FA8650-19-S-5016-RFI.pdf

FA8650-19-S-5016

Manufacturing of Carbon-Carbon Composites for Hypersonic Applications (MOC3HA)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

14 February 2019

1. General Information Federal Agency Name: Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies Division.

This announcement does not request proposals at this time. This is a Request for Information (RFI) only, as defined in FAR 15.201 (e), to obtain information about capabilities and other market information for planning purposes. This RFI is not a request for competitive proposals; therefore, responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responses should include information identifying whether the responder’s firm is a small or large business. The size standard is 1000 employees. Companies that respond will not be paid for the information submitted. No telephone calls will be accepted regarding a bid package or solicitation. All information received shall be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure. Please do not submit any classified information. This RFI is for planning purposes only, and shall not be considered as a Request for Proposal (RFP), or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services.

2. Background The military services require high temperature materials for use in high Mach applications. One critical class of materials for hypersonics is carbon-carbon composites (C-C) which retain their strength at extraordinarily high temperatures, in excess of 3000°F, while being very lightweight. C-C applications of interest include missiles, nosetips and rocket motor nozzles. These applications have limited civilian counterparts and the industrial base remains small. Manufacturing capabilities are commensurately small. Most current manufacturing processes are not designed for manufacturing repeatability or high rates.

Therefore, the Defense Manufacturing Science and Technology Office (DMS&T) is contemplating pursuit of a Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) development initiative focusing on C-C composites. The initiative name is “Manufacturing of Carbon-Carbon Composites for Hypersonic Applications,” or MOC3HA. The objective of MOC3HA would be to create a stronger, broader supply base for C-C composites positioned to meet current and future DoD hypersonic weapons systems’ requirements, and is described in the following paragraphs.

3. Technical Requirements

As a DMS&T ManTech initiative, the goals of MOC3HA are:

a) Increase production capability for larger sizes of C-C

b) Develop novel 2D and 3D fiber architecture manufacturing

c) Stabilize processes and materials enabling establishment of A/B basis allowables

d) Improve quality and reliability of manufactured items at a size and volume scale of interest to the

DoD

e) Reduce cost and cycle time, and increase yield

f) Develop process models for C-C to guide development of improved manufacturing processes

g) Develop and/or implement automation of manufacturing processes

h) Develop manufacturing methods to produce near net shape components

i) Develop other technologies required for production such as non-destructive evaluation

ManTech efforts typically strive to mature the Technology Readiness Level / Manufacturing Readiness Level of processes from 4 to 7.

This RFI is specifically seeking information regarding the following technical areas:

i. Automation of Manufacturing Processes: Fabrication of C-C preforms and components has a high level of hand labor and non-automated processes, and therefore produces parts with high levels of variability in properties and dimensions. In addition, lack of automation reduces throughput and overall yield. Automation for preform fabrication in particular could greatly increase reproducibility and yield. Many technologies from the polymer matrix composites industry, such as automated layup, pre-pregging, tape wrapping, sanding, machining, fiber placement, inspection, projected work instructions, could be adapted for C-C. It is also anticipated that 3D fiber preform manufacturing processes could be fully automated or transitioned to continuous (rather than batch) processing to increase yield and reproducibility.

Using automation to create near net shape preforms and components would also be of interest, as would other ideas for further use of automation in C-C composite processing.

ii. Accelerated Processing to Reduce Cost and Cycle Time and/or Increase Yield: Current production processes for C-C can take weeks or months. Developing advanced densification processes for 2D and 3D carbon-carbon composites to allow for increased volume capability as well as reduced densification timelines would significantly improve throughput. Other technologies to improve throughput, scaling production to larger sizes, or technologies to improve oven and furnace output would also be of interest.

In any manufacturing process improvement, it is assumed the quality of the resulting component will not be compromised.

Operations Security (OPSEC) Requirements:

All contractors shall follow appropriate OPSEC measures required for this particular contract. This is required in an effort to reduce program vulnerability from successful adversary collection of possible sensitive unclassified and/or proprietary information, and violations of export control requirements. The prime contractor will ensure that all subcontractors, if applicable, conform to these requirements as required by the prime contractor. Guidance can be provided by AFRL/RX Security as needed.

Program Protection Plan (PPP) – Any potential critical program information (CPI) generated as part of this effort will be reviewed to determine the need for a PPP.

4. Submission Instructions

In order to better assess feasibility and to assess industry capabilities, AFRL is requesting that interested parties submit their capabilities and ideas for innovation in the two technical areas described in paragraph 3:

i. Automation of Manufacturing Processes

ii. Accelerated Processing to Reduce Cost and Cycle Time and/or Increase Yield

• Page limit: No more than 5 pages total including all cover pages, graphics, qualifications, references, etc.

• Paper Size: Standard letter-size 8 ½” x 11” paper

• Margins: 1”

• Font: 11 point or larger

• A single company may submit multiple responses

• Responses should be UNCLASSIFIED, but may include proprietary or restricted/export controlled data. The document should be properly marked. Only government employees will review responses and data will be properly protected.

• Responses to the RFI are due to the Contracting Office identified below no later than 3:00 PM Local Time, 20 March 2019, regardless of whether submission is electronic or paper.

Documentation shall be delivered to the Contracting Officer. Email submission is preferred, but the documents should be encrypted or password protected to ensure proper handling. If an email submission is not possible, paper submissions should be mailed to the following address:

AFRL/RQKMC

ATTN: Mary Ann Sharits 2130 8th Street, Bldg. 45 (Area B) Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7541 Telephone: (937) 713-9898 E-mail: mary.sharits@us.af.mil

A responder may request clarification, in writing, from the Contracting Office for any aspect of this RFI that is unclear, by sending an email to: mary.sharits@us.af.mil Technical questions regarding this RFI should be directed to:

Dr. Karla L. Strong by email at karla.strong.1@us.af.mil, or Mr. Ian Wolford at ian.wolford.1@us.af.mil, or Dr. Mark Jones at mark.l.jones@navy.mil.

Any requests for clarification must be received no later than seven (7) business days prior to the close of the RFI in order to receive a timely response.

mailto:karla.strong.1@us.af.mil mailto:ian.wolford.1@us.af.mil mailto:mark.l.jones@navy.mil