A -- CALL FOR COLLABORATIVE R&D WITH U.S. INDUSTRY

Notice Date

July 3, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. Department of Energy/NNSA Kansas City Plant PO BOX 419159 Kansas City MO 64141

ZIP Code

64141

Solicitation Number

KCP-T2-0224-UA

Response Due

September 30, 2001

Point of Contact

Point of Contact: Paul Quirk 816-997-2457 Paul Quirk 816-997-2457.

E-Mail Address

Paul Quirk, IPP Program Manager (Pquirk@kcp.com)

Description

The National Nuclear Security Administration's Kansas City Plant (KCP), operated by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) seeks letters of interest from U.S companies wishing to collaborate on cost-shared research and development projects under the Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention (IPP) program. IPP is a national security program whose mission is to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation in the successor states of the former Soviet Union (FSU). The program strives to stabilize FSU institutes, personnel and technology through cooperative R&D projects with U.S. commercial industry, and NNSA laboratories and plants. This Request For Information (RFI) constitutes the entire announcement. Additional information is available from the KCP Nonproliferation program office. No formal request for proposals or other solicitations regarding this notice will be issued. The NNSA Kansas City Plant is issuing a RFI to solicit letters of interest from U.S. commercial companies to collaborate in the development and commercialization of Flash-Butt Fusion (FBF) welding technology. This effort will assist the E.O. Paton Electric Welding Research Institute in Kiev, Ukraine, to redirect its wartime-based resources, specifically its capability with Flash-Butt Fusion(FBF) technology, to profitable peacetime use. FBF is a technology for quickly and efficiently fusing any metal to any metal without the use of high-speed rotation, welding rod, or flux. This autogenous welding process has never been used outside the former Soviet Union. A primary component of this RFI is to successfully incorporate sufficient technological improvements to commercialize FBF for use in the pipeline industry. The project introduces a much-needed time and cost saving technology to a key global industry plagued by rising costs and fixed revenues. It is anticipated that this application will reduce pipeline installation time significantly and will speed time to market for the pipeline owners, reducing overall construction time by as much as 20%. FBF's metallurgical advantages include reducing the creation of hydrogen gas, which causes hydrogen embrittlement in the weld, and a narrow heat-affected zone (HAZ). Its capability to apply continuous heating across the total face of the joint eliminates residual stresses commonly created by uneven heating found in manual and automatic welding processes. Other advantages include a much shorter time period to fuse a joint, very exact quality and repeatability standard for every fused joint, minimum saving of 40% on welding costs, and no special end joint preparation required. The objectives of the project include: redesign of the FBF technology for low cost commercial use by infusing western manufacturing capabilities to simplify and reduce the manufacturing costs and enhancement of the equipment's overall performance characteristics. To achieve its goals, KCP brings strong technical support, independent testing, and management oversight to this project. LETTERS OF INTEREST SUBMISSION: Potential industrial partner(s) should submit Letters of Interest to Paul Quirk, IPP Program Manager, Honeywell FM&T, PO Box 419159, Kansas City, MO 65141-6159; email pquirk@kcp.com; or fax (816) 997-4094. Kansas City Plant website: www.kcp.com

Web Link

NNSA, Kansas City Plant (www.kcp.com)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010706/ASOL004.HTM (D-184 SN50Q7P5)