NB642040-25-01993 REPLACEMENT FORMING LIMIT MACHINE CONTROLLER

THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION ISSUANCE. This is a special notice that includes a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or Proposal (RFP) or promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This notice does not commit the Government contractually for any services or supplies whatsoever. Responders are advised that the United States Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in the response to this RFI. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in a future solicitation if one is issued. If a solicitation is released, it may be posted to the System Award Management (SAM) website, but it is not guaranteed, and it is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor the Government website for a potential solicitation and additional information pertaining to this requirement.

The proposed project consists of the following: The contractor will provide replacement of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Center for Automotive Lightweighting (NCAL) Forming Limit Machine controller, which exceeds 25 years in age, and handset, which is currently broken and not repairable. The desire is to return the two (2) hydraulic actuator (clamp and ram) forming machine (originally an Instron 8804 machine) to its full working capability that was available prior to the controller and handset failure. The contractor would be responsible for installing the controller to the existing Instron 8804 forming machine located within building 231, room B141, at NIST, Gaithersburg, MD, in accordance with the statement of work (SOW). This requirement is assigned a NAICS code of 334519 Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing with the Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard of 600 employees for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Interest and Capability (to include cut sheets, drawings, previous installation examples, etc.) shall be limited to 20 pages (Times New Roman, 12-point font, 8-1/2 x 11. Cut sheets and drawings are acceptable as 11 x 17) and submitted via e-mail to the contract specialist listed in this notice. Please clearly demonstrate capability of performing the work requirement included in attached statement of work.

All correspondence sent via e-mail shall contain a subject line that reads "NB642040-25-01993 Replacement Forming Limit Machine Controller Sources Sought". If this subject line is not included, the e-mail may not get through e-mail filters. Filters are designed to delete emails without a subject or with a suspicious subject or attachment. Attachments with files ending in .zip or .exe are not allowable and will be deleted. Ensure only .pdf, .doc, .docx, .xsls, or .xls documents are attached to your e-mail. All other attachments may be deleted.

All responses must reach the point of contact no later than 4:00 PM Eastern Time on June 19, 2025, and must include the following information: company name; address; phone number, fax number, e-mail address, and business size status for the applicable NAICS. Responses shall not include classified data. Proprietary information, if any, shall be kept to a minimum and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, SEGREGATE proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Questions regarding this notice shall be submitted via e-mail to the point of contact listed in this notice. Questions shall be sent to the point of contact via e-mail ONLY. Verbal or FAX questions are not acceptable, and will not be answered

The government does have interest in the following questions being addressed in addition to other criteria in responses:

1. Is the assigned NAICS of 334519 Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing appropriate for the work requirement? If not, please make recommendations of what you feel is the better choice for the work requirement.

1. Will your firm provide replacement equipment and services that are fully compliant with the “Made in America” requirements in accordance with the Buy America Act and any other applicable laws, policies, etc.? Please indicate a yes or no and supply supporting information to support either response.

1. Does the work requirement equipment have long lead times? If so, please indicate the estimate lead times that are being experienced and why.

DRAFT STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS

TITLE: Replacement Forming Machine Controller

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The NIST Center for Automotive Lightweighting (NCAL) supports the efforts of the US automotive industry and its suppliers incorporate advanced lightweight materials for improving fuel economy and electric vehicle range to meet fleet-wide emissions requirements, while maintaining safety (i.e., crashworthiness) by developing foundational measurements, test methods, and standards for characterization of complex, multiaxial, multi-strain-path, and high-strain-rate material properties and behavior. 

NCAL provides critical data and standard test methods to the US automotive industry using a Forming Limit Machine, which performs specialized mechanical tests on sheet metals to determine when they are likely to fail during a metal forming process. NIST has played a central role in revisions to the standard Forming Limit Test at industries request.  The current control system (more than 25 years old) and hand controller for the machine are not functioning and cannot be repaired.  The new control system will enable testing of newer automotive sheet materials and improvements on the existing ISO and ASTM standards.

The mechanical and hydraulic portions of the machine were in good working order when the controller and hand controller were last functioning.  The replacement controller will have to interface and be verified to work with the existing machine to bring the machine back to proper working order.

1. SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor shall provide one (1) forming limit machine controller and (1) hand controller that meets the following minimum technical requirements.  The Contractor shall install the machine controller and hand controller on the machine, calibrate and verify the force and displacement signals, and provide training on the controller and its software as described below.

