Nitinol Shape Setting
Nitinol Shape Setting
Many advanced medical components, such as stents, guidewires and retrieval baskets use nitinol that is shape-set, activating the material’s ability to “remember” and return to its original shape when exposed to body heat.
Blueacre Technology specialises in the design and development of custom, complex heat shape tooling for advanced nitinol components, working with projects from early concept to high-volume production.
The Process:
Fixturing:
Nitinol is precisely positioned and secured within a custom-made fixture that represents the desired shape.
Heat Treatment:
The assembly is subjected to a specific heat treatment cycle, typically involving high temperatures (e.g., 455°C to 565°C in a salt bath).
Cooling:
The material is then rapidly cooled, often by quenching in water, to “freeze” the shape.
Re-shaping:
Upon reheating, the Nitinol reverts to the shape defined by the fixture, exhibiting its shape memory or superelastic properties.
