Sources Sought for Robotic Motion System, controller, and supporting accessories

A. Objective:

To find sources that are qualified to meet the supplies/services as listed in section 11B. Note that the specific requirements in section C are subject to change prior to the release of any solicitation.

B. Salient Characteristics

The contractor shall provide one (1) unit robotic motion system with the following minimum salient characteristics/specifications:

1. Robot-arm manipulator shall comprise of:
   1. Minimum of six (6) degrees of freedom
   2. Position repeatability of 0.01 millimeter (mm) or better as measured by ISO 9283
   3. Path repeatability of 0.1 mm or better as measured by ISO 9283
   4. Total manipulator weight less than 50 kilogram (kg)
   5. Payload 1 kg or greater
   6. Minimum of  four (4) input/output (I/O) channels located near end of manipulator (on wrist)
   7. Reach of at least 500 mm
   8. Average of all joint speeds is at least 400 °/s
   9. Total of all joint ranges is at least 1200 °

1. Robot controller shall comprise of:
   1. Must include desktop skin for cable management
   2. Minimum of eight (8) internal digital I/O channels
   3. Minimum of eight (8) external digital I/O channels
   4. Minimum of four (4) analog I/O channels
   5. Must include hand-held teach pendant with:
      1. Touch screen
      2. Joystick
   6. Must include firmware for:
      1. Collision detection
      2. Path recovery
      3. Manual programming on teach pendant
      4. Advanced robotic motions
      5. Increased accuracy for floor mounted manipulators
      6. Control of additional independent axes
      7. Force control
      8. Externally controlled motion
          
2. Portable user interface shall comprise of:
   1. Must include firmware for:
      1. Offline simulation of robotic motion
      2. Conversion of gcode, generated by any arbitrary 3D printing slicer, into a tool path executable by the robot-arm manipulator
          
3. The contractor shall provide all required cables for connecting the above devices together.

1. Shipping and handling to Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland 21005

C. Responses:

All interested parties should notify this office in writing, mail, fax, or e-mail within the posted date.  Responses shall include:

1. To what extent each of the specifications can be met.
    
2.  Include your type of business (i.e. commercial, academia), whether your organization is classified as a large or small business based on the 500 employees standard that accompanies NAICS code 333999. If a small business, you must also list any small disadvantaged status you hold [HUBZone, 8(a), Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), etc.].
    
3. Past experience/ performance through the description of completed projects.
    
   (12) Responses to this sources sought are due no later than 11:59 AM eastern standard time 02/09/2021. Submissions should be emailed to Adrian Barber, adrian.t.barber.civ@mail.mil.   
    
   Questions concerning this sources sought may be directed to Adrian Barber at adrian.t.barber.civ@mail.mil or 301-394-1503.  Please be advised that .zip and .exe files cannot be accepted.
    (13) Place of Contract Performance:  Not Applicable
   (14) Estimated Delivery Timeframe or Period of Performance: 60 Days After Receipt of Order (ARO)