NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 144, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001

70 -- TURNKEY COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM FOR COMPOSITE PROCESSING AND MANUFACTURING SOL 1-074-DMB.5038 DUE 072098 POC Artistine Lethcoe-Reid, Purchasing Agent, Phone (757)-864-2432, Fax (757) 864-9774, Email A.LETHCOE-REID@larc.nasa.gov -- James W. Cresawn, Contracting Officer, Phone (757)-864-2500, Fax (757) 864-7898, Email J.W.CRESAWN@larc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/LaRC/date.html#1-074-DMB.5038. E-MAIL: Artistine Lethcoe-Reid, A.LETHCOE-REID@larc.nasa.gov. This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This procurement is being conducted under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP). One each of a turnkey computer control system which also performs as a data acquisition and QA/QC system for composite processing and manufacturing with the following specifications. The system shall be a single, multitasking control system which can control up to twenty (20) different pieces of equipment concurrently. The control system shall utilize a single PC and control multiple independent processes concurrently. The system shall have the capacity to control processes from thermocouple, dielectric, fiber optic and infrared signals. The controller shall control temperature, pressure, load, heating rate, and cooling rate via a graphic user interface and spreadsheet recipe programming. The controller shall be capable of user programmable ramp and soak rates. The system shall have a watchdog circuitry designed to place all equipment in a safe mode in the event of controller failure. Hardware: The system shall include two (2) Pentium II 300 Mhz PCs (one primary and one backup) with 32 Mbyte, 17 monitor, 6.4 Gbyte hard-drive, floppy, CD ROM, IOMEGA ZIP drive, MS Office SB edition, 10/100 network interface car, bar-code reader, mouse, and keyboard, The system shall include a printer for report and real-time printing. The system shall provide a fast-Ethernet hub for connection of both PCs to NASA LaRC intranet. Connection and wiring to LaRC net shall be the responsibility of LaRC. The system shall include a ten (10) channel dielectromter, OEM-ICAM from Micromet, with internal multiplexer installed. The system shall include two (2) APC # 650PRO UPS units for backup power to the computers. This system shall include a M4RTU processor to link between the computers and the I/O located at each equipment node. The system shall include a Snap-IO by Opto driven by the M4RTU processor at each equipment to be controlled. Each equipment node shall include a Nema-1 enclosure with a dedicated I/O rack, I/O modules, and 5VDC power supply. Software: The system shall be a single, multitasking control system which can control up to twenty (20) different pieces of equipment concurrently. The system shall be mouse driven with pull-down menus. The system shall provide on-screen help information. The software will allow for entering next part information, run reports, and new programming while a run is in process. The software shall include a recipe programming facility which incorporates a spreadsheet design. It shall provide for an unlimited number of cure recipes to be programmed and saved. Cure recipes shall support ramp/soak control of multiple zones and zones can be configured for temperature, pressure, vacuum, or speed. The system shall allow for a minimum of fifty (50) independent ramp/soak control zones to be configured on a single cure recipe. The system shall provide full equipment automation by turning ON and OFF motors and pumps at the beginning and end of cycles. Cure recipes shall support part temperature control by either leading, lagging, average, mean, or an individual part temperature. The system shall allow for user configured tuning parameters, back-up thermocouple choice in case of burnout or exotherm, and control limitations such as max air temperature, max air-to-part temperature delta and max part temperature delta. The system shall incorporate an automatic identification of each part s thermal transfer coefficient during a run. The system shall control vacuum levels of multiple receivers as well as control VAC/OFF/VENT valving at each the vacuum supply line connections. The system shall perform automatic leak-checks of each part prior to a run as well as provide automatic part isolation on bag rupture duringa run. The system shall control pressure as specified ramp rate and value. The system shall include a system to watch user specified sensor, and hold a run within a segment until that sensors value reaches a preprogrammed value or meets a truth criterion. The system shall provide real-time arraneous modeling of the material properties and support control based on real-time or integrated future predictions of the viscosity, reaction rate, and other modeled variables. The system shall provide a system of programmable alarms. Minimum set of alarms shall be Max Part Temp., Min Part Temp., Max Part Rate, Min Part Rate, Max Air Temp, Max Air-to-Part Deviation, Max Part Delta, Pressure Deviation, Bag Leak, Vacuum Deviation. The system shall allow to change the running recipe during a run. The system shall provide real-time arraneous modelling of the material properties and support control based on real-time or integrated future predictions of the viscosity, reaction rate, and other modelled variables. The system shall provide real-time or post-run full color plotting. The system shall include reporting