Production Technology for Nickel-Titanium Alloy Self-Expanding Stents
Release Date:
23 Nov,2022
Capillary stents are typically made from microbial medical-grade metal materials, aluminum alloys, or biocompatible polymer raw materials, fabricated through a unique manufacturing process. These medical devices are designed to treat vascular luminal narrowing or blockages in humans. Among the metal stents, balloon-expandable stents crafted from stainless steel or cobalt-chromium alloy, as well as self-expanding stents made from nickel-titanium alloy (Nitinol), are currently available products on the medical market.
With the widespread use of nickel-titanium alloy self-expanding stents in interventional procedures for conditions such as vascular blockages, the production technology for nickel-titanium alloy vascular stents has also seen significant advancements. This evolution has roughly encompassed three distinct types of manufacturing techniques: initially, nickel-titanium self-expanding stents featured a helical coil structure; later, stents with a braided mesh design emerged; and today, the most advanced technology involves fiber-optic laser-cut tubular stents.
High geometric precision and custom manufacturing
The additive manufacturing laboratory has achieved multiple successes in the medical device 3D printing industry, including the development of user-friendly 3D-printed scapular prostheses and heel prostheses.
The elite team has been diligently exploring the feasibility of using PS selective laser melting additive manufacturing to produce 3D-printed nitinol self-expanding stents. PS selective laser melting 3D printing technology can create vascular stents with intricate designs and high geometric accuracy, while also enabling the convenient production of patient-specific stents tailored to individual needs.
The elite team also noted that developing and designing a nickel-titanium alloy wire stent using SLM technology presents significant challenges. The nickel-titanium alloy wire material they used is Nitinol, a type of shape-memory metal that exhibits superelasticity under stress. This material boasts a unique molecular structure, which undergoes transformation when subjected to mechanical force or temperature changes. The two distinct phases of the alloy— austenite and martensite—are determined by temperature, making even slight fluctuations in thermal conditions highly sensitive to the stent’s manufacturing process. To ensure the stent can achieve its self-expanding functionality, the temperature must be maintained below the human body’s normal temperature of 37°C. Additionally, the process parameters for SLM 3D printing must be precisely optimized to produce the stent’s ultra-fine, mesh-like architecture, featuring slender support struts measuring between 80 and 200 µm in diameter.
Based on the additive manufacturing laboratory, additive manufacturing technology has introduced unprecedented flexibility into stent design. Design developers can now tailor stents to specific needs, creating customized-sized proximal and distal apertures as well as intricate branching structures and innovative shapes for both the proximal and distal vascular regions. Moreover, 3D printing technology enhances the ability to produce highly specialized vascular stents, enabling reduced inventory levels and more efficient utilization of resources. For patients, these custom-designed 3D-printed vascular stents offer improved peripheral vascular resistance, potentially leading to a better overall patient experience.
Keywords:
Nickel-Titanium Alloy Rope
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