NASA/Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44135

66 -- BIAXIAL TEST SYSTEM SOL RFO3-118391 DUE 020599 POC Glen M. Williams, Contracting Officer, Phone (216) 433-2885, Fax (216) 433-2480, Email Glen.M.Williams@lerc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/LeRC/date.html#RFO3-118391. E-MAIL: Glen M. Williams, Glen.M.Williams@lerc.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; offers are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This notice is being issued as a Request for Offer (RFO) for: 1. one Biaxial Test Frame System, Instron 8874 or MTS 858.04 or equal, 2. drawings and manuals, 3. installation, and 4.training. These items shall meet the following requirements: STATEMENT OF WORK/SPECIFICATION PART 1: OVERVIEW 1.1 System Description The contractor shall provide one biaxial servo-hydraulic universal testing machine for the purpose of characterizing the deformation behavior of polymer neat resins under axial and torsional loads to very large deformations (+/-5 cm axial displacement and +/-130 degrees rotational displacement). The biaxial testing machine shall consist of a +/- 25 kN axial and +/- 100 N-m torsional load frame, actuators, load cell, manifold, grips, data acquisition control system, a quiet hydraulic power supply, cables, plumbing, and all necessary fittings and connectors. The system shall incorporate digital data acquisition plus a complete direct digital closed-loop command and feedback motion-control system. The testing machine shall be either: the Instron 8874, or the MTS 858.04, or an equal. The system shall meet the following salient characteristics. PART 2: MECHANICAL 2.1 Biaxial Test System The hydraulic test system shall consist, as a minimum, of: frame, actuators, load cell, grips, manifold, and hydraulic power supply. 2.1.1 Frame The system load frame shall be designed for static and dynamic testing. The system shall have a dynamic force rating of 25 kN in both tension and compression, and a dynamic torque rating of 100 N-m in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The load frame shall have two or four columns. Distance between the actuator end (retracted) and the load cell atmaximum operational crosshead extension shall be at least 70 cm (without grips). The nominal axial stiffness of the load frame shall not be less than 1x108 N/m at maximum crosshead extension. The nominal torsion stiffness shall not be less than 5x105 Nm/rad at maximum crosshead extension. The horizontal distance between the columns shall be at least 44 cm. The frame shall be table mounted on vibration isolation pads. The load frame shall include hydraulically operated crosshead lifts with manual locks allowing infinite position adjustment of the crosshead relative to the base platen up to the maximum operational crosshead extension. Hydraulic lifts and lock controls and an emergency stop switch shall be mounted to the front of the load frame structure. The load frame shall contain an integrated T-slot table. The T-slot table shall be at least 40 cm by 55 cm. 2.1.2 Actuators An axial hydraulic actuator having a minimum fatigue force rating of 25kN shall be mounted to the crosshead. The actuator shall be of equal area and double acting with a total stroke of at least +/-5 cm. The actuator shall have a hydrostatic bearing to maintain axial alignment in the presence of large continuous side loads. A rotary hydraulic actuator having a minimum fatigue torque rating of 100 N-m shall be coupled to the axial actuator. This double acting actuator shall have a total rotation of at least +/-130 degrees. 2.1.3 Load Cell The load frame shall include a load cell placed on the base platen with a dynamic rated capacity of 25 kN axial and 100 N-m torsion. Overload capacity shall be at least 150% of full-scale. Load cell maximum errors shall not exceed the following specifications: Cross talk less than 2% Non-linearity 0.30% of full scales Hysteresis 0.15% of full scales Repeatability 0.03% of full scales 2.1.4 Grips Stainless steel collet grips appropriate for biaxial testing shall be provided along with three sets of collets with gripping diameters of: 8, 12, and 16 mm. The grips shall be either mechanical or hydraulic. The grips shall come with all attachment kits necessary to attach them to the load cell and actuator, including a fixture for grip alignment. 2.2 Hydraulics 2.2.1 Manifold The service manifold shall include pressure and return line accumulators to minimize pressure ripples. The axial and rotary servovalves shall have minimum flow rates of 4 l/min, each. Servovalve balance shall be automatic. The dither amplitude and frequency shall be able to be set by the operator through software. The D/A output to the servovalve driver shall have at least 16 bits of resolution. 2.2.2 Power Supply The system shall include a hydraulic power supply producing a minimum flow rate at 1.5 times the combined fully rated flow rate capacities of the axial and torsional servovalves at operating pressure. 