems.

Training Course Details

All Elekta Training Courses start at 9.00am each morning. Working hours may vary depending on equipment availability. Each course description details the final days finishing time. We stress that travel arrangements must NOT interfere with these times. Our office is 10 minutes from London Gatwick Airport and 1 hour from London Heathrow Airport. Please keep this in mind when arranging return flights.

1st Line Training Course
Duration 5 Days on a Customer Site in Europe, USA or Asia
Finishing Time on Final Day – 12.30pm
Prerequisite - None

Installation Phase One
Duration 10 Days at Elekta Crawley or on a Customer Site
Finishing Time on Final Day – 3.30pm
Prerequisite – After completion of our 1st Line Training Course

This course concentrates on the mechanical assembly of the machine, up to the setting to work phase.

Installation Phase Two

There is no dedicated course for Phase 2. The relevant information and experience will be gained by completion of a 2nd Line Engineers Course and a 3rd Line Beam Measurement Module.

2nd Line Mechanical Skills Training Course
Duration 5 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day - 12.30pm
Prerequisite - Completion of 1st Line or Exemption
Test Pass

This course will cover repair and maintenance required on the MLC, Collimator, Flight Tube and Gantry systems. On completion of this course the student will be able to repair, service and maintain the mechanical systems of the linac and be able to diagnose faults and repairs.

2nd Line Engineers Training Course
Duration 15 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day – 3.30pm
Prerequisite – Completion of 1st Line Course or Exemption
Test Pass

This course will cover the Control Systems, Machine Calibration, MLC Calibration, Measurement Techniques, High Tension Pulse Generation and RF, Set up of Beam Energy, Beam Transport System, Electrons and Fault Finding.

This course will enable the engineer to be capable of fault finding more complex systems and understand the implications of low / medium risk component replacement, including planned maintenance. Both under pinning knowledge and practical ability will be assessed on this
course. The engineer will be accredited to 2nd Line Service Engineer. 

Students who fail to achieve the required competency will be offered a place on a focussed 2nd Line Revision Course. This course will run for 10 days.

Synergy X-ray Production & Imaging Course
Duration 2 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finish Time on Final Day - 4.30pm
Prerequisites - None

This is aimed at Elekta engineers who have no diagnostic experience. This course will provide information about the components of a diagnostic imaging system. There will be practical sessions using the Synergy imaging system.

Synergy IGRT QA Course (for Release 3.5)
Duration 8 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day - 3pm
Prerequisites - Completion of a 2nd Line Engineers or 2nd Line Physics & MLC Course and iView GT Engineering or iView GT Clinical Applications Training course and Synergy X-ray Production & Imaging Course

This course will cover the Synergy XVI imaging system, enabling the students to conduction quality assurance procedures, administer the system and troubleshoot.

Synergy Kv Generator Course
Duration 2 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day - 4.30pm
Prerequisites - Completion of a 2nd Line engineers or 2nd Line Physics &
MLC Course and iView GT Engineering

This course will cover the installation, maintenance and repair of the Sedecal X-ray generator used in the Synergy XVI system.

MOSAIQ Desktop Installation Training Course
Duration 10 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day - 3.30pm
Prerequisites - Completion of Computer and Networking Skills Bridging
Assessment and 1st Line Course

This course will cover clinical operation, SQL server installation, MOSAIQ server installation, MOSAIQ workstation installation, troubleshooting, ICOM installation and troubleshooting, NAMER Installation and  Troubleshooting, Sequencer for  Elekta, post installation documentation and Clientele.

This course will enable an engineer to operate and troubleshoot the MOSAIQ desktop application.

