BACKGROUND:
Notice is hereby given by the University of Ottawa of the intent to enter into a contract with Biomomentum to procure:
• a Mechanical Tester Model Mach-1 v500css that includes the frame, stages in x-y-z (100, 50, 100 mm Travel,
0.5 μm resolution on one of the 100 mm stages and the 50 mm stage and improved 0.1 μm resolution on the
vertical 100 mm stage), 3-axis Motion Controller, Computer with Data Acquisition Card.
• the Mach-1 Motion & Analysis Software (including Add-Ons for (1) Multiple-Axis Load Cell, (2) Indentation
Testing – Elastic Model, (3) Unconfined and Confined Compression – Poroelastic, (4) Normal Indentation, and
(5) Camera Feed), and the Mapping Toolbox Software.
• a Multiple-Axis load cell and Amplification Module with a capacity of 70 N and an Additional Calibration and
Amplification Module for a capacity of 17 N, as well as two Single-Axis Load Cells with capacities of 10 and
1.5 N, and the calibration weights for each load cell.
• a Color Camera and 10X Zoom Lens.
• a range of other accessories including sample chambers, sample holders and indenters to enable the broad
spectrum of experiments to be supported by the system.
• an extended warranty for 5 years on parts and labor.
• shipping, installation, training, and 10 hours of remote training, support, and data analysis.
These items will be integrated into a comprehensive mechanical testing system to be housed in the Colonel By Hall
D321 Laboratory at the University of Ottawa.
PROCESS:
Suppliers that consider their equipment functional, successfully tested, readily available and fully compliant to the ACAN
minimum requirements may submit, in writing, a statement of specifications to the contact person identified in this
Notice, on or before the closing date of this Notice. In the statement of specifications, the supplier must unequivocally
demonstrate how their equipment, at minimum, equals, or exceeds the stated requirements.
If no other supplier submits a statement of specifications, on or before the closing date of this Notice, the competitive
requirements of the University of Ottawa will be considered having been met. Following notification to any suppliers not
successful in unequivocally demonstrating that their statement of specifications equals or exceeds the requirements
set out in this Notice, the contract may then be awarded to the pre-identified supplier.
Date of issue: March 2nd, 2020
Closing Date: March 16, 2020, at 3:00:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
INTENDED USE:
The research program for which the comprehensive mechanical testing system is sought aims to gain new insights into
the physiological and pathological processes impacting articular cartilage homeostasis and to harness these findings
to develop improved treatment options for cartilage defects and joint diseases, often based on the design and
optimization of advanced biomaterials. The mechanical testing system is required for experiments at multiple stages of
the project that range from enabling mechanobiology studies essential to a better understanding of physiological and
pathological responses, to characterizing the biomaterials developed, and evaluating joint repair with our novel
treatments. Therefore, the research involves the following types of experiments:
• Mechanical characterization of articular cartilage (and other soft tissues), tissue engineering scaffolds, and
hydrogels with a broad range of properties in compression, tension, shear, and with the option of upgrading the
system for torsion tests in the future.
• Cyclical mechanical stimulation of native and engineered cartilage tissues/constructs in compression, and shear
carried out within the confines of a standard CO2 incubator (6.5 cubic feet).
• Mechanical indentation mapping of 3D tissue surfaces over large areas (e.g. representing entire condyle surfaces
in human and animal joints).
FUNCTIONALITY:
The equipment must conform to all of the following Minimum Requirements:
• The mechanical testing system (thereafter referred to as ‘the system’) must enable multiple axis testing in
compression, tension, shear and indexation, in various modes including dynamic, static, and waveform loading, in
a single instrument.
• The system must also enable indentation mapping of 3D (i.e. surfaces that are not flat) tissue surfaces over large
areas (i.e., over the full articular surface of human and large animal condyles), with a strong track record to support
this function through sales and publications.
• The system must be upgradable to include torsion testing at a future time without requiring that the system be sent
back to the supplier.
• The system (hardware and software) must be able to achieve a data acquisition rate to at least 2500 acquisitions
per second for force and displacement in all modes. The data acquisition rate must be adjustable.
