BLT is deeply involved in the field of metal additive manufacturing, and continues to expand and iteratively optimize in the field of structure and forming technology, exploring the forming solutions of metal materials.

In the process of exploring more forming solutions of metals, BLT R&D team found that Nitinol can automatically restore its plastic deformation to original shape at certain temperature.

Nitinol also offers characteristics of superelasticity, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, good shock absorption, etc., and is widely used in aerospace, automotive, medical and other civil fields. As Nitinol highly complies with the requirements of manufacturing the vascular stent, BLT tried to print the Nitinol vascular stents (exhibits).

The change of the phase-transition temperature of Nitinol mainly depends on the change of its effective Ni-Ti ratio inside. Research shows that the higher the density of laser energy is, the higher the phase-transition temperature becomes while selected laser melting. Fine light spot is optional for BLT-S210, which provides good technical support for printing Nitinol vascular stents (exhibits).

The shape memory effect is one of the important properties of Nitinol and it depends on temperature-induced phase transformation. In addition, the shape-memory effect is also related to microscopic defects generated in forming process, strengthening of minor phases, and impurities created during the process.

Based on the application characteristics of Nitinol vascular stents (exhibits), BLT has developed a shape-memory alloy process, which facilitates the formation of fine structures of 0.1~0.2mm. The material has super elasticity and has good shape-memory effect after carrying out the deformation training.

Giving full play to the advantages of metal 3D printing, BLT continuously makes efforts in the field of new materials, and is committed to developing mature forming processes for new materials. In the future, BLT will also continue to focus on the research trends of new materials, and try our best in the R&D and forming of new materials to provide clients with more solutions for new materials.

Part of the data excerpted from “Research Progress of Selective Laser Melting of Nitinol”