1. SPECIFICATIONS

System Requirements:

• A new control system to allow the existing machine (Instron 8804 four-post machine) to operate at its original performance specifications:
  • Clamp actuator:
    • Full compressive clamp force range of 500 kN (pressure transducer)
    • Full clamp displacement of 25 mm (dual averaging LVDTs)
    • Servovalve manifold
    • Allow force control
    • Allow displacement control

• • Ram actuator:
    • Full compressive punch force range of the machine 500 kN (Dynacell Dynamic Load Cell ±500 kN, 110 kips)
    • Full ram displacement of 152.5 mm
    • Allow force control
    • Allow displacement control
    • Control waveforms shall include sine, triangle, square, dual ramp, and trapezoid at a minimum
  • User selectable force and displacements limits on both the ram and clamp
  • Ram displacement hold under force with position deviation equal to, or better than, ± 0.025 mm
  • Retain capability to unlock, adjust position, and lock crosshead (currently controlled by manual valves on the front of the 8804 machine)
  • Incorporation of cabinet closure interlock into safety system.
  • Use existing hydraulic pump [make and model 7.1 gpm Hydraulic Power Supply, 460 VAC, 60 Hz, 21 Amps. (5.3 gpm at 400V/50 Hz)]
• Personal Computer (PC) and User interface:
  • Be a workstation-class system (e.g., Dell OptiPlex, HP Z series) with:
    • Intel Core i7 or better CPU
    • 32 GB RAM
    • 1 TB SSD storage
    • At least 2 network interfaces and 2 monitor outputs
  • Include a 24" widescreen monitor, keyboard, and mouse
  • Run a 64-bit operating system currently under long-term support:
    • Windows 11 Pro (not Home Edition), or
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux / Ubuntu Pro LTS
  • Be capable of receiving critical OS and security updates for at least 5 years
  • Include a full system image backup (external USB drive or disk set) containing the configured OS, drivers, and all control software
• Control Software:
  • The user interface software shall:
    • Be fully programmable via a graphical interface, without requiring scripting or low-level code
    • Support creation of test sequences with:
      • Waveform profiles
      • Ramps, delays, and holds
      • Conditional logic (e.g., IF force > X THEN hold position)
      • Configurable input and output signals (see Hardware interface)
      • Software shall include configurable displacement and force limits. Violations should trigger automatic shutdown or inhibit motion.
      • Synchronous data acquisition at 5 kHz or better on all control and feedback channels

• • • Provide:
      • Real-time status monitoring of actuator position, load, waveform progress, and interlock state
      • A live test workspace with multiple graphable data channels
      • Role-based access controls (e.g., operator vs. admin)
    • Support export of test data, event logs, and result sets in open formats (CSV, XML, JSON)
    • Be delivered fully installed, licensed, and configured
    • Be the latest version of the software with all current patches installed
  • Vendors shall:
    • Provide screenshots or a user manual excerpt showing the graphical interface
    • Confirm that waveform programming and test profiles are configured through the UI
    • Document the software update process and state whether updates are available beyond the warranty period
• Hardware interface:
  • A new handset for manual coarse and manual fine position control for both punch and clamp actuators.
  • Minimum of two TTL or similar signal inputs for triggering in the control loop
  • Minimum of two TTL or similar signal outputs for triggering of external equipment
  • Inputs and outputs should use a standard connection interface
  • Minimum of two ±10 V selectable and scalable signal out (for example, for displacements signals of the machine to be sent to another acquisition system) using a standard connection interface (for example, BNC connectors) for the Ram Controller
  • Minimum of two ±10 V selectable and scalable signal out (for example, for displacements signals of the machine to be sent to another acquisition system) using a standard connection interface (for example, BNC connectors) for the Clamp Controller
• Safety:
  • Emergency stop located with the handset
  • Emergency stop at the computer/station
  • Emergency stops shall be redundant and immediately disable hydraulic power and stop actuator motion.
  • Emergency stops reset should be manual and clearly indicated.
  • The system must fail safety in the event of sensor loss, overpressure, or out-of-range commands.
  • Safety-related events (for example emergency stop activation, interlock trip, over force) shall be logged with timestamps to aid trouble shooting and safety audits.
  • A specimen protect feature for inserting specimen shall include use of low-speed, low-force actuator settings, be explicitly separated from normal operation, and be hardware or software interlocked to prevent full-force motion during specimen setup unless deliberately overridden.
  • Ensure that and modified panels, interfaces, or cable runs are OSHA/ANSI compliant.

• Interface new controller with existing hydraulic pump, system manifold, machine actuators, and machine signals (such as displacement sensors and force sensors)
• Provide any hose, fitting, cable, and connector replacements as needed to interface the new control system to the existing machine.
• Standard calibration and verification of the machine force and displacement on each actuator after controller installation.
• Provide an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) sufficient for all the electronics associated with the controller and control computer to permit controlled shutdown in case of power failure and/or fluctuations.
• Documentation
  • The system shall include an operations and maintenance manual covering proper operation, routine maintenance, and trouble shooting for the controlling software and its interaction with the machine.  The documentation should also include software configurations, control parameters, wiring diagrams, signal mappings, control architecture, and calibration procedures.
  • The manual may be supplied in hard copy or electronic format (or both).
• Maintenance and Calibration
  • Vendor shall guarantee availability of critical spare parts (e.g. control boards, handset components) for a minimum of 5 years.
  • Access to calibration settings and utilities to allow for calibration of the force and displacement of each actuator.

