From:	Massion, Gene
Sent:	Monday, September 24, 2001 9:50 AM
To:	Canyon Dynamics Experiment Discussion List; MOOS Program
Subject:	Wet mate connector meeting
Attendees: Gene Massion, TC Dawe, Jon Erickson, Mark Chaffey, Charlie Paull, Ed Mellinger, Keith Raybould, Bill Ussler

This meeting was held to discuss the two potential connector vendor ODI and Seacon and hopefully make a decision leading to a PO.  A fairly complete documentation package was presented by both vendors along with answers to specific questions of ours to help differentiate the choices.  This package was distributed the day before the meeting.  The results of the discussion were as follows.

1) Both vendors have enough connectors in use to qualify the basic design with ODI having the edge in total number (ODI has sold 273 hybrid and 1158 electrical only, Seacon has sold 120 hybrid and 714 electrical only)
2) We have had both good and bad experience with both vendors regarding quality control, delivery and after sale service.
3) We have a good working relationship with Seacon extending over many years.
4) Seacon is local which will reduce expenses for shipping and technician travel time.
5) ODI provides seals at more places in some of their terminations than Seacon.
6) The major difference between the two designs appears to be in the optical and strength termination of our K-tube style electro-optical-mechanical cable.  ODI was able to provide drawings and information from previous projects that showed they had already addressed all the design issues necessary to meet our requirements in this critical area.  It doesn't appear that Seacon has ever delivered a connector which has all the elements necessary to meet our requirements (based on comments from their engineers and the maturity of the drawings).  They were able to provide drawings that showed what was probably elements of several designs along with some new design elements to tie them together to show how they would meet our requirements.
7) ODI provided a reasonable price escalation clause in their terms and conditions.  Seacon did not although my guess is they would agree to the exact formula ODI uses in order to get this job.
8) ODI includes the cost of testing each assembly 7500 psi.  Seacon did not.  Again, I'm sure they would do it if we asked but I believe there would be an additional charge for this effort.
9) ODI is actually the low bidder. 
10) The penetrators into the pressure housing from Seacon were over 5 inches long as opposed to the 1.5 inch length of the ODI penetrators.  This presents a hard point which will be more vulnerable to damage and will require additional complexity and effort on our part to minimize risk. 
11) Paul McGill has had problems with ODI connectors losing continuity on electrical passes with the most likely cause being inadequate strain relief at the cable entry point.
12) No one came up with a strong reason to split the order and allow both vendors to show their strengths or weaknesses (note: this proposal was suggested by Keith and he had to leave the meeting early).

The two vendors are very close in all aspects.  When queried about who they would chose, two people (Mark and TC) felt the nod should go to Seacon based on our existing good relationship.  Two people (Jon and Gene) felt we should go with ODI given they were able to provide design drawings from previous projects showing all aspects of the design and contingent on their proposing some reasonable solution to the inadequate strain relief.  

I suggested that my decision would be to go with ODI, primarily because they have addressed all aspects of our requirements in previous designs.  No one felt at this point that was an incorrect decision so I will be working on finalizing an agreement with ODI to purchase the connectors for the CD project.

Gene Massion
Mechanical Engineering Supervisor
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
7700 Sandholdt Road
Moss Landing, CA 95039
831 7751922 (tel)
831 7751646 (fax)