Plasma Arc Melted Nitinol

Plasma Arc Melt (PAM) processed nitinol is compared to Vacuum Arc Melt/Remelt (VAM/VAR) and PAM plus VAR consolidated material. PAM materials are produced on a freshly commissioned PAM system designed to support high quality serial production. Bulk material quality is assessed on the basis of chemical uniformity, transformation temperature, and microcleanliness in coil stock. An initial fatigue characterization of .32 mm diameter round wire is also presented by rotating beam fatigue testing in a 37C RO water environment. Preliminary data show a reduction in inclusion size and associated improvement in fatigue endurance at a 1% alternating strain level compared to VAM/VAR consolidated material. This work provides a developmental glimpse of the current progress on our way to fully understanding the benefits of PAM-melted nitinol for application in the Medical Technology, Aerospace and Automotive industries.