Fort Wayne Metals Announces Ultra-smooth, Oxide-free Nitinol

Fort Wayne Metals announces the release of Silk™ Nitinol, which offers an unusually smooth surface.

June 3, 2014, FORT WAYNE, IN –– Fort Wayne Metals has announced the release of Silk™ Nitinol, which offers an unusually smooth surface. This product should be of particular interest for braiding operations and similar applications in which individual filars of wire rub on each other.

“Typically, oxide-free Nitinol has a rough surface, which means the material often needs to be mechanically polished or electropolished before braiding,” explains Dave Plumley, Nitinol Product Manager for Fort Wayne Metals. “By removing this step, Silk™ Nitinol from Fort Wayne Metals enables manufacturers to significantly streamline their process.”

Early results indicate that Fort Wayne Metals will be able to achieve a surface roughness of 3 μin (0.076 µm) RMS or less in Silk™ Nitinol. Surface roughness in mechanically Nitinol usually ranges from 2 – 6 µin (0.051 – 0.152 µm) RMS; electropolished ranges from 2 – 9 µin (0.051 – 0.228 µm) RMS.

Silk™ Nitinol is availablein all Nitinol Grades from Fort Wayne Metals and its authorized distributorsstarting June 1, 2014. Sizes range from 0.0008 – 0.040 in (0.020 - 1 mm).

About Fort Wayne Metals
Fort Wayne Metals Research Products Corporation is a leading manufacturer of high-quality materials, precision wire, strands and cables, and component assemblies for medical devices and other demanding applications. Fort Wayne Metals is an ISO 9001, ISO 13485 and AS 9100 registered company with over 700 employees at their corporate headquarters in Fort Wayne, IN, as well as in Columbia City, IN, and Castlebar, Ireland. Learn more at www.fwmetals.com.

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