Single-Axis Linear Motion Calibration System with Control Software

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a sources sought notice to identify capable suppliers for one complete turnkey single-axis linear motion calibration system, commonly described as a shake table, with control software. The system is intended for laboratory calibration, verification, and validation testing of inertial measurement devices at the FDA White Oak campus in Silver Spring, Maryland. This notice is for market research only and is intended to help determine source availability, domestic product availability, and potential small business participation.

The required system must be fully assembled, factory-tested, and factory-calibrated before shipment, with end-user setup limited to unpacking, cable connection, and software installation. The FDA is seeking a system with programmable single-axis linear motion under closed-loop position control with real-time feedback, including support for arbitrary user-defined waveforms and multi-frequency superposition of at least three simultaneous components. The performance range described includes approximately 0.1 to 10 Hz frequency, sub-millimeter to about 20 millimeters displacement, and up to about one g acceleration, along with sub-millimeter small-amplitude positioning accuracy.

Additional requirements include an integrated position sensor and integrated reference accelerometer, both factory calibrated with NIST-traceable certificates. The system should include safety features such as a hard-wired emergency stop, motion limits, over-current protection, and fault detection with automatic safe shutdown. It must be suitable for benchtop laboratory use on standard 110 to 120V power or universal input, without requiring special power conditioning or floor reinforcement.

The control software must operate in a standalone environment without mandatory internet, cloud, or subscription dependencies, and it should provide a programmable interface compatible with MATLAB, Python, or a comparable industry-standard platform. Software and electronic content must conform to Section 508 accessibility standards. The anticipated requirement also includes installation, user training, technical documentation, and a commercial warranty, with delivery expected within approximately 90 days after award.