MODIFICATION
25 -- Request for Information: Lightweight structures technology
- Notice Date
- 6/3/2014
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 336390
— Other Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- ACC - Warren (ACC-WRN)(DTA), ATTN: AMSTA-AQ-AMB, E Eleven Mile Road, Warren, MI 48397-5000
- ZIP Code
- 48397-5000
- Solicitation Number
- W56HZV-14-R-0260
- Response Due
- 6/24/2014
- Archive Date
- 8/2/2014
- Point of Contact
- Rory Thelen, 5862829595
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC - Warren (ACC-WRN)(DTA)
(rory.g.thelen.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- 1.Purpose: This document is a Request for Information (RFI), which covers information being requested by the Government regarding various aspects of light-weight structures technology. 2.Participation in this RFI does not represent or create any contractual obligation by the Government. The U.S. Government is not soliciting samples, nor is the Government under any obligation to issue a solicitation or award a contract to any individual or manufacturer because of this RFI. Vendor participation is entirely voluntary and by participating, each Vendor agrees that its participation does not create any rights for the Vendor to submit any claims, monetary or otherwise, against the Government. 3.The data supplied by Vendors in response to this RFI will be used for internal Government purposes only, and will not be disclosed to any outside third parties. By Federal Law, Government employees are bound by criminal statute not to disclose contractor proprietary information, which the Government has requested, and therefore, separate non-disclosure agreements between Vendors responding to this RFI and the Government are neither appropriate nor necessary. 4.Background: The Lightweight structures team is tasked with developing light-weight items for a Ground Combat Vehicle. The tasks involve looking at a myriad of ways that we may be able to bring light-weighting to the vehicle system. This is to include every aspect of the vehicle from the structure itself to the various components that make up the vehicle system such as: The automotive systems (power train, mobility, and suspension systems) Protection systems (armor, blast, and active protection systems) Auxiliary systems (Seat, floor, doors, hatches, etc.) This RFI is broad-ranging in technology and application. 5.The Lightweight Structures team is inquiring into available materials, technologies, and approaches to developing lightweight structures for Combat Vehicle applications. Please bear in mind the general requirements the military faces: low annual production volume, vehicle weight in excess of 40 tons, off road durability, etc. a.The vehicle hull. The potential of light-weighting the vehicle hull structure is extremely desirable. The Government is looking into all facets of hull design, configuration, materials, and integration methods. The Government is interested in a variety of configurational approaches including (but not limited to) space frame and monocoque, some hybrid of those approaches, or a novel hull structure. The vehicle structure configuration can greatly influence the weight of the overall system. The Government is interested in novel material advances that improve the specific strength and moduli over conventional metal designs. Materials that can reduce the weight, volume, and/or burden of the structure are of interest. The Government is interested in forming and joining technologies. Technologies must increase the joint efficiency and the load transfer of the structural members without impairing the strength of the structural material. For example, drilled holes in structural members often decrease the strength of those members. The Government is interested in technologies that will improve the vehicle hull's modularity, adaptability, and repair times, due to our constantly changing battlefield dynamics. The Government is interested in coatings and other technologies that will improve corrosion resistance, as well as enable dissimilar material joining. b.Vehicle components. The Government is interested in exploring light-weighting technologies as they are applied to vehicle components and subsystems. Technological innovation may include, but would not be limited to, materials substitution, component redesign for more efficient weight-savings construction, vehicle system and subsystem redesign to allow for removal of redundant components, and similar weight saving efforts. c.Weight analysis and tracking The Government is interested in keeping accurate accounting of the weight of components and of the overall vehicle. Methods and best-practices are being sought for efficient tracking of the weight of the vehicle or its components or subcomponents. The Government is interested in prior examples and lessons learned from light-weighting efforts, and specifically how advances in weight savings were tracked and recorded. The Government is interested in methods for tracking primary and secondary weight savings achieved from technological advancements. For example, a lighter and more efficient engine would show primary weight savings through a direct reduction in vehicle weight, and a secondary weight savings by reducing the amount of fuel that the vehicle must carry as a result of increased fuel efficiency. Methods and best practices are sought for identification of primary and secondary weight savings, as well as for efficient tracking of overall vehicle, component, and subcomponent primary and secondary weight savings. d.Industry trends. The Government is interested in gaining opinions from industry observers regarding how light-weighting trends will affect various industry segments, particularly automotive segments, over the next 5 to 10 years. What are the overall trends in the light- weighting arena? Much ado is always made