QA AMD 0006 - MED CAL ARMNT SYS BARREL MANUF EQP 07162020.docx

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:

BARREL DRAWING:

Question 1: The drawing shows 327.81 MM from the end of the barrel to the start of the progressive twist rifling. It also shows 86.6 MM of straight rifling (no twist) before the start of the progressive twist. What is in the first 241.21 MM of the barrel? Smooth bore? Rifling?

Answer: The first 241mm of the barrel will be smooth, at the 50.02mm diameter.

Question 2: What is the condition of the barrel blanks when arriving at the Drill? Do you have a process print that shows diameter, straightness, hardness, with tolerances?

Answer: The material shall either be:

D6AC PER SAE-AMS-6431 AND SAE-AMS-2300, FORGED PER SAE-AMS-6400. HEAT TREAT TO 36 - 42 HRC PER SAE-AMS-H-6875.

Or:

COLD DRAWN D6AC, BAR PER SAE-AMS-6431 AND SAE-AMS-2300 Heat treated to 36-42 HRc.

The Government does not have a process drawing for the initial stock. The contractor shall supply the material prepped in the condition best suited for the equipment being supplied as long as the alloy and temper are correct.

Question 3: How many test blanks will be supplied to do testing and prove processes and tooling prior to the runoff?

Answer: The Government will not be supplying any material.

The RFQ:

4.1 General requirements

Question 4: Variable depth of cut in bore. What does this mean? Adjustable groove depth for the full length of barrel or variable groove depth from breech to muzzle?

Answer: The rifling groove depth must be adjustable for the full cutting length of the machine and programmable via the CNC controller.

Question 5: What is the meaning of 2 years of technical support?

Answer: The Government’s expectation is that the contractor POCs answer troubleshooting issues (via phone) for at least 2 years.

Question 6: What is the meaning of 5 years of maintenance?

Answer: 5 years of prepaid preventive maintenance shall be scoped in the offeror's response and provided (i.e. some recommended interval each year technicians of the offeror's choosing will perform preventive maintenance tasks on the three machines).

Question 7: What is the meaning of a NRTL approval?

Answer: Per OSHA standards all electrical systems for general industrial use must bear NRTL approval. The most common is UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES (UL) but there are many listed on OSHA's web site.

Question 8: Where in the requirements that specifies that perishable tooling or coolant is to be included in the quote?

Answer: The contractor shall supply all tool holding, work holding, perishable and non-perishable tooling, and all fluids (cutting fluid, hydraulic oil, way oil, etc) required to start up the machines and perform the acceptance testing at origin and destination. Upon successful completion of the test at origin all tool holding, work holding, perishable and non-perishable tooling become Government property and be delivered with the machine to the Government. The contractor shall supply all fluids required for installation, start up, and the performance test at destination. These fluids will become Government property upon successful completion of the destination test. All fluids shall be purchased new for the origin test but can be reused, at the contractors discretion, for the installation, start up and destination test.

Question 9: Where in the requirements that specifies that gauging to measure the barrel ID is to be included?

Answer: It is the contractors’ responsibility to measure and report (CDRL A005) on the barrels made at the origin acceptance testing, and the government retains the right to perform its own measurements prior to acceptance using CCDC AC owned laser bore mapping equipment. This same equipment will be used to inspect the test barrel at destination. Any/all barrels that are used in the origin and destination acceptance testing shall become Government property upon installation of the equipment or sooner.

Question 10 (SOW 4.1 General Requirements):

(Bullet point 5): "Variable depth of cut in bore” Can you please explain further what is meant here? Are you looking to have a variable groove depth on the rifling from muzzle to chamber end? Or are you referring to something like “bottle boring”? Or simply the ability to adjust groove depth as opposed to the use of a fixed form tool?

Answer: ANSWERED ABOVE.

Question 11 (SOW 4.2.1):

* Bullet Point 3: “Clamping Cones”. Are alternative workpiece clamping methods acceptable, such as self-centering 3 jaw chucks? Our experience shows that “clamping cones” are not sufficient for the size range of artillery barrel being produced.

Answer: Per the SOW requirements, the offeror is required to provide “Two (2) Clamping cones for workpiece”.

* Bullet point 4: “SMW Steady Rest”. Is brand name required here or are equivalent alternates acceptable

Answer: Brand name or equal is acceptable.

* Bullet Point 9: This seems to be a Builder Specific item. Also 68mm capacity seems to exceed the previously stated 50mm capacity of the machine. Can you please offer clarification as to what the intended application is for this item?

Answer: The drill tube clamp range will encompass the tooling required in the bullet points 10 thru 14 that follow it. The machine as delivered will not be required to drill a larger hole than is required to complete the sample part.

* Bullet points 10 thru 14: You are requesting Gun Drill drivers on a BTA technology machine. This seems contradictory. Is it your intent to perform both BTA and Gun Drill operations on the same machine?

Answer: The Government is requesting all tool holding required (less the actual cutting tool) to make the hole ranges listed in the bullet points on the offeror's machine.