Public procurement notice: Contract Award Notice
Published: 2024-07-17
Buyer: University of Helsinki
Country: FI
Region: FI1B1
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 33100000
Estimated value: 520804 EUR
Award criteria: price, quality
EU fund: eu-funds

Technical requirements: An advanced laser lithography system based on Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP) for very high precision micro 3D-printing for biological and biomedical applications. The system must also be capable to perform and/or upgraded with 3D bio-printing and grayscale lithography capabilities.
(A documented proof and information regarding previous installations of similar instrument in similar environment is 
sufficient for this section)
Ease of operation is important for UH, as The Instrument will serve as a facility for different members in the group and at the university. The tenderer should be able to demonstrate ease of operation through documents:
• Easy switching between different modes of operation, e.g. objective change, different magnifications, resins, 2.5D and 3D printing, substrate change, operation, cleaning, handling, and maintenance.
• Dedicated software for import of structure design and preparation of 3D print projects including STL slicing, 3D print preview, full control over print parameters.
• Advanced parameters control functions available in software.
• A single interface to the machine operator, allowing for intuitive operation and control of the instrument, and live view monitoring of all camera images in high resolution.
(A documented proof and information regarding previous installations of similar instrument in similar environment is sufficient for this section) At UH printing structures with living components (mammalian cells) in 3D structures and cell patterning on 2D and 2.5D structures is one of the objectives. The tenderer should be able to demonstrate bioprinting capabilities of system supports for:
• Bioprinting chamber with temperature control, humidity control, and HEPA-filtered airflow with submounts for cell culture dishes* (35/50 mm diameter; and others).
• Bioprinting chamber is heatable from ambient temperature up to 50 °C, accuracy ± 0.5;
• Humidity control range 55 - 90 % RH at 37 °C, stability ± 5 % RH.
• Temperature sensor logging and video data collection during printing.
• Supply and control of CO2 (0-15%).
• Capable of maintaining sterility during the biofabrication process (including HEPA-filtered airflow).
• The module and sample holders should be removable from the chamber for pre- and post-printing sterilization, as well as exchanging substrate holders.
• Printing processes for common biomaterials, e.g. hydrogels based on different materials (e.g. PEGDA, GelMA).
(Physical samples are required for this section)

The system must provide the highest printing resolution. To evaluate and compare the achievable resolution, a test structure must be submitted free of charge with the response to the call for proposals. 

The structure must be printed with a device that is identical in construction to the device offered. 

(i) The instrument must be able to print 3D elements into a commercially available microfluidic chip with channels and cell perfusion wells. Specific for bioprinting applications, printing should be possible in the cell perfusion wells, which are about 1200-1700 μm deep.

• Demonstrate the ability to print into a commercially available iBidi μ-Slide III 3D Perfusion chip with a well depth of 1.2mm and 5.5mm well diameter; the design needs to include a connecting porous microfluidic tube to join the microfluidic inlet and outlets; the design also needs to include support 3D cell scaffolds (gyroid) on either side to promote co-culturing of cells (5 points).

(Please, see the image from The Annex 1 of the call for tenders.)

(ii) In order to evaluate throughput for biomedical devices, a micropillar array must be printed onto a glass wafer (size, supplier’s discretion). A test structure must be supplied free of charge with the response to the call for proposals. The structure must be printed with a device that is identical in construction to the device offered. Each round cylindrical micropillar needs to follow the geometry:

(Please, see the images from The Annex 1 of the call for tenders.)

• 500 µm high (h), 50 μm wide.
• Pillar edge-edge distance (d) is 50 μm, positioned in an alternating position arrangement at 60° to each other.
• Round convex top with radii equal to half the width of the pillar. 

