WELDING OF NITINOL BY SELECTED TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

Nitinol is a perspective alloy that is difficult to weld because of its high sensitivity to heat, atmospheric gases and the NiTi phase instability. We evaluated several welding techniques with regard to their applicability to weld fine pseudoelastic NiTi wires. Namely, we tested the microplasma arc, laser, electron beam, resistance and capacitor discharge welding. In conclusion, the behaviour of the weld for any of the implemented welding techniques is similar; it leads to a loss of mechanical properties in the welded joint caused by a recrystallization and an increased amount of brittle intermetallic phases. Yet, under perfect shielding and with a minimum heat input, the welds could, as a whole, retain the majority of their properties, and, as such, have the desired properties close to the base metal