Salient Characteristics-W911QX24Q0106_Redacted.pdf

Template last updated 07/28/2016

Salient Characteristics

Commercial Availability Certification:

I have evaluated the commercial marketplace and determined that all of the salient characteristics documented below are available in products/services offered in the commercial marketplace.

Signature (typed name):

Technical Point of Contact (TPOC)

Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) 0001: The Government requires one (1) siliconization furnace, that meet the Government’s minimum requirements:

1. High Temperature Furnace

• The high temperature furnace chamber, main assembly frame, power supply, control cabinet, and any electric or mechanical hardware that contains or operates using 240 high voltage (V) three (3)-phase power or greater, shall have an assembled and fully functioning footprint that stays within the allowable equipment space limitation (113 inches (”) by 72 inches (”)) demonstrated in the lab space schematic (Reference – ARL Laboratory Layout for Furnace Install).

• Support systems and/or equipment such as pumps, chillers, or other peripherals that do not meet the previous limitations are allowed to exist within the larger buffer zone extending around the allowable equipment space by 36” (as shown by the dotted line boundary in the attached ARL Laboratory Layout for Furnace Install.) whereby two (2) of the dotted line boundaries are coincident with the facility walls.

• Another limitation, delineated by the circular shaded boundary labeled, “No High Voltage” is also shown in the attached ARL Laboratory Layout for Furnace Install.

Exposed high voltage wiring is not allowed, even on the main equipment assembly, in the circular region. Unexposed high voltage wiring on the main assembly or peripheral equipment is allowed in the full “Allowable Equipment Space”. No support or peripheral systems or equipment of any kind shall be placed in the buffer zone within the circular region labeled “No High Voltage”.

• The distance from the edge of the 72” wide double door to the furthest wall away from the door that contains the allowable equipment space is 126”. The distance from the other side of the 72” wide double doors to the wall that does not contain any equipment is 78”. The total allowable space for equipment including the buffer zone is 185” by 144”.

• All electric, water, and gas supplies to support installed equipment operation will be made available from the wall that contains the top edge of the dotted buffer zone (126 inches away from the double doors) only. Offerors shall only configure the installed equipment to operate with control panels and loading doors (to the hot zone and/or retort) that are accessible from the open unwalled regions of the allowable equipment space buffer zone.

• Water-cooled, side-loading, side hinged door with at least one (1) port for optical pyrometer passthrough.

• Shall have a cabinet-mounted control/power supply console.

2. Hot zone

• The Side-Loading Furnace shall be the primary method for processing ceramics, ceramic composites, and high temperature materials in a carbon-based insultation and heating elements for vacuum and inert atmospheres.

• The furnace shall have a sustainable 1800 Celsius (°C) operating temperature.

• Max heating rate at least 10°C / minute.

• The usable hot zone shall be a minimum of 6” square x 8” height.

• The hot zone shall consist of graphite resistance heating elements.

• Retractable thermocouple on welded stainless steel bellows with pneumatic action and automatic crossover control.

• Tight seal graphite retort chamber with minimum dimensions specified by “hot zone”.

3. Shall contain one (1) Retort

• Heated gas outlet with afterburner (propane or natural gas).

• Tight seal graphite fit with gas outlet.

• Ideal hot zone inside retort (approximately (~) 9” x 9” x 16”) (Width x Length x

Height), [minimum of 6” x 6” x 8” (Width x Length x Height)].

• Capability for flowing argon (Ar) or nitrogen (N2) gas with mass flow controller (Ar flow 0.8 – 40 litters per hour (l/h)).

• Retort/afterburner shall achieve a high enough temperature to ensure only carbon dioxide (CO₂) effluence post combustion.

4. Shall capable process the Siliconization

• Water/cold trap to remove silicon vapor before reaching vacuum pumps.

• Trap shall be operable under all atmosphere conditions (vacuum, Ar, N2) flow rates.

5. Instrumentation

• Shall include fully automated control with instrumented data capture and multiple programmable operations via personal computer (PC) or programmable logic controller (PLC).

• Shall not include third (3rd) party license fees for software, firmware, or hardware.

• All operational and captured data shall be recordable at full sensor fidelity into non-proprietary open-source data formats (e.g., Comma-Separated Values (CSV), JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), etc.), including sensor metadata.