The test structure is examined by HU with a scanning electron microscope or a comparable system with sub-μm resolution. The test will be assessed as follows (from worst to best): 
• Micropillars are not straight, pillar edge-edge distance deviates by >500 nm, surface roughness > 100nm, the top is not convex and is rough (surface roughness > 30nm) (0 points).
• Micropillars are straight, pillar edge-edge distance deviates by < 200 nm surface roughness < 50nm, the top is convex with smooth surface (surface roughness < 10nm) (5 points).
(iii) In order to evaluate throughput for biomedical devices, a microneedle array must be printed onto a glass wafer (size, supplier’s discretion). A test structure must be submitted free of charge with the response to the call for proposals. The structure must be printed with a device that is identical in construction to the device offered. Each microneedle needs to follow the geometry:
• 1.2 mm high, 250 μm wide;
• Plus-shaped, with 60 μm cross bar width;
• Pyramidal top with 55° angle;
• Tip radius < 2 μm.

The test structure is examined by HU with a scanning electron microscope or a comparable system with sub-μm resolution. The test will be assessed as follows (from worst to best): 
• Needles are not straight, needle edge-edge distance deviates by >500 nm, surface roughness > 100nm, the tip is not pyramidal, tip radius > 2µm (0 points);
• Needles are straight, needle edge-edge distance deviates by < 400 nm surface roughness > 50nm, the tip is pyramidal with minor deviations, tip radius ≥ 2µm (5 points);
• Needles are straight, needle edge-edge distance deviates by < 200 nm surface roughness < 50nm, Pyramidal top with 55° angle; Tip radius < 2 μm (10 points). 

(Please, see the images from The Annex 1 of the call for tenders.)
(A documented proof with photographic or videographic information is sufficient for this section)

The system must be able to automatically align (position and rotation) to markers on a substrate. To demonstrate automatic position alignment, the following test must be performed on a machine of the same type as offered on a silicon wafer. A video must be recorded of the alignment procedure, in real-time or with clearly indicated speed if not real-time. The resulting structure, as well as the video, must be submitted as part of the offer, and the test must be repeated as part of the acceptance procedure with very similar results.
A cross (size 20 μm 30 μm, height 20 µm, wall thickness = 5 μm) (“cross 1) supplier’s discretion) as part of an alignment marker (“marker 1) is printed on the substrate, (printing material and substrate type supplier’s discretion). An indicator of the directions of the coordinate system axes, is printed onto a blank substrate (Indicator 1).
The system moves 20 mm to either left (-x), an identical cross is printed (“marker 2). 
The system moves 20 mm down (-y), an identical cross is printed (“marker 3). The system moves 20 mm to the right (+x), an identical cross is printed (“marker 4).
The substrate is now rotated by 45° (by rotating stage or by unloading, rotating and loading).
Now the system moves back to marker 1 (“cross 1). The marker (supplier’s discretion) is automatically recognized, and a round rim with diameter of 50 µm, height of 20 -30 µm and wall thickness of 5 µm ("marker 1) is printed around “cross 1, with a target gap of 5 μm between the inner part of the rim and the tips of the cross. The goal is that the centres of “cross 1 and “Rim 1 are exactly on top of each other. The system moves to cross 2, and an identical round rim (“rim 2) is printed. Repeat for cross 3 and cross 4.
The resulting structure is analyzed in a scanning electron microscope. For each marker, the distance between the cross and the rim is measured at the four cross tips, resulting in the numbers dx1, dx2, dy1, dy2. Dx = abs(abs(dx1) abs (dx2))/2 and Dy = abs(abs(dy1)-abs(dy2))/2 are the absolute deviation in x and y.

(Please, see the images from The Annex 1 of the call for tenders.)

The test will be evaluated as follows (listed from worst to best):
• The deviation is so large that at least once the cross and the rim are touching, making it impossible to accurately measure the deviation (0 points)
• At least one deviation is > 1 μm (0 point)
• All deviations are < 1 μm (5 points)
• All deviations are < 500 nm (10 points)
• All deviations are < 200 nm (15 points)
• All deviations are < 100 nm (20 points)


Winner: UpNano GmbH
Number of bids: 2