of composite materials being used for light weighting, but traditional materials such as steel, aluminum and magnesium have much to contribute as well. The Government would be interested in gaining insight into general industry trends driven by, or affected by, light-weighting. All responses should be backed by data where the source is referenced. The Government would also be interested in any specific areas such as: i.What are the current trends in carbon fiber research and production? What trends do you see in lowering cost, and increasing product strength over the next 5 to 10 years? Do you see any major manufacturing trends? Do you see the use and production of carbon fibers increasing or decreasing, and why? Do you see the use of Carbon fibers in military applications changing? In what ways do you see those changes? ii.What are the current trends in Glass fiber Research and Production? What trends do you see in lowering cost, and increasing product Strength over the next 5 to 10 years? Do you see any major manufacturing trends? Do you see the use and production of Glass fibers increasing or decreasing, and why? Do you see the use of Glass fibers in military applications changing? In what ways do you see those changes? iii.What are the current trends in alternative fiber Research and Production? What trends do you see in lowering cost, and increasing product Strength over the next 5 to 10 years? Do you see any major manufacturing trends? Do you see the use and production of Carbon fibers increasing or decreasing, and why? What type of fibers offer the most promise for military applications? iv.What are the current Research trends in Thermoplastic Resins? Thermoplastic resin can offer some desirable advantages in resin use especially in re-use and recycling. What type of future do you see for low-to-medium level production of systems using these materials? What type of materials will show future promise for military applications? v.What are the current Research trends in Thermoset Resins? Thermoset resins have long been used in military applications. What type of future do you see for low-to-medium level production of systems using these materials? What type of materials will show future promise for military applications? vi.What are the current Research trends in Aluminum materials? Many advances have been made in Aluminum alloys that have long been used in military applications. What type of future do you see for military systems using these materials? What type of materials will show future promise for military applications? vii.What are the current Research trends in Steel materials? Many advances have been made in Steel alloys that have long been used in military applications. What type of future do you see for military systems using these materials? What type of materials will show future promise for military applications? viii.What are the current Research trends in other metals? There has been a push to explore new alternative metals for various uses in vehicle systems. What type of future do you see for military systems using these materials? What type of materials will show future promise for military applications? 6.Evaluation: The Information that is received will be analyzed on several factors. Application: The technology should be able to be applied to a specific component or system. It is acceptable that some technologies will have a broader application potential. However, the information responding to this RFI should detail at least one application and a path for implementation for a specific application. Readiness: It is not required that the technology be advanced to any certain readiness level. However, the ability to implement a technology in the near future is most desirable. This could apply to technologies that are not currently at a high readiness but do have a development plan currently in place to achieve a quote mark more ready quote mark state in the near future. Producibility: The ability to produce the product at a level that is appropriate to an Army vehicle production schedule (~200-2000 vehicles per year for new vehicles), and at a reasonable cost are needed. Demonstrating that production level/costs can be achieved at some point is needed for consideration. Technology/products that can achieve this now, or within the next five years will be more desirable. Affordability: Costs will need to be addressed. While low-cost is certainly a desired trait for any technology, it is not a limiting factor. Technologies that can provide well-documented costs, production levels, and what the scale-ups are for each will also be well received. Performance: It is important that each technology document, to the extent possible, its performance. Where applicable, the technology should be compared to a current baseline. This RFI is meant to be data-driven. When evaluating what technologies seem feasible and usable, data and evidence provided with each response will be a critical factor. Industry trends: These trends will be analyzed separately. Several factors will be taken into consideration when analyzing the trends: -Industry standing of the individual. Individuals that have experience and/or education pertaining to the topic will be given more weight in the analysis. -Trends that are quantifiable will carry more weight over qualitative opinions -The use of referenced and verifiable data will increase the weight of the opinions. 7. Submission: Responses to this RFI are due no later than 2:00PM (Eastern), 30 May 2014. Only electronic responses are requested. Please submit all responses and any questions prior to full response to Scott Hodges via email at Scott.E.Hodges2.civ@mail.mil. Please format the subject line of the response email as follows; quote mark [Organization Name] response to RFI - Light-Weight Structures. quote mark
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