Standards for Shape Memory Alloys: From Actuation Systems to Medical Devices

Webinar 9

SPEAKER I

Doug Nicholson (The Boeing Company, Saint Louis, MO)

Standards for Shape Memory Alloy Actuators

 

Abstract: Standard material specifications and test methods are needed to facilitate the transition of shape memory alloy (SMA) actuation technology to commercial use in aeronautical and space applications [1]. Towards this goal, an ASTM task group was formed to maintain and develop standards specifically for SMA for actuation. There’s now a growing collection of standards established to assess and control quality in SMAs from raw material to actuator applications [2]. The first set of test methods published for SMA actuation cover Constant Force Thermal Cycling (E3097), Pre-strain and Thermal Free Recovery (E3098) and Constant Torque Thermal Cycling (E3414). Additional standards under development include: 1) a material specification that establishes requirements to control wrought NiTi-X based SMAs and 2) a test method to evaluate the materials’ ability to meet life expectancy requirements in actuator applications. This presentation will provide an overview of this new group of standards.

 

Related publications:

  • Nicholson, D. E., et al. “Standardization of Shape Memory Alloys from Material to Actuator.” Shape Memory and Superelasticity 9.2 (2023): 353-363
  • Nicholson, D. E., et al. “Do Shape Memory Alloys Have Standards?” AM&P Technical Articles 183.2 (2025): 36-40

SPEAKER II

Matthias Frotscher (Cortronik GmbH, GER)

Medical-related Nitinol standards

 

Abstract: The medical device industry has been on the forefront of NiTi SMA development since the early 1990s with the introduction of the first Nitinol stent. A significant landscape of ASTM standards has emerged around SMA technology, ranging from material specifications, product shape and form standards, all the way to Nitinol standard test methods.

The first ASTM standard I would like to introduce is ASTM F3306 Standard Test Method for Ion Release Evaluation of Medical Implants. It is a universal standard describing how to evaluate implant materials in the human body, if corrosion results are inconclusive.

The second standard is under development as ASTM WK84104 Determining the Porosity and Inclusion Content of Nickel Titanium Shape-Memory Alloys (NiTi SMAs) Using Automatic Image Analysis. Currently, there is no dedicated standard for inclusion analysis of NiTi products but there is an increasing demand for a reliable and reproducible test method in industry.

 

Related publications:

  • Standard Test Method for Ion Release Evaluation of Medical Implants, ASTM F3306-19 (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, approved March 1, 2019). http://doi.org/10.1520/F3306-19.
  • Standard Test Method for Determining the Porosity and Inclusion Content of Nickel Titanium Shape-Memory Alloys (NiTi SMAs) Using Automatic Image Analysis, ASTM WK84104 (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International).