Amend 001 - Attachment 1 - Draft Specifications.docx

Multi-Laser Metals-Based Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing System

Technical Specifications

Scope / Summary

The Intelligent Systems Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to procure a multi-laser powder bed fusion system for the study of high mix/ low volume, high throughput additive manufacturing of metal parts. The powder bed fusion system shall use four or more lasers to automatically manufacture fully dense metal parts to precise tolerances directly from digital 3D model data by selectively joining metal powder layer upon layer to the desired shape.

This procurement will give NIST researchers a newest technology in the metal AM capability with increased laser power, increased number of lasers, improved inert gas handling, improved material handling, improved production integration, a means to research faster build processes, and an experimental research platform for implementing and evaluating proposed standard test methods and new measurement systems and procedures. This procurement will allow NIST to expand our existing measurement science research in metal-based additive manufacturing to achieve a broader impact, establish key performance indicators for metal-based processes, and incorporate the sensing, diagnostics, communications and analytics needed to optimize these key performance indicators through production.

Additive manufacturing refers to a class of emerging manufacturing technologies for producing highly-complex, customized components by joining materials to make objects based on 3D model data, typically built layer upon layer. Parts are fabricated directly from a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) file that is virtually sliced into many thin layers and sent to an additive manufacturing (AM) system where each layer is incrementally formed. Several AM processes and systems have been developed over the past two decades and their capabilities have grown significantly. Generally, metal-based additive processes form parts by melting or sintering material in powder form until all layers are completed.

Additive manufacturing is capable of manufacturing parts that are not possible to make with conventional machining. For example, additively manufactured parts can be fabricated to have highly complex geometries, engineered porosity, and lattice structures. Complex geometries allow components to be designed and built as one part, as opposed to being incorporated in an assembly. Engineered porosity is popularly used in medical or biological applications, because the porous structure promotes osseointegration, the direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of an implant. Lattice structures are popular due to their high strength-to-weight ratios. Figure 1, shown below, contains two examples of parts that cannot be manufactured with conventional machining processes. Another advantage of additive manufacturing is that parts are directly produced from a digital 3D model of the part. This makes the process well suited for the quick manufacture of customized parts. High throughput additive manufacturing builds on these principles with additional considerations such as faster processing times, increased automation, and more streamlined processes achieved through advances in areas such as processing technology, sensor-based process monitoring capabilities, and process modeling and simulation capabilities.

Minimum Technical RequirementsFigure 1: Examples of complex parts with (a) a lattice structure and (b) complex geometry, manufactured using additive manufacturing processes.

The Contractor shall provide a system that meets all technical specifications identified below. All items must be new. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award. Experimental, prototype, or custom items will not be considered. The use of “gray market” components are not authorized for sale in the U.S. by the Contractor is not acceptable. All line items shall be shipped in the original manufacturer’s packaging and include all original documentation and software, when applicable.

Size

· The unit, its unassembled components, or the shipping containers must fit through a doorway that is 80 inches high and 64.5 inches wide.

· The maximum external height (installed) is 90 inches tall.

· The maximum external width (installed) is 60 inches wide, not including door or other accessory components

· The maximum external length (installed) is 100 inches long, not including door or other accessory components.

Laser

· The machine shall use a minimum of four laser beams to locally fuse the powder (i.e., the energy source shall be a minimum of four fiber lasers).

· Each fiber laser used to fuse powder shall have full-field scanning capability, meaning each laser can reach any point of the build area in its entirety.

· The achievablemaximum power of each fiber laser used to fuse the powder shall meet or exceed be 500 Watts or higher.

· Each fiber laser in the machine shall be supported by dynamic beam focusing capabilities.

· Each fiber laser shall have the capability to be operated in either pulse or continuous modes.

· Each fiber laser used to fuse the powder shall achieve a minimum spot (focus) diameter at the powder surface of 0.1 mm or smaller.

