Amendment 02 attach.pdf

Responses to questions and clarifications for Intaglio Presses DRAFT Statement of Work. An updated Statement of Work is still in progress to include the changes listed below.

C.3.1.2. Processing Rate:

Requirement:

The press shall demonstrate an ability to print a minimum of 60,000 sheets meeting the spoilage required (C.3.1.1) within a 6½ hour period. The maximum printing speed shall be at least 10,000 impressions per hour (IPH). The press shall have an idle speed matching the minimum running speed of

2,000 IPH.

BEP Clarification: BEP desires press operating in idle mode for cleaning and inching as necessary.

C.3.1.3 Manning:

Requirement:

The press shall require the labor no more than two (2) individuals trained in the operation of the press.

BEP Clarification: BEP plans to update the requirement something to the extent that press shall operate with two (2) Printers and at least one (1) Printing Plant Worker.

3.2.5.1 Impression Force

Requirement:

The impression force on the existing BEP Intaglio presses is manually controlled by adjusting the gap between the plate and impression cylinders. Typically, the operator can adjust the gap in .01mm steps, to create the impression force range required.

The new Intaglio presses shall have a selectable impression force range of 0 to 375 Kn per side and automatically control and maintain the impression force between the plate and impression cylinders to +/- 2% of set point.

BEP Clarification: The new Intaglio presses shall have a selectable impression force range of 0 to 375 Kn per side and provide feedback in (KN) to the operator to maintain quality. System shall allow control and maintain the impression force between the plate and impression cylinders to +/- 2% of set point.

The exact language for this requirement is still being refined by the BEP.

Requirement:

The impression force shall be measured real time (Kn) with an accuracy of 1% of full scale. This accuracy can be achieved through an approved calibration procedure. The actual impression force and set point shall be monitored, displayed, and recorded real time in the DCS for each segment of the plate cylinder and impression cylinder. A simple means to periodically calibrate the impression force shall be provided.

An alarm shall alert the operator when the force is out of acceptable range. The impression force shall not drift more than 2% of the set point on either side and calibration should only be necessary on a maximum of a quarterly basis.

BEP Clarification: BEP will maintain the existing requirement. The solution provided by offerors to meet this requirement will be evaluated by the BEP.

C.3.2.6 Inking System

Requirement:

Lateral and circumferential control of inking-in registration shall be provided. The minimum range shall be +/- 4 mm in 0.1 mm increments.

BEP Clarification: BEP is considering amending this requirement to a minimum range of +/-3 mm in 0.1mm increments.

C.3.2.6.1 Ink metering system

Requirement:

Each region shall be individually controllable from full open to close. At full closure, zero set point, no ink film shall be transferred. At an open position, sufficient ink shall flow to print any denomination of U.S.

currency regardless of depth of intaglio, layout and transfer segment.

BEP Clarification: BEP is in process of updating SOW requirement to define fully closed as zero set point gap of 0.025mm.

C.3.2.7.3 Wiping Systems Operation

Requirement:

The wiping system shall use no more than 4 gallon per minute (gpm) or 252 cm per minute of BEP provided wiping solution

BEP Clarification: Correction to Typo: " ... or 252 cubic centimeters per second (cc/s)". This will be updated in the SOW.

Requirement:

The wiping force shall be set by the operator to maintain a maximum of 75 kN (kilo-Newton) per side using current wiper materials with a 43-45 R hardness. The wiping force shall be maintained within +/- 2% of set point, per side. The wiping force shall be measured and recorded in the DCS with an accuracy of +/-1%. The press shall be supplied with a device to calibrate the wiping force. The wiping force shall not drift more than 2% from set point and calibration should only be necessary on a maximum of a quarterly basis. Electronic monitoring and display of the wiping force, actual and set-point, between the individual segments of the plate cylinder and wiping roller shall be provided for each side. The wiping force shall be displayed and recorded in kilo-Newton (kN). An alarm shall alert the operator when the force is out of acceptable range.

BEP Response: This language is being reviewed by BEP.

Requirement

The delivery units shall have the capabilities of stacking up to 10,000 sheets on a skid, when not using the BEP Stack-nRack. (Attachment 6)

BEP Clarification: BEP still reviewing this requirement. 10,000 sheet amounts on a skid required for stacking may be reduced.

3.2.13 In-Line Inspection System

Requirement

The BEP will be providing a unique sheet identifier (barcode) on each sheet. This will be read and used to correlate inspection with machine parameters at the time of printing.

Question:

Can the BEP specify the type of barcode on the sheet and the system used to scan it?

BEP Response: BEP is developing specifications for the system. Once specifications are developed, they will be provided.

3.2.13.2 User Interface

Requirement

The user shall be able to zoom down to display individual pixel defects.

BEP clarification: BEP expects to be able to set thresholds to allow the system to identify warnings and defects. Language may be updated.

The system shall allow for the operator to independently create a group of regions where 4 pairs of tolerances adjust the sensitivity of 4 detectors: warning, area, peak and streak; for each color channel, each IR channel, as well as overall intensity and print contrast. The sensitivity of each detector can be adjusted separately for each group in both too dark and too light directions. By setting those tolerances, the operator will adjust the minimum size and intensity contrast to the reference needed to generate an error.

