Nitinol’s unique properties have made it the darling of the medical device industry. A novel technique for mechanically joining nitinol to other metal tubing could reduce cost and mitigate risk.
Mark Broadley, Viant
Nitinol has revolutionized the medical device industry. With its flexible superelasticity, shape memory and biocompatibility, nitinol has become a go-to material for medical devices.
But this nickel/titanium alloy is not without its downsides. First, it’s relatively costly. So while an all-nitinol device may meet performance requirements, it may not be practical from a cost standpoint. As a result, medical device designers might specify nitinol for a specific component that needs flexibility, and spec another material, such as stainless steel, for adjoining components.
Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.
