Vacuum Furnace Cell

Rock Island Arsenal is conducting market research for potential vendors to supply one horizontal, front-loading, cold-wall vacuum furnace system by August 20, 2026. This is a market-research-only phase; no set-aside applies.

The furnace will support heat treatment of 3D printer build plates at the Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center. The internal work zone must measure at least 18 inches wide by 24 inches deep by 18 inches high, with hearth load capacity of at least 1,000 lbs uniformly distributed at maximum operating temperature. The system must operate reliably from ambient temperature to at least 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit with qualified temperature ranges of 900 to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, maintaining temperature uniformity of plus-or-minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit in compliance with SAE Aerospace Material Specification AMS 2750 Class 2 requirements. The furnace shall feature all-metal hot zone construction with molybdenum and stainless steel insulation, 360-degree heating element distribution, smart silicon-controlled rectifier power supply, high-efficiency integrated mechanical and booster pump assembly, water-cooled diffusion pump achieving ultimate vacuum less than 1.0 x 10^-5 Torr, gas quenching system at up to 2-bar pressure with argon injection, closed-loop cooling with 120 gpm capacity and 500-gallon sealed tank, and Windows-based control interface with high-definition touch screen. The package includes 1,000-lb loader system, ASME-coded inert gas backfill reservoir, and temperature uniformity survey fixture.

Contractor must provide shipping, installation labor, setup, training for five operators and two maintenance personnel, and on-site service/repair capability with 48-hour response time during normal business hours (8:00 am to 3:00 pm CST, Monday–Friday). All contractor personnel require Anti-Terrorism Level I training, background checks, and compliance with Force Protection Condition protocols. Interested vendors should submit capability statements, business size classification, manufacturing status, and country of origin.