208 and 460 VAC 3-phase electric supplies are available in the building. The system shall include a hydraulic fluid reservoir filled to the recommended level after assembly. Adequate filtration and all hoses and cabling shall be provided. 2.2.3 Noise Level The noise level of the hydraulic pump shall not exceed 70 dB tested from a distance of 1 meter under normal operating conditions. 2.3 Extensometry A free-floating diametral extensometer accommodating large angles of twist, and associated signal conditioning, shall be provided for a gage length of 12 mm. A calibration/verification fixture shall also be included. PART 3: ELECTRONICS The servo-hydraulic test system shall be controllable from a full-function control panel and by a personal computer workstation. The control panel, which shall be separate from the main controls, shall provide for local actuator and hydraulic control directly at the load frame. Servo-hydraulic closed-loop control shall be provided by the use of a digital controller that provides complete control of the servo-loop, data acquisition, and function generation. The system shall have the capability to be programmed by the operator using a standard library of procedure calls designed specifically for real-time control of the system. 3.1 Closed-Loop Digital Controller The controller shall have the capability to control from a calculation created from combinations of transducers and math functions, such as, but not limited to, true stress/true control. The calculation control algorithm shall be inserted directly into the control loop in the same way that primary, transducer, feedback signals such as load and stroke are used for control. The controller shall have the capability to perform automated dynamic control mode switching between any connected transducer. Any transducer or calculation can be selected for control. Control modes shall include load control through a load cell, strain control through an extensometer, displacement control through an LVDT or RVDT, or control through any other installed transducer or defined calculation. The controller shall have the capability to perform load-limited stroke control when loading specimens. At least four (4) channels of analog output and two (2) channels of analog input shall be available to directly read transducer output from any conditioner, or for supplying a controlling signal. In addition to digital I/O required for normal system control, at least sixteen (16) uncommitted channels of digital I/O (8 in, 8 out) shall be available for control of peripheral devices. 3.2 Transducer Signal Conditioning At least one signal conditioner shall be provided for each of the transducers, including: position, rotation, load, torque, and (3) extensometers or strain-gage signals. Each channel shall be available for test control if desired with mode switching between any channel available during a test. Resolution shall be at least 16 bits over the entire transducer range. 3.3 Load-Frame Control Panel A control panel, separate from the main control chassis, shall be provided at the load frame for specimen loading. This control panel shall provide for control of actuator positioning during specimen loading and removal. 3.4 Function Generation of Waveforms Function generation shall be fully integrated into the system-control electronics with the capability to select the waveform type, amplitude, frequency, limit setting, and event detection. The function generator shall be capable of generating, as a minimum, haversine, square, havertriangle, triangle, ramp, dual ramp, and trapezoid waveforms. The system shall also be capable of generating and controlling waveform shapes that are defined by computer files. The waveform frequency range shall be at least from 0.001 Hz to 100 Hz. The function generator shall have built in cycle counter and a preset cycle count that can terminate the test. The function generator shall include mean, amplitude, and frequency adjustments. Command signals shall be generated with at least 32 bit accuracy at the selected frequency and accuracy shall be at least 0.01% of setting. PART 4: SOFTWARE 4.1 Computer The computer workstation to be supplied shall have a CPU with at least a 266 MHz clock speed, have at least 64 MB of RAM and 512 kB of cache, have at least 10 GB SCSI hard disk space (multiple disks are permitted), have an internal SCSI write-capable CD-ROM drive, have an internal SCSI ZIP drive, have a 3.5 in. floppy drive, and have a III Com 905B ethernet board. The monitor shall be at least 17 inch, color, and accept a pixel density of at least 768x1024. 4.2 Operating System (OS) Shall utilize either Microsoft Windows NT Workstation, version 4.0 (with service pack 3 or higher) or later, or Linux (Red Hat version 5.2 or later). No other OS's (e.g., DOS and Windows 95 or 98) shall be acceptable. 