• Linear stages with motion controllers in three axes: x (horizontal), y (horizontal), and z (vertical) must be provided
and include the following minimal specs:
o Travel range: 100, 50, 100 mm in x, y, and z, respectively.
o Resolution: 0.5 μm for the horizontal stages (x and y) and 0.1 μm for the vertical stage (z).
o Maximum speed: at least 50 mm/s.
o Maximum acceleration: at least 500 mm/s2.
• The system must include one or more multi-axis load cell(s) to enable mechanical testing of articular cartilage
tissues from a range of species including rat, guinea pig, pig, dog, sheep, human, cow, and horse. If only one load
cell is provided, it must therefore have multiple calibrations. Specifically:
o One multi-axis load cell with amplification module should allow a force range of ± 50-75 N in all three axes
with a force resolution of 3.5 mN or less.
o One multi-axis load cell with amplification module or calibration should allow a force range of ± 12-20 N in all
three axes with a force resolution of 1 mN or less.
• The system must include two single axis load cells to enable uniaxial mechanical testing of materials with a range
of stiffnesses. Specifically:
o One single axis load cell with amplification module should allow a force range of ± 9-11 N with a force resolution
of 0.5 mN or less.
o One single axis load cell with amplification module should allow a force range of ± 1-1.5 N with a force resolution
of 75 μN or less.
• The system must include a camera to image samples during tests and collect data for digital image correlation (DIC)
analysis. The camera must be equipped with a support that can be easily installed and removed from the system
when needed. It must have an acquisition rate of at least 10 images per second. It must also be equipped with a
10X magnification lens to image smaller samples.
• The system must include the software required to operate the all functions of the mechanical testing system,
including single and multiple axis testing in compression, tension, shear and indexation, in various modes including
dynamic, static, and waveform loading, as well as image capture synchronized with the raw data of the mechanical
test to enable DIC analysis. The software must allow full control over experimental parameters (e.g., frequency and
amplitude of waveform loading, crosshead speed, etc.), to the operator (within the limitations associated with the
capacity of the system). The system must also include the software required to perform simplified analysis of the
mechanical tester data that includes analysis models for spherical indenters, and for the calculation of Young’s,
shear, fibril, and equilibrium moduli, as well as permeability.
• The system must include the software required to record, analyze and display indentation (and other types of
measures such as thickness) mapping data for 3D surfaces.
• The system must have maximum dimensions smaller than 21.3 x 26.8 x 20 inches (width x height x depth) to enable
the performance of cyclic compression and shear experiments (mechanical stimulation) inside an incubator. If the
system must be adjusted between different testing modes to achieve these dimensions, the adjustments must be
easy to implement without the need for technical support and quick (i.e., no more than 30 minutes).
• The power supply cord, computer connection(s), and any other cables between the tester and other system
components must fit simultaneously through a 1.25 inches access port on the side of an incubator.
• The system must be modular and allow for the incorporation of a range of proposed and custom-made sample
holders, chambers to test hydrated samples, indenters, platens and other similar accessories. The supplier must
provide specs for the connections between these custom-made accessories and the system.
Justification of Pre-Selected Supplier:
Supplier: Biomomentum
Justification:
• The ability to perform indentation mapping of 3D tissue surfaces over large areas (e.g., full condyles in human and
animal joints) is a powerful technique with tremendous potential to drive advances in the field of cartilage repair.
The indentation mapping technology provided by the Biomomentum instrument allows for the generation of unique
datasets that take into account the native tissue architectures, including for the characterization of implanted
biomaterials integration with native tissues and engineered tissue maturation in animal models. This capability is
necessary to achieve a number of key objectives detailed in the research proposed in the CFI JELF and the broader
research program of Dr. St-Pierre’s group.
• This capability (indentation mapping of 3D tissue surfaces over large areas) is only offered by the Biomomentum
system. This feature is the result of the instrument’s unique multi-axis (x-y-z) system and combination with a multiaxis
load cell, as well as software innovations developed and optimized by Biomomentum.
• Biomomentum has now sold approximately 20 such systems with the indentation mapping capabilities for large 3D
surfaces thus far and the use of this capability has been reported in publications, supporting the quality of the
product.
• Importantly, their system also fulfills all other requirements for the research carried out by my group and listed above
in a single instrument.
