Automated Die Polishing - RFI

Background: The United States Mint produces proof coins at West Point, Philadelphia, and San Francisco Mints. Up until 2004 or 2005, the proof dies were polished by hand with an average operator producing approximately 5 or 6 dies per shift. The quality of the manually polished dies was inconsistence from operator to operator. As a result, the United States Mint entered into a R&D contract to develop an automated die polishing system for proof dies. Once the development work was completed, the automated die polishing systems were implemented in each of the respective proof coin producing operations.

Description: The automated die polishing systems at each of the plants performs the final polishing of the "mirror surface" areas for proof dies. The die surface is crowned and has engraved detail set into areas of open field. The polishing machine must finish the field areas without removing the engraved detail, and must perform at polishing up to 10 dies in approximately 8-10 minute cycle times per machine.

Requirement: To achieve the required finish and throughput in the final die polishing stage of the die manufacturing process, it is necessary to automatically process dies in batches vs. single piece manual processing. The United States Mint has found that an approach utilizing an oscillating mandrel is the only known way to process large quantities of dies with minimal loss of detail and minimal hand clean up. The mandrel tilts approximately one degree from perpendicular to accommodate the crowned die surface.

The United States Mint is seeking sources that may be capable of meeting and matching the existing automated die polishing systems. In order to minimize any variations in the proof quality coin products, new polishing systems will have to replicate the existing mirror finishes produced with the existing equipment and meet the current throughput rates.

All interested parties should contact the Contracting Officers immediately.