Installation:

Installation shall include, at a minimum, uncrating/unpacking of all equipment, set-up and hook-up of all equipment, start-up, calibration, demonstration of specifications, and removal of all trash.  Instrument will operate to manufacturer’s specifications upon installation.  Installation will take place during normal business hours, between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday except Federal Holidays, and will be coordinated with the NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME).

Additional Requirements:

• Pre-installation checklist (power, hydraulic, network, space requirements) must be provided at least 2 months prior to delivery
• Vendor shall submit a brief installation plan and timeline for review and approval before arriving on-site
• All wiring and connections must be installed with professional-grade cable management and labeled clearly
• Upon completion, vendor must provide a commissioning report documenting:
  • All physical connections (cables, sensors, hydraulic lines)
  • Calibration values and accuracy
  • Safety checks completed
  • Results of system verification tests

• A post-installation image of the configured system (OS + software) shall be taken and delivered on external media

Warranty: 

The Contractor shall provide, at a minimum, a one-year warranty for the equipment. The warranty shall cover all software revisions, software updates, parts, labor, and travel. The warranty shall commence upon successful completion of delivery, installation, training, and demonstration of all required specifications.

Training:

Training will be provided during normal business hours, between 8:30am and 5:00pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays, and will be coordinated with the NIST SME to ensure maximum availability of NIST personnel.  Training is to occur within 10 days of installation. The training may be completed on-site at NIST immediately after installation and demonstration of specifications.

On-site training must be provided to at least 4 NIST personnel, including hands-on coverage of:

• System configuration
• Test execution
• Fault recovery and safety behavior
• Calibration procedures
• Data export workflows

1. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance shall be XX (negotiable) calendar days from award of this requirement.

1. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

All work shall be completed at the Contractor’s facility.  Installation of the instrument and training shall be accomplished at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland.  Normal duty hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the exception of Federal holidays. 

1. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

The power, network, and space requirements for the installed components based on vendor supplied pre-installation checklist.  Access to the existing hydraulic pump, manifold, and Instron 8804 machine in Building 231 Room B141. Test specimens needed for acceptance demonstrations and testing.

1. DELIVERABLES

Currently in development

1. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA          

Functional Demonstration:

• Live demonstration of clamp and ram force/displacement control in all waveform modes (sine, square, triangle, dual ramp, trapezoid)
• Demonstration of transition between manual and automatic control
• Ability to hold position under load with minimal deviation

Safety System Validation:

• Activation and reset of all emergency stops (redundant: handset + station)
• Verification of specimen protect mode behavior
• Timestamped logging of all safety events

Calibration Confirmation:

• Vendor must demonstrate post-install calibration of both actuators using traceable standards
• Accuracy must meet or exceed ±0.5% of full-scale load and ±0.025 mm for displacement

Data Acquisition:

• Logging of control and feedback channels at 5 kHz or higher
• Exported data must be reviewed and verified for completeness and signal integrity

Software Capability:

• Create and run a sample test profile using the graphical interface
• Save and reload the profile to confirm deterministic execution
• Configure force/displacement limits and verify that system inhibits motion or shuts down on violation

Training Completion:

• On-site training must be provided to at least 4 NIST personnel, including hands-on coverage of:
  • System configuration
  • Test execution
  • Fault recovery and safety behavior
  • Calibration procedures
  • Data export workflows

Documentation Review:

• NIST must receive a complete operations and maintenance manual including:
  • Wiring diagrams
  • Signal mappings
  • Software configuration and control architecture
  • Calibration and troubleshooting procedures

System Image Delivery:

• Vendor must deliver a post-installation system image on physical media and confirm it matches the final installed system

Acceptance testing:

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Safety:  The Contractor employee shall be responsible for knowing and complying with commercial installation safety prevention regulations. Such regulations include, but are not limited to, general safety, fire prevention, and waste disposal.

Security:  NIST is a restricted campus.  An identification badge is required for access for entry into buildings and also is shown to the armed Security Police when entering the campus.

Identification Badges:  Contractor employees shall comply with NIST identification and access requirements.  The Contractor shall provide the name and citizenship information of employees for on-site visits to the NIST SME prior to arrival. The SME will submit the name(s) and citizenship information to the NIST Office of Security in order for a given Contractor employee to enter the NIST campus. The Contractor employee is responsible for absences due to missing or expired identification and access documents.  Each Contractor employee shall wear a visible identification badge provided by the NIST Security Office.

Vehicle Registration:  All Contractor employees must register their vehicles with the NIST Security Office to gain access to the campus.  A valid driver’s license, Government-furnished civilian ID (which in most cases can be a valid driver's license), proof of insurance and current registration must be presented to the NIST Security Office.