Updated Statement of Requirement.pdf

STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS

Ultrasonic Atomizer for Producing Metal Powder

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Materials Measurement Laboratory

(MML) Materials Science and Engineering Division’s (MSED) Thermodynamics and Kinetics Group

(TKG) is developing new alloys and processing techniques to enable the production of custom parts with location-specific properties. Essential to achieving this goal is the ability to produce custom alloy powder for use in a direct energy deposition system.

The ability to atomize small quantities of custom metal alloy powder is an essential part of the MSED effort to accelerate the design and optimization of new structural materials, particularly for additive manufacturing. In addition, MSED is also interested in exploring the development of metallic alloys from scrap metal to increase the sustainability of metallic alloys. As such, MSED would like the capability to use scrap metal that may be of irregular shape as the initial feedstock for the atomization.

The particular alloy classes of interest are steel, superalloys, high-entropy alloys (HEA), and refractory-based alloys.

II. SPECIFICATIONS

The Contractor shall deliver one (1) ultrasonic atomizer that shall meet or exceed the minimum requirements identified below.

1. System Requirements:

• The system shall be designed for producing small quantities (100 g to 500 g) of custom metallic spherical powder with a size distribution between 40 m and 150 m diameters.

• The powder production efficiency shall be greater than 93% for standard alloys (steels, superalloys, refractory-based alloys).

• The system shall operate in an inert atmosphere using high-purity argon.

• The system shall be adaptable to 480 V power. The specifications for any needed step-down transformers must be included.

• The total weight of the system shall not exceed 1000 kg (1765 lbs.). The System is defined as the control system, process chamber, and recirculation unit.

• The maximum height of the system shall be less than 2.5 m (approx. 8 ft).

• The system's maximum footprint should be less than 5 m by 3 m (approximately 14.5 ft by 8.5 ft).

• All displayed and recorded numbers shall follow the International System of Units (SI)

• The system shall include a control system for the management of the thermal and atmospheric conditions inside the chamber.

• The system shall be modular in design and shall be designed to facilitate easy maintenance to allow rapid changes to new alloy systems.

• The system shall include an emergency shut off from the system.

2. Process chamber

• The process chamber shall be a water-cooled stainless steel vacuum chamber that is capable of maintaining a minimum vacuum of 5x10-2 mbar.

• The chamber shall include an overpressure and vacuum sensor.

• The chamber shall include at least two additional ISO-KF/ISO-K ports for adding additional sensors.

• The chamber shall include an arc-melting system.

• The chamber shall include an airlock for a removable powder collection chamber.

• The chamber shall include a glass viewport.

3. Feedstock Input

• The chamber shall include a manual rod material feeder that can accommodate rods up to 200 mm in length and at least a diameter within the range of 5 mm to 10 mm.

• The capability to use irregular feedstock shall be included to allow scrap material to be used within the system.

4. Feedstock Input Melting System

The system shall be configured such that either transferrable torches or non-transferrable torches can be used interchangeably.

5. Plasma Torch

• The system shall include a focused plasma TIG (Tungsten inert gas) non-transferrable torch to enable high melting capabilities. The torch shall have a minimum power requirement of 340 AMP.

• The plasma TIG torch shall include both electrodes within the torch body.

• The arc control for the torch shall be controlled regulating the gas flow.

• The arc ignition shall be made without contacting the material.

6. Ultrasonic system

• The ultrasonic system with a cold sonotrode shall include a 20 kHz transducer and ultrasonic single frequency generator with a 20 kHz maximum power for producing spherical particles with a

D50 between 80 m to 100 m diameters.

1..1. The system shall use dual water-air cooling.

1..2. The system shall include a 20 kHz IP67 class transducer.

1..3. The system shall include sonotrode starter pack for 20 kHZ with the following minimum materials:

• Ti64 alloy sonotrodes (Quantity 2)

• AISI 316 stainless steel sonotrodes (Quantity 2)

• TZM sonotrodes (Quantity 18)

• The ultrasonic system with a cold sonotrode shall include at least a 40 kHz transducer and ultrasonic single frequency generator with a 40 kHz maximum power for producing spherical particles with a D50 between 40 m to 60 m diameters.

