Development, characterisation, and modelling of processability of nitinol stents using laser powder bed fusion

Additive manufacturing (AM) of customised vascular or peripheral stents is great potential for surgeons and patients, enabling the patients to have achieving better outcomes from stenting procedures, with further advantages having a resource efficient process. In this study, AM superelastic NiTi-based shape memory alloy (Nitinol) was investigated. Two stent designs, which are used treatment complex artery stenosis in lower limbs, were studied. Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) two designs studied investigate impact process parameters on geometry, strut size, structural integrity phase transformations. The study demonstrated successful manufacture Nitinol via LPBF, sizes range between 250 µm ? 560 µm. elastic modulus 56 73 GPa, matches well standard austenitic Nitinol. Chemical etching reduce diameter remove partially melted particles. It shown that laser energy input has vital role controlling Ni-evaporation subsequent changes transformation temperatures, as morphology stents. results reduced Ni-evaporation, maintaining austenite finish temperature at expected range, addition generating good build morphology.