34 -- Circulating Coin Edge Lettering Machine

SOURCES SOUGHT FOREDGE LETTERING MACHINE FOR CIRCULATING COINS PHILADELPHIA MINT BACKGROUND: The United States Mint plans to develop edge-lettering technology for its circulating coinage and commemorative coin programs. Edge lettering will be incorporated into coin designs for both reeded and smooth edged coins. The new equipment shall be capable of placing letters on the outer edge of circulating coins without causing any significant damage to any surface of a coin. DESCRIPTION: The United States Mint seeks to identify potential sources for a coin edge-lettering machine to be delivered to the Philadelphia Mint-Technology Center. The vendor shall provide a machine capable of placing letters on the edge of silver uncirculated commemorative coins and clad circulating coins. The machine shall be a working production model that has been in use for at least one year in a production application. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing testing, training, full machine mechanical and electrical documentation, and spare parts lists. The Contractor shall provide catalog information, specifications and cut sheets fully explaining the basic design, features, required utilities and operation of the equipment to be supplied. The machine shall have the capability of placing incused lettering on the edges of silver and copper-nickel clad coins between 14 mm and 50 mm diameter and 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm coin edge thickness and with the following features and capabilities: a. Production capacity of at least 75,000 coins per hour for the United States Mint’s dollar coin sized at 26.5 mm diameter and 2.01 mm thickness. b. Prevent significant damage to coin obverse and reverse surfaces during handling of the coin. c. Coin reject rate shall be 10% or less due to machine malfunctions, operations or required adjustments. d. The machine shall have all necessary tooling and fixtures to be able to place edge lettering on the United States Mint coin products as listed below. e. The machine shall have the capability of placing edge lettering on reeded coins without damaging the reeded edge. f. The machine shall have the capability of fast denomination changeovers. g. The machine shall have capability of automatic feeding for circulating coins. Labor Requirements: The system shall require no more than one person to support sustained operation at the specified production rate. Duties will include loading or feeding coins into the machine feeder and removal of finished coins at completion of the process. Operation of the system shall not subject personnel to undue bending, reaching, lifting or any unsafe actions. The equipment shall provide sufficient safety controls and alarms to shut down the machine in the event of a malfunction. Safety: The equipment shall conform to all applicable sections of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulations (Standards – 29 CFR). Noise levels measured at a distance of three feet outside the perimeter of the equipment shall not exceed 75 dBA. Sound reducing devices or enclosures shall be provided as necessary Utilities Contractor shall provide all necessary utility information with the proposal to permit planning for the installation. The Contractor shall provide the estimated weight of the equipment, enclosures, and electrical cabinets. A footprint of the floor plan shall be included in the data submitted. References The Contractor shall provide three references for the equipment model in the proposal. Facility name, location type of service and contact information shall be provided.