capability to provide comprehensive QA/QC reports which include information regarding part performance, adherence to specification and alarm log. The system shall provide real-time monitoring and file transfer supported via an integrated Host communication feature. The system shall include the capability to automatically reenter a run following a power-loss. This restart shall occur when power is restored and will continue the run where it was interrupted. The system shall be compatible with Micromets Eumetrics III dielectrometer and provide closed loop control from dielectric signals. Specific LaRC Equipment to be controlled: The system shall provide complete automation of two (2) autoclaves, and three (3) vacuum presses. The system shall have the capacity to control processes from thermocouple, dielectric, fiber optic and infrared signals. The controller shall control temperature, pressure, load, vacuum, heating rate, cooling rate, all motors, and related components for the following pieces of equipment: Thermal Equipment 30 x 48, 400psi/ 8000F Autoclave 6 part thermocouples 1 air temperature thermocouple 1 pressure transducer 1 system vacuum 4 vacuum monitoring transducers United McGill 12 x 48, 330psi/ 7000F Autoclave 4 part thermocouples 1 air temperature thermocouple 1 pressure transducer 1 system vacuum 2 vacuum controlling transducers Technical Machine Products 30 Hg, 8000F, 80,000 lbs Hot Vacuum Press 4 zone thermocouples 4 part thermocouples 1 pressure transducer system vacuum all digital interlocks Wabash 30 Hg, 8000F, 80,000 lbs Vacuum Press 4 zone thermocouples 4 part thermocouples 1 pressure transducer system vacuum all digital interlocks 30 Hg, 8000F, 15,000 lbs Vacuum Press (Vender yet to be determined) 4 zone thermocouples 4 part thermocouples 1 pressure transducer system vacuum all digital interlocks Miscellaneous: The contractor shall provide system installation (field engineering for startup, check out,and calibration) which shall meet all applicable LaRC safety regulations. The installation shall include material, labor, engineering, startup and training (minimum of three (3) days). Operating manuals (2 copies) shall also be provided. The contractor shall provide free software upgrades for the life of the equipment. The contractor shall provide a one (1) year warranty on all parts and labor. The provisions and clauses in the RFQ are those in effect through FAC 97-04. This procurement is a total small business set-aside. See Note 1. The SIC code and the small business size standard for this procurement are 7373 and $18 million, respectively. The quoter shall state in their quotation their size status for this procurement. All qualified responsible business sources may submit a quotation which shall be considered by the agency. Delivery to FOB Destination. The DPAS rating for this procurement is DO-C9. Quotations for the items(s) described above may be mailed or faxed to the identified point of contact [or bid distribution office, by the date/time specified and include, solicitation number, FOB destination to this Center, proposed delivery schedule, discount/payment terms, warranty duration (if applicable), taxpayer identification number (TIN), identification of any special commercial terms, and be signed by an authorized company representative. Quoters are encouraged to use the Standard Form 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items form found at URL: http://procure.arc.nasa.gov/Acq/Standard_Forms/Index.html to submit a quotation. Quoters shall provide the information required by FAR 52.212-1. Please note that payments are to be made by electronic funds transfer, accordingly, you must provide the mandatory information for electronic funds transfer with your representations and certifications. Failure to provide this information may delay or prevent the receipt of payments through the Automated Clearinghouse Payment System. If the end product(s) quoted is other than domestic end product(s) as defined in the clause entitled "Buy American Act -- Supplies," the quoter shall so state and shall list the country of origin. The Representations and Certifications required by FAR 52.2l2-3 may be obtained via the internet at URL: http://ec.msfc.nasa.gov/msfc/pub/reps_certs/sats/ FAR 52.212-4 is applicable. Addenda to FAR 52.212-4 are as follows: 52.214-34, 52.214-35, 52.219-6, 1852.215-84, 1852.225-73. FAR 52.212-5 is applicable and the following identified clauses are incorporated by reference. 52.222-3, 52.233-3, 52.222-26, 52.222-36, 52.225-3, 52.225-18. Questions are due by 07/20/98. Selection and award will be made (on an aggregate basis to the lowest priced, technically acceptable quoter. Technical acceptability will be determined by information submitted by the quoter providing a description in sufficient detail to show that the product quoted meets the Government's requirement. [ Quoters must provide copies of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representation and Certifications -- Commercial Items with their quote. See above for where to obtain copies of the form via the Internet. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See Internet Note "B". It is the quoter's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of amendments (if any). Potential quoters will be responsible for downloading their own copy of this combination synopsis/solicitation and amendments (if any). Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nnotes.htm. Posted 07/02/98. (0183)

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