4.3 Application Software Application software shall be included for generating and executing tests. The application software shall include the ability to use any installed transducer for control or to capture data from any installed transducer or externally conditioned transducers. The application software shall allow the user to program their own tests. To aid the user in writing such software, example programs (source code) shall be provided for, but are not limited to, the following types of experiment: 1) dynamic tests including: constant strain-rate and stress-rate 2) quasistatic tests including: creep and stress relaxation 3) elastomeric sweeps in amplitude and frequency These sources shall demonstrate, as a minimum over the set, samples of: data acquisition, reverse data retention, mode change, and multiaxial control. The application software shall allow data to be collected and stored to disk at any time during a simple or complex test. The application software shall store all data points in engineering units from all installed conditioners and the data acquisition system in the same spreadsheet file. PART 5: DRAWINGS, INSTALLATION, VERIFICATION AND TRAINING Within two weeks of being awarded the contract, the Contractor shall provide dimensional drawings for the load frame and grips. System set-up and check-out shall be done at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland Ohio within three (3) months of delivery. The load and torque transducers shall be verified on-site and shall be traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A certificate shall be provided for each transducer range that gives tractability to a national standard. Mathematical or software manipulation of transducer outputs to produce ranges other than 100% of full-scale capacity shall not be acceptable. The grips shall be installed and aligned per ASTM standard E1012 using an alignment specimen supplied by the Contractor. Training for 2 people shall be provided either on-site at the NASA Lewis Research Center or at the manufacturer's corporate headquarters within three (3) months of system check-out. Delivery is to include a full set of manuals, which may include, but is not limited to: user, system, troubleshooting, and maintenance manuals. The provisions and clauses in the RFO are those in effect through FAC 97-8. The SIC code and the small business size standard for this procurement are 3821 and 500 employees respectively. The offeror shall state in their offer their size status for this procurement. All qualified responsible business sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency. Delivery to NASA Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 is required within 165 days ARO. Delivery shall be FOB Destination. The DPAS rating for this procurement is DO-C9. Offers for the items(s) described above shall be received at the above stated NASA address, Attn: Glen M. Williams, MS 500-306 by the date/time specified above 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. Offerors are encouraged to use the Standard Form 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items form found at URL: http://procure.arc.nasa.gov/Acq/Forms/Index.html to submit a offer. Offerors shall provide the information required by FAR 52.212-1. Ifthe end product(s) offered is other than domestic end product(s) as defined in the clause entitled "Buy American Act -- Supplies," the offeror shall so state and shall list the country of origin. FAR 52.212-4 is applicable. FAR 52.212-5 is applicable and the following identified clauses are incorporated by reference;52.222-3, Convict Labor (E.O. 11755); and 52.233-3, Protest after Award (31 U.S.C 3553) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (E.O.11246). 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (38 U.S.C. 4212).52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (29 U.S.C. 793). 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (38 U.S.C. 4212). 52.225-3, Buy American Act -- Supplies (41 U.S.C. 10). 52.225-18, European Union Sanction for End Products (E.O. 12849). Alternate I of 52.225-21. Questions regarding this acquisition must be submitted in writing no later than February 1, 1999. Offers are due by close of business 4:30 p.m. February 5, 1999 to the identified bid distribution office, marked with this solicitation number. Selection and award will be made on an aggregate basis to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offeror. Technical acceptability will be determined by information submitted by the offeror providing a description in sufficient detail to show that the product offered meets the Government's requirement. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See Internet Note "B". Prospective offerors need not notify this office of their intent to submit an offer. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor this site and/or the CBD for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of this combination synopsis/solicitation and amendments (if any). Posted 01/28/99 (D-SN292291). (0028)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0284 19990201\66-0005.SOL)