Nitinol Machining, Niti Shape Setting And Electropolishing Of Nitinol

Nitinol Processing Services

Capacity: Medical device OEMs rely on Norman Noble’s expertise in manufacturing ultra-precision nickel-titanium components for their breakthrough products. Norman Noble utilizes dedicated departments to machine, heat set, and electropolish complete nitinol devices.Our extensive heat treating equipment includes five fluidized beds, convection air ovens, and a salt bath furnace.The process validation dept. supports all of our manufacturing services, works to meet customer requests, and provides IQ/OQ, MSV, PQ/PPQ, TMV, DOE, and risk analysis.
Capabilities: Norman Noble, Inc. provides the only complete, single-source contract manufacturing of nickel-titanium products, including shape setting of nitinol for both superelastic and shape-memory material. Custom shapes of wire, ribbon, strip, sheet, tubing or bar nitinol are achieved with custom fixtures and very specific heat treat times and temperatures.Norman Noble is one of the few companies that provide all elements of nitinol manufacturing: micromachining, shape-setting, and electropolishing.Besides component geometry, we also have the capability of confirming the physical, and mechanical properties of the finished part, by means of DSC (differential scanning calorimeter), bend & free recovery tester, and temperature controlled tensile testing.

· Machining of Nitinol - The combination of our experience and advanced machining processes makes Norman Noble, Inc. the best source for micro precision machining of nitinol products. In fact, Norman Noble machines nitinol implants and devices for many of the OEMs in the medical device industry utilizing the most advanced processes:

o Laser Machining

o Wire EDM

o Swiss Machining

o Milling

· Shape Setting of Nitinol - What is Shape Setting? Nitinol shape setting is the process by which the final, specified shape of the metal is configured and programmed. This requires specific thermal physics for each device depending on the end use and end-use environment. Shape setting must also take into account the type of nitinol being used, which may require different processing temperatures and exhibit different characteristics. “Superelastic” and “shape memory” types of nitinol are generally available in wire, ribbon, strip, sheet, tubing, and bar form.

Shape Memory Nitinol Wire Placed in Hot Water to Show Transformation of Material

·
To set shape, machined nitinol is constrained on a mandrel, or custom fixture. This mandrel can be made by Norman Noble or provided by the customer. Once the nitinol is fixed on the mandrel, its shape is set with a specific heat treat. One of the most important challenges in the shape setting process is determining the proper heat treatment parameters to achieve the shape and properties of the part. Nitinol shape setting requires thermal manipulation of the nickel-titanium from martensite toaustenite. The process may require a specific austenite start temperature (As Temperature) and finish temperature Af Temperature); or a specific martensite start temperature (Ms Temperature) or finish temperature (Mf Temperature).The parameters for this phase transformation may need to be determined experimentally for each component.
Rapid quenching is then used to finalize the process. Either Norman Noble or the customer can specify the type of heat treatment to be used: fluidized bed, using alumina media; convection air furnace; or salt bath.

· Electropolishing of Nitinol - Norman Noble, Inc. has spent years developing and perfecting a proprietary process for electropolishing nitinol. We are one of only a handful of contract manufacturing companies to provide this essential service. Common problems facing the machining of nitinol include: residual machining artifacts, scratches, heat affected zone, as well as gaps between the grains and sharp edges. These inherent imperfections may reduce service life and affect performance of devices, which can be especially critical for medical device manufacturing or other high-tech applications. After machining and shape setting of nitinol is complete, a very high percentage of nitinol parts require electropolishing.

o Most technologically advanced process for electropolishing NiTi

o Exceptional repeatability and predictability

o Removes dross, machining artifacts, and heat affected zones (HAZ) that result from thermo-cutting processes (e.g., laser, and EDM machining)

o Eliminates crevices between grains

o Smoothes sharp edges in critical areas

o Provides lustrous finish on NiTi

o Prolongs service life and improves performance of NiTi parts

· ISO Class 8 Cleanroom Packaging - With this shape memory service we complete the production chain of nitinol products from micromachining through cleanroom packaging. Our 1000-square-foot, ISO Class 8 cleanroom is a modern facility for assembly and packaging of sensitive, micromachined parts and components. The clean room can be partitioned into micro environments for particulate control as strict as the customer deems necessary. In addition, a 480-square-foot temperature-controlled secure storage area provides a room for post-sterile barrier packaging and controlled storage.

· Technical Study

Product Applications

Customers use our contract manufacturing services to produce some of the smallest and most complex parts for the medical device industry.Some examples would include:

· Vascular Stents

· Heart Valves

· Orthopedic Screws

· Vessel Closure Devices

· Spinal Implants

Prototype Department: Our advanced machining services are located in independent prototype departments with dedicated equipment for each of our manufacturing business units.This enables our prototype machining equipment to be isolated from the production manufacturing areas.Norman Noble’s expert technicians perform all research and development tasks prior to production to ensure that all shape and functional requirements are met. With specialized software Norman Noble, Inc. can create test methods to customer specifications and most engineering standards.

CAD drawings and prints of Nitinol products can be submitted to or visit our RFQ page.

page up