1..1. The system shall use dual water-air cooling.

1..2. The system shall include a 40 kHz IP67 class transducer.

• The system shall include at least the following replacement sonotrodes made of the following minimum materials:

• Ti64 alloy sonotrodes (Quantity 2)

• AISI 316 stainless steel sonotrodes (Quantity 2)

• TZM sonotrodes (Quantity 18)

7. Control System

• The control system shall include the following minimum controls:

a) Ultrasonic power control

b) Frequency control and real-time monitoring

c) Cooling water and chamber temperature

d) Gas pressure and vacuum level control

• The system shall include an oxygen level sensor that provides at least a minimum detection of oxygen between 0 ppm and 1000 ppm.

• The system shall include a hydrometer to control the humidity for the dew point for a temperature range of at least -70 C to 60 C.

8. Gas recirculation system /powder collection

• The gas recirculation system shall enable continuous operation of the atomization system under an inert gas atmosphere.

• The gas recirculation system shall use a closed-loop flow.

• The gas recirculation system shall have at least a main filter and safety filter for particle control.

• The recirculation system shall enable the separation of nanoparticle agglomerates.

• The gas shall be cooled before being returned to the processing chamber to maintain a constant cooling rate.

• The system shall include a powder pre-separation system with a cyclone.

• The system shall include a water-cooled stainless steel filter chamber.

• The system shall include a pulsed dust-off system for nanoparticle collection.

• A removable powder collection chamber with an airlock shall be connected to the process chamber.

• The system shall include a minimum of 5 sets of HEPA filters.

9.: Basic Equipment and supplies

The basic machine kit at a minimum shall include:

• A set of operating manuals in hard copy or electronic copy. The manuals shall cover proper operation, routine maintenance, and troubleshooting for the instrument and any controlling software.

• Set of tools required for maintaining the system, including, at the minimum, appropriate torque wrenches and taps for maintaining the sonotrodes and appropriate tools for cooling and filtration systems.

• Electrode sharpener.

• Sonotrode vise with soft Al jaws.

• Bench grinder for adjusting feedstock.

• Abrasives set for fast materials exchange.

• Basic safety supplies including at least 2 sets of masks, gloves, goggles, and fire-retardant safety suits.

10. Water Chiller

• A water chiller appropriate for the designed system, with a minimum cooling capacity of 18.8 kW and an adjustable temperature range of at least 10 C to 14 C.

• The water chiller shall be designed for water-to-water chilling, using house-supplied chilled water.

• The nominal pump flow shall be 60 L/min with at minimum flow rate of 20 L/min and maximum flow 140 L/min

• The nominal pump pressure shall be 5.3 bar with a maximum acceptable pressure of 5.6 bar and a minimum acceptable pressure of 3.6 bar.

• The temperature control shall be at least 2 C.

• The noise level shall be less than 70 dB.

• The tank size shall be at least 45 L.

• The net weight of the unit shall be less than 250 kg.

11. Installation

The Contractor shall install the instrument in Building 223, Room A166-168, at NIST Gaithersburg, MD. Installation shall include, at a minimum, uncrating/unpacking of all equipment, set-up and hook-up of all equipment, start-up, and demonstration of specifications. The instrument will operate to the manufacturer’s specifications upon installation. Installation will take place during normal business hours, between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except for

Federal Holidays, and will be coordinated with the NIST Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

Installation is to occur within 60 calendar days of delivery.

12. Training

• The Contractor shall conduct two (2) days of training for at least two (2) users at NIST.

• The training shall provide a thorough demonstration of all system/solution functions, routine maintenance, and basic troubleshooting.

• The training will be completed at NIST in person after installation/set-up and on-site measurements demonstrating that no damage or misalignment issues arose during transportation and installation but shall be completed no later than 60 calendar days after installation.

• The training shall include atomization of a commercially available Ni-based superalloy (IN625) rod and one metallic alloy rod provided by the vendor during which the various features of the atomizer, as outlined in this Statement of Requirement (SOR), will be demonstrated by the vendor and confirmed by the NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Contracting Officer Representative

(COR).

