Metal powder-based additive manufacturing machine

Added: Mar 24, 2017 1:15 pm THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 12.6-STREAMLINED PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATION AND SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS-AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED, AND A SEPARATE WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED. THE SOLICITATION IS BEING ISSUED USING SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is issuing a brand name Request for Quotation (RFQ) for a metal powder-based additive manufacturing (AM) machine manufactured by EOS of North America.

All offerors must be authorized resellers of EOS of North America. The NIST Engineering Laboratory (EL) Intelligent Systems Division (ISD) currently has a metal powder-based AM machine manufactured by EOS of North America (called the EOS M270 machine). ISD has been using the EOS M270 metal additive machine (with 200 W laser power) for the last five years to conduct measurement science research to develop measurement methods and standards for metal-based laser powder bed fusion processes. To conduct this research, ISD scientists and engineers have designed, fabricated and installed various measurement platforms on this machine. The most important of such platforms is the new door for the build enclosure to enable mounting infrared cameras to measure temperatures of the process while the melting process is underway. This is a very unique setup allowing deeper understanding of the fusion process enabling future possibilities of process control to reduce variabilities. ISD's intends to purchase the newest model of this machine (M290) with 400 W laser power and directly transfer this setup and others that were developed for the M270 machine to it, without spending time, effort and additional Government resources to redesign and build these fixtures and auxiliary equipment. Furthermore, over the years, ISD has trained six engineers and technicians to operate this machine to conduct research. Buying an EOS M290 will not require extensive training since the operation of the new machine (M290) is very similar to the M270 model due to similarity of controllers and the software used to operate them.

SEE FULL SOLICITATION ATTACHED.