FA8684BBRC RFI.pdf

Robotic Blasting Arm – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Request for Information on Robotic Blasting Arm Vendors for the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Advanced

Manufacturing Program Office Lead Organization submitting Concept: Rapid Sustainment Office/Advanced Manufacturing Program Office

Technical POC: Matthew Thaxton, 1865 4th St, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 45433, matthew.thaxton@us.af.mil

Administrative POC: Mary Schuler, 1865 4th St, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 45433, mary.schuler.1@us.af.mil

Author: Mary Schuler

1. Introduction:

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for source planning and market- research purposes. It does not constitute an invitation to bid, a request for quotation or proposal, nor does it create any obligation for the Government to procure goods or services.

• Responses are to be treated as informational only; no payment, direct or indirect costs, or charges to the Government will result from a respondent’s submission.

• The Government will not award a contract, nor enter negotiations, based solely on the information received.

• Information gathered may be used to shape the Advanced Manufacturing Program Office’s (AMPO) acquisition strategy, develop future Statements of Work/Objectives, and define performance specifications.

The AMPO is conducting this market research to assess vendor capabilities and determine the most appropriate acquisition approach. No contract award or payment is anticipated as a direct result of this RFI.

Executive Summary

The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is researching capability options for a wall mounted robotic blasting arm to automate de‑painting operations. The U.S. Air Force seeks responses describing a robotic system that can remove paint and primer, either autonomously or manually, using abrasive blast media and programmable paths. Responses should detail functional capabilities, performance specifications, integration requirements, and any supporting technologies required to achieve reliable de‑painting of aircraft components.

Problem Statement

The Air Force requires a wall‑mounted robotic blasting arm to perform de‑painting. This document invites respondents to evaluate available solutions and provide a recommendation for a qualified wall‑mounted robotic blasting arm that meets the required capabilities.

mailto:matthew.thaxton@us.af.mil mailto:mary.schuler.1@us.af.mil

Mandatory Requirements (Thresholds)

1. Mechanical / Process Requirements

# Requirement

1.1 The robot shall be wall mounted so that, when retracted, the blast booth can be used for manual blasting.

1.2 The robot shall provide seven (7) independent axes of articulation to enable a wide range of motion.

1.3

Path programming shall be achievable manually via pendant or via 3D modeling software for each part configuration, allowing fully automatic blasting.

1.4

The controller/software shall be capable of storing at least 50 distinct blasting recipes per user. (A “recipe” includes speed, power, media flow, and tool-path data.)

1.5 The system shall use Magic-Type 8 blast media (20/30 mesh). Use of other sizes or media types is optional.

1.6 The robot shall fit within a maximum installation envelope of 15 ft (L) × 12 ft (W) × 16 ft (H).

1.7 The robot shall be able to process parts up to 3 ft × 5 ft × 1 ft on a 5 ft × 10 ft blasting table.

2. Electrical / Power Requirements

# Requirement

1.8 The system shall operate from 480 V AC, 3-phase power.

1.8-b The supplied air pressure shall not exceed 100 psi.

3. Cyber Security & Communications

# Requirement

1.9

The controller shall be equipped with an Ethernet (RJ45) interface accessible on the enclosure. The interface shall support external machine monitoring and data collection using industry standard protocols.

1.10

The controller shall be licensed to communicate at minimum with Fanuc Focas 2 and MTConnect . The installed MTConnect adapter shall be version 1.3 or later .

1.11 The controller/PLC shall run a Windows 10 (version 20H2) or later operating system (Windows 11 is acceptable).

# Requirement

1.12

User privileges shall be separated into user and administrative accounts. User accounts shall be able to perform all machine functions without Windows administrative rights.

4. Safety & Compliance

# Requirement

1.13 The robot system shall comply with ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012 safety standards for industrial robots.

2. Requested Information

Respondents shall describe a recommended solution that meets the capability requirements set forth in this RFI and shall follow the deliverable instructions in the Responses section. Attachments such as slide decks, videos, or other presentation material may be included for clarification. Where applicable, respondents should reference experience from prior contracts or Independent Research and Development (IR&D) activities.

The items listed below are mandatory and must be addressed in the response.

# Requirement

2.1

Submit a system-architecture diagram and a concise description of the system and its subsystems. Include an assessment of the technical feasibility of any proposed modifications to existing equipment.

2.2 Provide an estimated timeline to field the wall-mounted robotic blasting arm, and identify any significant risks that could affect schedule or performance.

2.3 Provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate to field the wall-mounted robotic blasting arm.

3. Impact and Technology Transition Plan

Deploying a wall-mounted robotic blasting arm will remove airmen from high-chromate, high-noise environments, improve sustainment agility, and increase operational readiness and safety. The transition plan calls for fielding a single system, capturing usage data, and evaluating the results for possible expansion to additional Air Force locations.

Responses

Format and Submission

Item Requirement

Document PDF “submission” not to exceed 12 pages (12-point Times New Roman).

Deadline 13 October 2025, 1400 Eastern Time.

Security Unclassified submissions must be sent only via a secure e-mail or secure website to the points of contact listed below.

Points of Contact

Contracting Officer – Andrew Gross (andrew.gross.4@us.af.mil ), Technical Coordinator

– Matthew Thaxton (matthew.thaxton@us.af.mil ), Administrative POC – Mary Schuler (mary.schuler.1@us.af.mil )

Content Organization – The response package shall be divided into two distinct sections:

1. Administrative Information (minimum required)

• Company name and mailing address

• CAGE code

• Phone number

• Designated point of contact (name and e-mail)

2. Technical Approach – Address the problem described in this RFI and present the recommended solution.

Marking and Proprietary Information

• Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) – Apply the appropriate CUI caveats (including any ITAR restrictions) to the entire submission, if applicable.

• Proprietary Data – Clearly label any proprietary material. The Government will treat properly marked proprietary information in accordance with the contract administrative procedures. Unmarked proprietary data will be considered public and may be used without restriction.

• Marketing Content – Do not include marketing or promotional material.

Handling of Submissions

All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The Government will not be liable for any consequential damages arising from the inclusion of proprietary information that is not correctly identified.

Contract government employees may be tasked with administrative processing and technical evaluation of all responses. These employees have signed nondisclosure agreements that prohibit the disclosure or misuse of any contractor provided information.

Questions and Industry Discussion

All inquiries concerning this announcement must be submitted in writing by e-mail to the points of mailto:andrew.gross.4@us.af.mil mailto:matthew.thaxton@us.af.mil mailto:mary.schuler.1@us.af.mil contact listed below. Verbal questions will not be accepted. Questions must not contain proprietary or classified information.

Contact E-mail Contracting Officer – Andrew Gross andrew.gross.4@us.af.mil

Technical Coordinator – Matthew Thaxton matthew.thaxton@us.af.mil

Administrative POC – Mary Schuler mary.schuler.1@us.af.mil

• Deadline for questions: 29 September 2025, 1400 Eastern Time. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after this deadline will be answered in time for the submission due date.

• Questions: questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information.

If warranted, U.S. Government representatives may consolidate and disseminate general feedback to all respondents after all submissions are received. Follow-on discussions with individual interested parties may be coordinated. The intent of any such discussions would only be to obtain additional clarification of potential capabilities to meet U. S. Government requirements and further expose risks (especially development risks).

mailto:andrew.gross.4@us.af.mil mailto:matthew.thaxton@us.af.mil mailto:mary.schuler.1@us.af.mil