Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
National Physical Laboratory
Hampton Road
Teddington
TW11 0LW
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Research
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Mechanical Cryostat for Characterisation of Advanced Materials Down to 4K
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
A cryogenic mechanical test station comprising of a 250 kN hydraulic test frame and a 250 kN load rated cryostat. The cryostat must be suitable for mechanical testing at 4K by immersing test rigs in liquid helium, at 20K in gaseous helium, at 77K in liquid nitrogen and room temperature. The mechanical test frame must have a top mounted hydraulic actuator with sufficient working distance to enable the halves of the cryostat to be separated on specimen removal and loading. Liquid helium and liquid nitrogen dewar feeds are required.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £318,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
A 250 kN Servo Hydraulic Fatigue 2 column test system with actuator in crosshead with stroke of ±75mm. The test system should have a 1200 mm Tee slot table @590 mm from the floor. Height should provide at least 2690 mm working distance between table and underside of crosshead. Fitted with telescopic lift cylinders. Actuator displacement measurement accuracy of better than ±0.2% of transducer full travel.
Load measurement accuracy to 1/250th of loadcell full scale. Adaptive control system allowing continuous update of PID settings at 1 kHz. Control loop update (10 kHz) on call control axes and continuous synchronous data acquisition at 10 kHz on all sensor channels. Mixed-mode control technology allowing bi-modal and tri-modal control techniques to be used. Mechanical test system fitted with a 250 kN fully Reverse-Cycle-Fatigue-Cryostat consisting of a self-reacting load frame and cryogenic test chamber that mounts to the underside of the test machine’s upper crosshead.
The cryostat should be suitable for quasi-static and mechanical testing at fixed point temperatures of 295 K, 77 K and 4 K. The cryostat should include hardware necessary to conduct temperature-controlled tests at intermediate test temperatures in the range from 20 K to 300 K. Cryostat and test fixturing must be instrumented with temperature sensors and resistive heating elements. A four channel PID temperature controller should be provided to monitor the specimen and chamber temperature and to supply the heating power.
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
Instron is the only vendor that can provide a servo-hydraulic test system that is fully compatible with the existing mechanical test infrastructure within the Mechanical Test Facility at NPL. This specifically relates to existing Instron hardware (test frames, adaptors, fixtures, fittings and load cells) and software, as well as coverage under existing maintenance and calibration contracts.
Unique features of the Materials Reliability cryostat include:
(i) the cryostat is thermally and economically efficient for cryogenic tests at 4 K. Its low mass and heat load are key elements responsible for its cryogenic thermal efficiency.
(ii) The RCF test cryostat is extremely versatile regarding types of materials and test specimens that can be tested and has common threaded adapters that provide simple adaptation to different specimen styles.
(iii) The cryostat is designed with concentric indexing, axial alignment and zero backlash features to meet the demanding requirements of fully-reverse-cycle fatigue test specifications.
(iv) The cryostat has a 4-channel commercial cryogenic temperature controller and hardware to provide specimen test temperature control to ± 1K at 20 K in gaseous helium environment
(v) The cryogenic chamber is designed to operate with specimen in a positive pressure (up to 0.5 bar) sealed environment. The proven pressure seals enable the efficient use of liquid or gaseous helium with a controlled vent system to enable the capture of spent helium gas.
(vi) The system has a feedthrough spool assembly with 6 ports;
a. (2) liquid cryogen ports (1 ea. fill and exhaust ports)
b. (2) 25 mm quick connect o-ring seal ports
c. (2) 38 mm dia clearance feedthroughs ports with KF flange seal-off
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31 October 2022
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Instron
Coronation Road, High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire
HP12 3SY
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £318,000
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NPL Management Ltd
Hampton Road
Teddington
TW11 0LW
Country
United Kingdom