To help increase the adoption of Renishaw’s additive manufacturing (AM) systems in American government applications, these products have been added to the General Services Administration (GSA) procurement system in the USA. Renishaw is now officially recognised as a provider of AM solutions to the US federal, state, and local governments. Machine Tools USA has collaborated with Renishaw to assist in the journey of marketing metal AM systems to the US government.
Machine Tools USA’s existing contract with the GSA allows Renishaw AM systems to be included under the multiple awards scheme (MAS) for 3D printing and AM solutions. The MAS scheme allows government bodies to access commercial products at competitive price points. As part of this, Renishaw AM systems are listed in the GSA eLibrary, a centralised online resource used by federal, state and local governments to assist in the research and identification of businesses who can provide products and services under a GSA contract.
In order to be eligible, products listed on the GSA procurement system have to meet strict criteria including commercial availability, competitive pricing and compliance with Trade Agreements Act (TAA), the Buy American Act and environmental and labour standards. Machine Tools USA has been appointed as a distributor of Renishaw’s AM products to the US Government and will help to ensure that these products continue to meet these requirements.
“GSA contracts are issued for a 20-year period and we at Machine Tools USA are currently halfway through our second contract, so we understand the value of this agreement,” said Marianne Ross Burroughs, President at Machine Tools USA. “A GSA contract is a valuable asset to gain access to this market. As we go into the 45th year of our company, we are thrilled to expand our expertise and assist Renishaw in this journey.”
“Adding our equipment to the GSA procurement system is testament to Renishaw’s commitment to provide innovative AM solutions to various applications,” said John Laureto, AM Business Manager at Renishaw Inc. “Our collaboration with Machine Tools USA has been integral to listing our products under the MAS scheme and we have valued their expertise on this new venture. By helping us meet the stringent criteria for inclusion, the team at Machine Tools USA has helped us showcase the value of our systems for government agencies.”
On the eLibrary, agencies can explore Renishaw’s RenAM 500 series of metal additive manufacturing systems, which provide solutions for a range of research and production applications, from a single laser system (RenAM 500S) to a four-laser system (RenAM 500Q). The systems have automatic or flexible (Flex) powder and waste handling and use the same industry-leading gas flow system, safety features, and precision digital optics for applications ranging from material proof of concept to volume production.
