SMA’s (Shape Memory Alloys) have been around since the 60’s. They are a hybrid of titanium alloy and nickel (NiTi). This composition of the metals gives the alloy an elastic quality that cannot be found with any other metal (composition). The alloys have a remembered state that they revert to after they have been heated (thermo or electric charge), no matter the current shape that the alloy may be in. There are two types of shape memory alloy effects, one-way and two-way. The one-way effect is when the SMA has a single remembered state, usually at the cooled state. The two-way effect is achieved by a cooled state and a heated state. Two-way SMA’s are less successful because they can remember new heated states in the process of use.
Currently, this technology is used for industrial purposes, such as medical devices, industrial actuators and aerospace engineering. I am interested in the capabilities of memory alloys and the potential for its use in a commercial product application. Below are some examples of these memory alloys being used in either industrial or commercial use.
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