66 -- Controller Upgrade

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) proposes to negotiate on a sole source basis a contract under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) with MTS Systems Corporation, 14000 Technology Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 for an upgrade to a controller and software for a closed-loop servo-hydraulic fatigue machine. The upgrade will be replacing an MTS model 442 controller. At a minimum, the new system must meet the following requirements: It must be able to interface with other MTS control systems and have AC/DC conditioners that are interchangeable between existing MTS Teststar IIs control systems. The control system must have one analog input for high level data signal or external programming, three analog outputs, four digital inputs and four digital outputs, with one pair dedicated to the interlock system. The controller processor must be capable of update rates of 6 kHz or higher. The controller must be supplied with a dedicated 2.66 MHz PC that has a minimum 512 MB SDRAM memory, 512 KB cache memory, 40 GB hard drive 1.44 MB diskette drive, CD/RW (X48) and Windows XP or 2000 operating system. Capabilities of the controller must include a function generator that is capable of generating monotonic ramps and cyclic waveforms using sine, square and triangular shapes; graphic color display with meters that provide digital displays of specified measurements such as load, time, displacement, etc.; automatic zeroing with bumpless start and bumpless transfer between control modes; ability to save and restore PID tuning settings; and adaptive control compensation with peak-valley and null pacing. The control system must be provided with universal conditioners that provide conditioning for AC or DC transducers. These conditioners must be interchangeable between machines and normalized with an on board reference for portability of calibrations. The computer supplied with the system must provide control of range, transducer zero, excitation and filtering. The conditioner must provide 100% range shunt calibration. The conditioner must also provide strain gage bridge completion. The system must provide six auxiliary input channels with BNC adapter leads for high level (+/- 10 volt) analog signals which can be used for control and data acquisition. The system must provide a 2 stage valve driver that is capable of providing drive signal to 2 MTS model 252 style servo valves. The valve driver must have digitally controlled fault protection logic and have 16 bit resolution on the valve D/A. The system must have a 115 VAC hydraulic service manifold and cross head solenoid interface box. The system must be interfaced with existing hydraulic power supply to provide control to the HPS for 2 additional servo-hydraulic fatigue machines. The system must be provided with: station building software that provides a software interface for reconfiguring the controller, basic testware software that allows the user to define, save and execute test procedures, null pacing that ensures the desired levels are achieved on initial pass without over-programming and peak-valley control that corrects for peaks and mean level in cyclic waveforms. The system must be provided with fatigue crack growth software that is compatible between existing controllers. The software would be installed on only one machine at a time, but must be capable of operating on the existing systems. Features the fatigue crack growth software must include crack length vs cycles, da/dn plotting, user test shutdown and restart, allow test parameter change during the test execution, and include waveform shapes such as sine and triangle. The system must include a software package that enables integration of function generation, data acquisition, and test sequencing with data stored to disk in ASXII format for analysis with third party tools such as Excel. The software must provide data acquisition, function generation up to 100 Hz, sine, square, triangle ramp, hold processes and ability to play digitized profiles, soft start and stop and interface to 32 digital I/O (16 in and 16 out). The system must be installed and the customer trained in its use and operation. The system must be demonstrated to perform up to the government's requirements and vendor must provide one year software updates on all provided software at no cost.***This procurement is being conducted per FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures (Under $100,000). This synopsis is issued for information purposes. Questions should be submitted in writing to the contracting officer either by fax or email. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether or not use of competitive procedures to fulfill this requirement would be in the Government's best interest and must address qualifications pertinent to this requirement. Terms and Conditions and agency level protest procedures can be found on web site http://oamweb.osec.doc.gov/conops/#REFERENCE. Hard copy in full text is available from office address and phone number listed in notice. FAR Clauses in full text are at http://www.ARNET.gov/far. Agency level protest procedures can be found on web site http://oamweb.osec.doc.gov/conops/#REFERENCE Anticipated award date will be January 11, 2005.