• Training will be provided during normal business hours, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern

Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays, and will be coordinated with the COR to ensure maximum availability of NIST personnel.

13. Warranty:

The Contractor shall provide, at minimum, a one-year warranty for the equipment. The warranty shall cover all parts, labor, and travel (when issues cannot be resolved remotely) and commence upon acceptance by the Government.

Optional Equipment:

The following optional line items may be exercised at the Government’s discretion, at the time of the award.

Option 1: Additional Vacuum Mechanical Gripper

• Vacuum tight manual manipulator for adjusting arc-melted samples and the in-situ sonotrode maintenance (Quantity 1)

Option 2: Upgraded Vacuum System

• Replacement of any dual-stage oil pumps with a dry scroll pump (Quantity 1)

Option 3: Continuous Wire Feeder (Quantity 1)

• Continuous wire feeding unit with the following minimum criteria:

o Must work with wire diameters of minimum 0.5 mm and at least 2.4 mm diameters.

o The wire feeder must be able to be connected to the main processing chamber using an ISO-KF port to ensure no change in the processing atmosphere.

o Must have stepper-mode feeding capability.

III. DELIVERY

Delivery shall be FOB DESTINATION. Delivery shall occur not later than (NLT) 270 calendar days from the date of the award.

Delivery shall occur during normal business hours, between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays, and shall be made to:

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Bldg. 301 Shipping and Receiving

100 Bureau Drive

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1640

Installation of the instrument and training shall be accomplished at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Normal duty hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the exception of Federal holidays.

IV. DELIVERABLES

Description Quantity Recipient Due Date

Ultrasonic Atomizer One (1) system COR Delivered within 270 calendar days after award of this requirement.

Installation of the ultrasonic atomizer Once COR Within 60 calendar days after the atomizer is delivered to NIST

A set of operation and maintenance manuals for the ultrasonic atomizer

(electronic or hard copy (or both))

One (1) set COR Within 270 calendar days after the award of this requirement.

Training of NIST personnel at NIST, Gaithersburg, MD Once COR

Within 30 business days after installation

Option 1: Additional Vacuum

Mechanical Gripper One (1) COR

Within 90 calendar days of exercising the option.

Option 2: Upgrade vacuum system One (1) COR Within 180 calendar days of exercising the option.

Option 3: Continuous Wire feeder One (1) COR Within 90 calendar days of exercising the option.

V. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

The Government reserves the right to conduct performance tests and evaluations as defined below to verify the ultrasonic atomizer's performance. Such tests and evaluations shall be conducted within 60 calendar days of receipt of the ultrasonic atomizer and in the environment in which the ultrasonic atomizer is to be operated. These tests will include demonstrating the ability to make powder from commercially available rods of IN625 (a Ni-based superalloy) and 17-4 stainless steel. The powder produced will be examined by the SME and COR to confirm the particle shape, powder collection efficiency, and particle size distribution. The Contractor has the right to be present during the tests and evaluations, if performed, at the Contractor’s expense.

Formal acceptance will be given when the Contractor demonstrates that all specifications in this SOR, including installation and training, have been met.

VI. GENERAL INFORMATION

Safety: The Contractor employee shall be responsible for knowing and complying with commercial installation safety prevention regulations. Such regulations include, but are not limited to, general safety, fire prevention, and waste disposal.

Security: NIST is a restricted campus. An identification badge is required for access for entry into buildings and also is shown to the armed Security Police when entering the campus.

Identification Badges: Contractor employees shall comply with NIST identification and access requirements. The Contractor shall provide the name and citizenship information of employees for on-site visits to the NIST COR and SME prior to arrival. The COR and SME will submit the name(s) and citizenship information to the NIST Office of Security in order for a given

Contractor employee to enter the NIST campus. The Contractor employee is responsible for absences due to missing or expired identification and access documents. Each Contractor employee shall wear a visible identification badge provided by the NIST Security Office.

Vehicle Registration: All Contractor employees must register their vehicles with the NIST

Security Office to gain access to the campus. A valid driver’s license, Government-furnished civilian ID (which in most cases can be a valid driver's license), proof of insurance and current registration must be presented to the NIST Security Office.