Dissimilar metals, each with their own special properties, can be integrated into a single composite wire to achieve a functionally driven design. Simultaneously strong, stiff, and superelastic guidewires that provide proximal stiffness and distal flexibility for medical applications are discussed in this article.

The effects of Nitinol micropurity on the durability of superficial femoral artery stents offers a potential way to enhance durability and reduce fatigue fractures. This article describes recent work on superior grades of “microclean” Nitinol and the effects on fatigue and durability of the devices.

New FDA guidance for Nitinol used in medical devices includes clarification on the determination of safety factors, the requirements for corrosion testing, and proper labeling of potentially harmful elements.

Nitinol fatigue fracture surfaces generally exhibit similar features to most engineering alloys, including a flat fracture plane, ratchet marks, radial lines, beachmarks, and striations.

A new solid-state joining process for medical guidewire applications increases joint strength, provides superior bending properties, and does not require tertiary metals or ferrules. This process may be a superior method to create joints between dissimilar metals such as stainless steel and Nitinol.

This article reports on a multifaceted testing and modeling approach to investigate the fatigue life of medical grade Nitinol to one billion cycles. The goal of a the research is to understand the mechanism of Nitinol ultra-high cycle fatigue and to eventually be able to predict when fracture will occur.

Newly developed nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys are well suited for bearings and gears in demanding applications.

Using a physical vapor deposition process to manufacture medical device components reduces post-processing time and improves materials properties. This article addresses metallic sputter deposition technologies for Nitinol medical devices.

Ultra-short femtosecond laser technology offers sub-400 fs pulses, high beam quality, and peak power that enables a high quality, cold ablation cutting process rather than a melt ejection process. Resulting cuts require minimal post processing and the small beam size allows machining of very fine details. The edge quality possible with a femtosecond laser for both metals and plastics makes it useful for machining heart, brain, and eye stents (both nitinol and cobalt-chrome), catheters, heart valves, and polymer tubing.

News about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other society activities. Topics include: MS&T 2013 Lecturers Announced; 2013-2014 Student Board Members Announced; Jean Duval Educational Fund with ASM Foundation; Chapter News.

Finite element representations of crash test dummies are widely used in the simulation of vehicle safety systems. The biofidelity of such models is strongly dependent on the accurate representation of the nonlinear behavior of constituent rubber, plastic, and foam materials. This article presents a simulation workflow in which material parameters are more easily optimized and demonstrates its use in the calibration of a viscoelastic model for the behavior of rubber-like materials in a side-impact dummy.

Novel methods for altering the mechanical properties of functionally graded orthodontic medical devices leads to new applications. This article highlights recent applications of selective vaporization to enable functional grading of shape memory alloys in medical devices for the dental industry.

News about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other society activities. Topics include: The International Organization on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies (SMST) announces a graduate research fellowship; ASM President Sunniva Collins describes the benefits of participating in local ASM chapter activities; emerging professional Rachel Bethancourt recounts her experiences in navigating a workplace alongside experienced personnel.

Beyond automotive, aerospace, and medical materials innovations, research and development of advanced materials and processes for sports and recreation activities is one of the most exciting areas for today’s materials scientists and engineers. This article compiles examples of materials innovations in equipment for cycling, ice skating, cricket, running, football, sailing, and fishing.

To learn what makes entrepreneurs in materials science tick, we turned to seven ASM members with experience as inventors and business founders for insight. They discuss how they got started, lessons they learned along the way, what ASM can do to support innovators, and advice for the next generation of STEM entrepreneurs.

Laser melting of elastocaloric metals can create fatigue-resistant microstructures, which enables solid-state cooling technologies.

News about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other society activities. Topics include: Ryan Deacon to chair 2019 ASM Nominating Committee; professional profile for Keerti S. Kappagantula; volunteer profile for Bob Vigneulle.

To learn about the important connection between mechanical engineering and materials science, we turned to five experts with backgrounds in both fields for insight. The panelists share their perspectives on how the two disciplines informed their careers, which types of design challenges can be solved with materials information, and how ASM can improve that connection by leading with a “unity of disciplines” approach. The panelists are Scott Carpenter, Vactronix Scientific; Bertrand Jodoin, University of Ottawa; Vistasp Karbhari, The University of Texas at Arlington; Marina B. Ruggles-Wrenn, Air Force Institute of Technology; and Judith A. Todd, The Pennsylvania State University.

A recent advance in the evolutionary ladder of materials for orthopedic sports medicine applications involves composites made of one or more bioabsorbable polymers. This article describes preclinical and clinical results for a specific formulation comprising 30% beta tricalcium phoshate and 70% poly(lactide-coglycolide) polymer.

News about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other society activities. Topics include: nominees announced for ASM Board; profiles of nominated Board officers; ASM CEO William Mahoney reports on ASM partnership with Granta Design Ltd; Carrie Wilson joins the ASM Materials Education Foundation as Executive Director; professional profile for Kelsey Torboli.