Manufacturing Nitinol medical devices presents a number of unique challenge
s. This paper provides a brief overview on how these challenges are commonl
y addressed, including. the extreme precision and cleanliness required of t
he melting process; the standard techniques for hot and cold working Nitino
l; the standard product forms available; methods for shaping Nitinol parts;
techniques for overcoming the difficulties of machining Nitinol parts; pro
ven methods for joining Nitinol components; and a number of ways to coat or
finish the surfaces of Nitinol devices. A selection of Nitinol stents and
a Nitinol guidewire core are shown as illustrative examples of some of the
various manufacturing techniques as they have been applied to specific medi
cal devices.