X-Ray Computerised Tomography (CT) Device

Tender description

1. Background The 3M Buckley Innovation Centre (the Centre) has recently won funding from the Local Growth Fund to provide equipment in support of the technology-based growth of regional businesses. As part of this, the Centre seeks the equipment to become the regional centre of excellence for additive manufacture (AM). To enable this and building on our expertise with plastics selective laser sintering, we have purchased metal AM platforms. We now intend to purchase an X-Ray computed tomography (CT) or X-Ray microscopy instrument to complement out additive manufacture facility, Manufacturers are invited to tender for one instrument indicating clearly which and how their products meet the specification. Any ancillary costs including service contracts, materials and training, should be clearly indicated as options. Manufacturers are also encouraged to highlight additional features that contribute to value for money for the Centre. 2. Purpose As a regional centre of excellence for promoting business growth through innovation, the Centre seeks to build on its experience in additive manufacture to meet a documented business requirement for this facility. An issue for additive manufactures is the ability to study the metallurgical, surface and internal properties of materials and products. In addition to a range of instruments for surface inspection, we foresee and need to use X-Ray technology to image the surface and internal structure of additively manufactured items. We require the ability to produce higher resolution 3D images of items. The Centre has held preliminary discussions with companies representing the following industries or supply chains. o Automotive and automotive components o Fluid handling and pumping o Aerospace & rail technologies o Healthcare and medical prosthetics o Art, architecture and product design We do not foresee an immediate requirement to service the dental or jewellery (precious metals) sectors. Each sector has particular challenges. However, the ability to carry out non-destructive inspections and where appropriate, provide clients with an assurance on manufactured items is essential. We see X-Ray technology as being key to this as well as being an invaluable tool for researching materials properties and the effects of altering AM building parameters. Since our perceived market is diverse, we are seeking equipment that is able to deal with as many scenarios as possible and is able to handle a range of metal/alloy materials and objects. WE cannot rule out the use of the technology for other non-AM related studies, for example, the X-Ray examination of other non-metal and even biological artefacts. It is difficult to anticipate the size of the items to be examined but an instrument capable of delivering high-resolution images to an object place in or on a moveable platform (in relation to the source) is essential. A sa...