BEP Response: BEP is in process of reviewing and amending the language for this requirement to ensure the requirement language and terminology is not specific to one offeror.

Requirement:

The statement of work contains several references to system calibration, and some are even conflicting such as the following:

All camera calibration shall remain stable for 1 year.

And

The inspection lighting and camera system combined shall demonstrate stable output (± 5% intensity scales per pixel in each RGB color channel and IR intensity channel) across the FOV for a minimum of 6 months of continuous use (3 shifts, 5 days a week) between calibration cycles.

The other references to the calibration are:

The camera and lighting system shall be calibrated to standard color references. The camera and lighting system shall be calibrated to standard references.

The inspection system shall monitor lighting system variations, graph deviations from target and present an alarm to the operator when deviations exceed thresholds.

A detailed calibration process shall be documented in the manual(s) for the inspection system.

The process shall progress step-by-step for calibrating the cameras and lighting to optimize performance and shall use measurable targets to standardize the dynamic range of the inspection system and ensure consistency across presses.

BEP Response: Language will be reviewed and potentially clarified in the SOW.

Requirement

The inspection system shall allow a selectable number of note failures to divert a sheet into the rejection pile (3rd delivery), from a single note failure to requiring all notes to fail.

Question

Can the BEP please elaborate on the above requirement? Is this requirement a sorting algorithm where if a sheet is rejected with more than N notes rejected, that sheet will be sent to pile 3. Where N is selectable by the customer? If more than N notes are rejected the sheet will be delivered to pile 4?

BEP Response: Yes, your description as questioned is correct. The BEP requires this for its downstream, single note reclamation process.

Requirement

The inspection system shall be able to differentiate paper defects, such as clusters of paper fibers and paper spots (≥ 1mm2 ) from printing defects in case the paper spots have a different color than the printing.

Question

Can the BEP please confirm the intent of this requirement is to allow paper spots or fibers smaller than 1mm2 when they exist if they have a different color than the inks in the design?

BEP Response: Question is in process of being addressed at BEP.

C.3.2.13.4 Measurements Requirement

System shall have a measurement accuracy of +/-0.2 mm for all measurements less than 200 mm.

BEP Response: Requirement language is being reviewed by BEP.

Requirement

The inspection system shall measure the dimensions between select print features within a note. The system shall be able to perform up to 15 measurements per note location plus an additional 150 measurements among the sheet; total of 900 measurements per sheet (for a 50 subject sheet).

BEP Response: BEP in process of reviewing this requirement language.

3.2.14.5 Product Quality Tracking Subsystem (Sheet Identifier) Requirement

The press shall have the capability of capturing a sheet identifier that will be provided on each sheet and record all data for that sheet identifier through the manufacturing process. It is desired for the On-Line inspection system to read an identifier printed on a sheet and link the inspection results and press data to that identifier within an Oracle database.

Question

Since BEP has not specified any details of the sheet identifier to be read, will the BEP provide the specifications and device to read the sheet identifier?

BEP Response: Response is in progress of being addressed.

Requirement

Inspection data shall be integrated into the BEP database for recording the measurement and inspection results by region for each note on every sheet.

BEP Response: Response is in process. Requirement language is being reviewed.

3.2.15 Operational Process Control Logic – “Operational Bible” Question:

Can the BEP provide an example of a segment of the “Operational Bible” document?

BEP Response: Question is in process of being addressed by BEP.

3.2.16 Third Party Inspection System (TPIS) Requirement

Third Party Inspection Systems (TPIS) are stand-alone quality control units designed and fabricated by either the BEP or another contractor(s).

Question

Can the BEP provide more information regarding each TPIS system?

BEP Response: Question is in process of being addressed by BEP.

Requirement

Data files shall be configurable for each TPIS independently to begin and end with at least the following Operational Sequence events: Lot Start/Stop, Shift Start/Stop, or Process Start/Stop.

Question

What meant by Process Start/Stop?

BEP Response: Process Start/Stop does not apply and will be removed from the requirement.

Question

As specified, the TPIS can create a data file containing up to 5GB of data, but it is unclear the interval at which this file is created, how these files should relate to the press production, and where this data should be integrated. Could the BEP provide a more detailed data definition?

BEP Response: Question is in the process of being addressed by BEP.

C.3.4.14 Support Rollers

Requirement

Each press shall be delivered with the following number of additional rollers to enable the BEP to recoat the rollers while maintaining three shifts a day, seven days a week production. These rollers shall be in addition to the number of rollers normally provided with each press.

• Wiper rollers - Nine (9) per press

• Chablon rollers - Three (3) per press

• Ductor rollers - One (1) per fountain per press

These rollers shall be covered and fully ready for installation into the presses with no additional work needed by the BEP. These rollers shall not be used prior to acceptance of the press.

Question

Is the spare Chablon roller requirement necessary?

BEP Response: Yes, BEP would at least like to have a spare. The required quantity may be adjusted from what is listed above in the final requirement.