Braiding Machine

The NASA Langley Research Center is seeking a braiding machine for use in a research and development setting. The machine should be capable of producing round braids with a preference for the ability to produce flat and other braid shapes. The machine should support round feeding fibers in the range of 30 to 250 micrometers and have a variable horn gear speed covering the range of 60-100 rpm. The machine should also have a programmable controller allowing control over the braiding system, including braiding speed and helix pitch. The acquisition should include operator training in the setup and use of the braider together with expert factory backup support. Some key features of the braiding machine include: * sixteen carriers * a horn gear plate diameter of 80 to 120 mm * a motorized take-off system * yarn carriers with ceramic eyelets * a programmable controller with the ability to store 10 or more processing recipes * a display showing critical run parameters * standard safety guards for moving parts and safety interlocks * an emergency stop button * an operation manual in English and mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic systems drawings