Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Chancellors Close
BIRMINGHAM
B152TT
Contact
Susanna Ting
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKG31 - Birmingham
Internet address(es)
Main address
www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
www.in-tendhost.com/universityofbirmingham
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
www.in-tendhost.com/universityofbirmingham
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Tender for the Supply and Installation of a Sintering System for the Production of Ndfeb Magnets
Reference number
SC10514/22
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 42300000 - Industrial or laboratory furnaces, incinerators and ovens
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
The University of Birmingham invites tenders for supply of a sintering system for the production of sintered NdFeB permanent magnets. The proposed unit will allow inert charging and sintering of a batch size of a minimum of 50 kg of NdFeB under vacuum or inert atmosphere.
Note, due to space requirements of the system, the proposed sintering system will be installed at Tyesley Energy Park in Birmingham.
This project is funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund; Driving the Electric Revolution.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £317,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 24111000 - Hydrogen, argon, rare gases, nitrogen and oxygen
- 31630000 - Magnets
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKG31 - Birmingham
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The University of Birmingham invites tenders for supply of a bespoke sintering system for the production of sintered NdFeB permanent magnets.
The equipment must comply with all the relevant UK law, regulations, and British Standards.
General characteristics
A sintering furnace for NdFeB with a minimum capacity of 50 kg per batch. The system must incorporate inert loading of pressed NdFeB compacts
Specification
i. Requirements
1) The complete system must be capable of the handling of batch sizes of a minimum of 50 kg, nominally for rectangular magnet blocks with dimensions up to 40mm x 40mm x 20mm.
2) The system should allow for inert loading of pressed compacts by use of a glove box system.
3) The system needs to be ergonomically designed for the efficient handling of the material, facilitating the inert handling and transfer of green compacts (maximum oxygen content 20 ppm) also allowing for the easy transfer in and out of sintering trays.
4) The sintering vessel should be capable of being pumped down to a vacuum level of 10-4 mBar, with appropriate filters / traps to avoid powder entering the vacuum pump.
5) The sintering furnace must be capable of consistently achieving temperatures up to a minimum of 1200°C under vacuum or inert gas with good thermal uniformity (in the order of +/-5°C) during the ramp and sintering stages.
6) During the sintering process hydrogen will be evolved from the compacts (up to 900°C). The pumping system must be capable of safely removing this hydrogen. The sintering system needs to have the ability to actively cool the material from the sintering temperature at a controlled rate. Appropriate control should be incorporated with the ability to log the process parameters. Temp, Vacuum, oxygen levels, moisture levels, flow rates, power consumption. Ability to set multiple programmes for gas control and temp profiles through PID control.
ii. Optional Component Technologies
7) The system could incorporate two solvent extraction chambers and pumping systems to remove solvents from the green compacts prior to the sintering process.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Compliance to Specification / Weighting: 55
Quality criterion - Name: After Sales and Technical back up / Weighting: 10
Quality criterion - Name: Delivery and Training / Weighting: 10
Quality criterion - Name: Sustainability and Environmental / Weighting: 5
Quality criterion - Name: Standard Supplier Questionnaire / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 10
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
End date
31 March 2023
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
26 April 2022
Local time
11:59am
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
26 April 2022
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
University of Birmingham
Birmingham
B15 2TT
Country
United Kingdom