3rd Line Engineers
Comprises of 5 Modules (2 or 3 Days per Module) at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day 3.30pm
Prerequisite – Completion of 1st and 2nd Line Engineers Course

The 3rd Line Engineer Training Courses consist of the following:

• Beam Measurement (3 Days) *
• Beam Adjustment (2 Days) *
• HT & RF (3 Days)
• Control Systems (2 Days)
• Beam Modulator (3 Days)

* We suggest these modules are taken as a pair

These modules will enable the engineer to be capable of fault finding high-risk systems, understanding the implications of high risk component replacement and to enable them to follow appropriate procedures to return the machine safely to a clinical condition. Business Units should review the expertise of their service engineers and select modules per engineer to provide field cover from within the Business Unit. It is not expected that every engineer would complete all eight
modules.

2nd Line Physics with MLC Training Course
Duration 10 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day – 12.30pm
Prerequisite – Completion of 1st Line Training Course or 1st Line Exemption
Test Pass

This course will cover Control Systems, Machine Calibration, HT & RF, Beam Energy, Beam Transport, Dosimetry and Clinical. Providing an in-depth understanding of linac operation, set-up and quality  assurance. This would be very valuable for scientific staff who manage an accelerator facility or who perform regular measurements and calibration.

Physics Upgrade
Duration 3 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day – 3.30pm
Prerequisite – completion of SL 1st Line Training Course

This course will provide the information and practical experience to enable an experienced physicist who has completed a SL Customer Physicist course to become familiar with the desktop interface.

Precise Table
Duration 4 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day – 4pm
Prerequisite – None

This course will cover Safety, Georgraphy, Systems Overview, Installation, Set-up, Calibration and ASU Set-up, Planned Maintenance of the table, Acceptance Test and Troubleshooting.

PreciseSim Engineer
Duration 10 Days delivered by Nucletron
Finishing Time on Final Day – 12.30pm

This course will concentrate on the basic operating principles and hardware of the Simulator System. The engineer will be able to diagnose problems and effect a repair. The X-ray generator and II/TV chain are covered on this course.

iView GT - Radiotherapy Imaging Engineer
Duration 5 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day – 12.30pm
Prerequisite – None

The course will focus on the iView GT hardware and cover System Overview, Image Quality, Hardware, Software, Customer Acceptance Tests, Setting to Work / Calibration. This course will enable the engineer to install, operate and maintain the system when attached to a linac accelerator.

iView Camera – Radiotherapy imaging Engineer
Duration 5 Days - on an available Customer Site
Finishing Time on Final Day – 12.30pm
Prerequisite – None

The course will focus on the camera based iView hardware and cover System Overview, Image Quality, Hardware, Software, Customer Acceptance Tests,  Setting to Work / Calibration. This course will enable the engineer to operate and maintain the system when attached to a linac accelerator.

Preciseplan Engineering Course
Duration 5 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day – 12.30pm
Prerequisite –Attended introduction to UNIX Course and preferably UNIX
Administration / UNIX Exemption Test (Available April 2004)

This course will enable the user to configure the UNIX system for the treatment planning system and provide a good grounding for troubleshooting.

Preciseplan (LINUX) Engineering Course
Duration 3 Days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing Time on Final Day – 3.30pm
Prerequisite – Networking 1st Line or equivalent

This course will enable the user to install and configure the LINUX operating system together with the PrecisePlan software, for the treatment planning system and provide a good grounding for  troubleshooting.

Historic Courses

SL75/5 – Linac Engineer
Duration 15 Days – On an available Customer Site
Finishing Time on Final Day – 12.30pm
Prerequisite – None

This course delivers all technical knowledge and practice for the SL 75/5 as a Stand alone System. It enables the engineer to perform all planned preventative programs and linear accelerator set up and repair.

SLS-B1 - Simulator Engineer
Duration 8 Days - On an available Customer Site
Finishing Time on Final Day – 3.30pm
Prerequisite – None

This course will concentrate on the basic operating principles and hardware of the Simulator Gantry. The engineer will be able to diagnose problems and effect a repair. The X-ray generator and II/TV chain are not covered on this course.

If you have a request for training on earlier products please forward to our Training Department. The training request will be dependent on whether your customer is happy to allow the training course to be run at their hospital site.