• Shall ensure all primary furnace functions sensorized with continuous data logging controlled by the centralized PLC including the following areas:

o Voltage o Amperage o Setpoints o Power o Temperature (pyrometer reading, sliding thermocouple (TC), over-temp controller (OTC)) o Pressure o Gas flow o After burner torch temperature

6. Power and Cooling

• Unit shall operate via 480 voltage (V), three (3) phase, 60 Hertz (Hz) facility power.

• Stainless steel water cooled jacket construction.

• Water cooled transformer.

• Unit shall be configured to operate with a water-to-water chiller on a closed loop with conditioned water. (offerer will specify water replacement, potential of hydrogen (pH), and prolonged disuse requirements (i.e. – draining and conditioning).

• Shall contain Underwriters Laboratories (UL) electrical safety certification (or equivalent).

• Assembled unit shall comply with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) code of the United States (US): Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Radio Frequency Devices Regulations, 47 CFR Part 15 (or internationally recognized equivalent).

7. Atmosphere control

• Mechanical vacuum of at least 5 x 10-2 millibar (mbar) in an empty chamber at standard temperature and pressure (STP).

• Leakage rate less than 5 x 10-3 mbar liters per second (l/s).

• Inert gas into main furnace chamber o Argon (Ar) or nitrogen (N2) gas o Flow rate: 200 - 2000 l/h

• User-adjustable vacuum evacuation speed to prevent sample movement during pump-down.

• Inert gas system for nitrogen and argon regulated by mass flow controllers.

• Gettering gas purifier with less than 10-4 Parts Per Billion (PPB) oxygen emission is required.

8. Spare Parts

• One (1) Complete replacement retort chamber

• Two (2) sets of heating elements

• Two (2) full sets of heat shields

• Two (2) thermocouples

• One (1) set of fuses

• One (1) set of O-rings

9. Additional Requirements

• Shall ensure all safety and regulation systems/devices have redundancies to ensure automatic shutdown (return to safe) in the event of total power failure at peak operating temperature.

• The ability process green or pyrolyzed bodies of at least 4 inches (”) diameter and/or 4”x4” square.

• Data transfer (and/or capture) to a PC computer with additional Universal Serial Bus (USB)/ Secure Digital (SD) card port.

• Unit shall be capable of stand-alone operation without the need for internet or other remote interfacing.

• Factory Acceptance Test to witness testing up to 1800°C.

CLIN 0002: The Contractor shall provide delivery to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD 21005.

CLIN 0003: The Contractor shall provide a minimum of one (1) day of on-site service for installation and training of complete system.

CLIN 0004: The Contractor shall provide a standard warranty. The warranty shall include technical support and phone support with the ability to provide an on site technicial within 24 hours to address any issues/problems with the system.

Contractual Limitations

• If contract financing is required, the advanced payment shall not exceed 15% of the contract price in accordance with (FAR Part 32.202-1(b)(6)).

Anti-Terrorism (AT) Operational Security (OPSEC) Requirements:

• Access and general protection/security policy and procedures. This standard language is for contractor employees with an area of performance within Army controlled installation, facility, or area. Contractor and all associated sub-contractors employees shall provide all information required for background checks to meet installation access requirements to be accomplished by installation Provost Marshal Office, Director of Emergency Services or Security Office. Contractor workforce must comply with all personal identity verification requirements (FAR clause 52.204-9, Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel) as directed by DOD, HQDA and/or local policy. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the Force Protection Condition (FPCON) at any individual facility or installation change, the Government may require changes in contractor security matters or processes.

• For contractors that do not require CAC, but require access to a DoD facility or installation. Contractor and all associated sub-contractors employees shall comply with adjudication standards and procedures using the National Crime Information Center Interstate Identification Index (NCIC-III) and Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) (Army Directive 2014-05/AR 190-13), applicable installation, facility and area commander installation/facility access and local security policies and procedures (provided by government representative), or, at OCONUS locations, in accordance with status of forces agreements and other theater regulations.

Distribution:

Determination of contract submission documents and Determination of information generated from the performance of the contract:

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Attachment:

• ARL Laboratory Layout for Furnace Install