· Each laser beam shall have a maximum programmable scanning speed of 2 m/s or higher.

Build Environment & Monitoring

· The machine shall have an effective building volume (manufactured part size) of at least 245 mm (X) by 245 mm (Y) by 325 mm (Z).

· The machine shall incorporate an automaticin-process powder sieving system.

· The machine shall have a built-in sensor-based process monitoring capability to characterize the fabrication process in situ

· The machine shall build the part layer by layer from metal powder, with a minimum layer thickness of 0.03 mm or smaller.

Software & Data Access considerations

· The machine software shall allow users to change all process parameters including the powder layer thickness (i.e., open parameter sets).

· The machine shall provide open access to all monitored and relevant build data collected during the build.

· The machine shall include a process monitoring software package.

· The machine shall support and include dedicated build preparation software.

General and Safety considerations

· The machine shall be a factory-new, commercially-available system of the manufacturer’s current design.

· The machine shall have a means to automatically fabricate a new part layer on the previously processed layer.

· The machine shall be able to manufacture lattice structures and overhang features, e.g., features whose surfaces are supported by unmelted powder during manufacturing.

· The machine shall be able to manufacture fully dense (greater than 98%) parts from a variety of metal powders, including reactive materials such as titanium alloys and aluminum alloys and nonreactive materials such as steel alloys, nickel-based alloys, and cobalt-chrome alloys.

· The machine shall be equipped with a PC-based controller that accepts part model data in the STL and/or AMF formats through an Ethernet network connection. The controller shall control all machine functions enabling the fully automated manufacture of the part from the supplied part model data.

· The machine shall be of a unitized design that allows for ease of installation at various locations or relocation across the NIST campus and shall not require a special foundation.

· The machine shall be delivered with powder material to generate test parts out of a nickel alloy and a steel alloy. For each material, the amount of powder shall be equivalent to at least 5 liters of fully dense metal.

· The machine shall provide the environment and associated peripherals to build the part in an inert atmosphere.

· The machine shall incorporate adequate safety systems for safe operation.

Training

A minimum of 24 hours of training shall be provided at the NIST facility by the Contractor for up to four (4) people. The training shall provide a thorough demonstration of all equipment functions, programming, and operation of the machine controller, machine maintenance, data administration, safety considerations, basic troubleshooting, and all peripherals and post-processing. The training shall include hands-on exercises as part of the instruction. The training shall include electronic and paper copies of training materials and related information, including (but not limited to) training handouts, operator manuals, safety manuals, and system maintenance manuals. The training may be completed at NIST immediately after installation/setup and on-site measurements demonstrating that no damage or misalignment issues developed during transportation and installation (as described below), but shall be completed no later than 30 days after installation.

Delivery and Installation

Delivery shall be FOB destination. The Contractor shall deliver, install, and test the machine at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, MD in an existing building space to be identified. Any factory recommended foundation requirements shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. All transportation, rigging, and setup (unpacking, positioning, and leveling) are the sole responsibility of the Contractor.

Inspection and Acceptance

The Contractor shall test the integrated system and demonstrate its ability to meet the minimum technical specifications. All required instrumentation, powder materials, and tooling required for testing are the responsibility of the Contractor. The tests shall be conducted by the Contractor both before shipping the machine to NIST as well as after installation of the machine at NIST. The tests will be reviewed and verified by NIST representatives prior to acceptance. NIST reserves the right to independently test the installed system before acceptance for a period not exceeding fourteen (14) days.

Warranty and System Maintenance

The entire machine, including all mechanical, electrical, electronic, optical, and software components, shall be warranted for a minimum period of one year. All parts, labor, travel, expenses, etc., to repair any machine component shall be provided under the warranty by the manufacturer at no cost to the U.S. Government. The warranty shall be extended by one (1) year, if necessary, to resolve any equipment problems discovered during the initial warranty period or until such problems are resolved to the satisfaction of the Government, whichever is longer.

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