032 Specifications.docx

Title: Robotic Arm Statement of Need

BACKGROUND:

The Heat Transfer and Alternative Energy Systems (HTAES) Group within the Energy and Environment Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Engineering Laboratory (EL), contributes to the advancement of measurement science needed to achieve net-zero energy, high-performance buildings. One key component to achieving net-zero energy is advanced building energy technologies, especially renewable energy sources. Accordingly, the current focus area for the HTAES Group is to improve the tools used for measuring and evaluating renewable solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. The PV project within the group is also involved in evaluating the performance of PV cells and modules after field exposure to the outdoor elements, or when the cells are aged in an accelerated laboratory setting within the Engineering Laboratory.

A robotic arm will be used to evaluate the angular effects of lighting on the performance of reference photovoltaic cells. The arm will be utilized to evaluate the reference cell response across 3 axes of rotation to get a full understanding of response to collimated light at various angles. Further research includes measuring the response to diffuse light across various angles and utilizing the arm for indoor energy harvesting research with varying light angles on a PV mini-module. The robotic arm will be used in conjunction with, and needs to be compatible with, the existing LabVIEW software program, a graphical programming environment used to automate research, validation, and production test systems, manufactured by NI.

The HTAES group will utilize the requested instrument for all the measurements described above. The data collected from these measurements will be directly used in computation of PV performance parameters and hence this instrument will be an important component of our measurement capabilities.

Objective:

The purpose of this acquisition is to procure a 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) robotic arm that can interface with LabVIEW and has the capability to control movement in a precise and repeatable way.

Required Specifications The Contractor shall provide a quantity of one (1) robotic arm meeting the minimum specifications identified below. All items must be new. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award. Experimental or prototype equipment will not be considered. “Gray market” components not authorized for sale in the U.S. by the proposer are not acceptable.

1. The robotic arm shall be capable of handling payloads of up to and including 2 kg.

2. The robotic arm shall have 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) (i.e. 6 axes of rotation)

3. The robotic arm shall have a minimum reach (between axes 1 and 6) of at least 500 mm.

4. The robotic arm shall have a maximum repeatability of 0.05 mm.

5. Control software for movement of the robot and appropriate development studio and one license shall be included with the robotic arm. Software requirements include the ability for file transfer between hardware controller and the computer, visualization of the robot in 3D space, execution of the program, debugging the program, linking the 3D space to program editing.

6. The robotic arm shall be compatible with LabVIEW and shall come with a controller that can interface with LabVIEW.

7. The robotic arm shall have control software option(s) using LabVIEW included.

8. The robotic arm shall have emergency safety features built into the hardware and controller with at least 3 brakes, emergency stop, user safety stops, and speed limits.

9. Instrument shall be turn-key and stand-alone with no additional equipment required for operation.

10. The robotic arm shall come with applicable documentation and an electronic user manual Installation:

Installation is not required.

Training:

No training is required.

Warranty The contractor shall provide a standard commercial warranty, in accordance with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specifications, for all equipment for a minimum period of one year after acceptance. Warranty provisions shall include at minimum parts and labor.

Delivery:

Delivery shall be FOB DESTINATION and shall occur no later than 24 weeks after receipt of award (ARO) to the National Institute of Standards and Technology at the address identified below.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 100 Bureau Drive Building 301 Shipping & Receiving Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001.

FOB Destination means: The contractor shall pack and mark the shipment in conformance with carrier requirements, deliver the shipment in good order and condition to the point of delivery specified in the purchase order, be responsible for any loss of and/or damage to the goods occurring before receipt and acceptance of the shipment by the consignee at the delivery point specified in the purchase order; and pay all charges to the specified point of delivery.

Inspection and Acceptance:

In addition to the inspection and acceptance terms articulated in 52.212-4, the Government reserves the right to perform such performance tests and evaluations as defined below to verify specified system performance. Such tests and evaluations, if performed, shall be conducted within the environment that the system is to be operated in. The Contractor has the right to be present during the tests and evaluations, if performed, at the Contractor’s expense.

Inspection of the robotic arm system will include testing motion and location repeatability using a LabVIEW program with a computer program. The robotic arm will be tested for conformance to the requirements described herein and all OEM specifications. If the robotic arm fully meets all specifications, the instrument will be accepted.

The place of acceptance shall be:

National Institute of Standards and Technology 100 Bureau Drive Building 226 Room B313 Gaithersburg, MD 20899

Payment Schedule:

The Contractor shall be paid, in accordance with Net 30-day payment terms, upon receipt and acceptance of a proper invoice, in accordance with the following schedule:

NOTE: Partial shipments and partial invoices will not be accepted, unless otherwise requested and accepted by the Contracting Officer prior to award offer. Proposed payment schedules shall be submitted with vendor’s response to the RFQ for consideration.