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Nitinol Heat Engine Kit
Click on picture to see kit components
Heat Engine - Nitinol Metal
Engine driven by hot & cold water.
The
Heat Engineis a very special kind of heat engine
that demonstrates the conversion of heat energy
into mechanical energy. Based upon the
work of Dr. Alfred Johnson who was granted a patent on this type of heat engine in 1977 patent # 4,055,955
It uses the unique property of Nitinol alloy to generate mechanical motion from
heat. Nitinol has trained into a shape at high temperature (about 600° C) and allowed
to cool to room temperature, where it can be easily deformed and welded into a loop.
When heated above a transition temperature
(in this application about 50° C to 70° C) the Nitinol object abruptly
returns to its high-temperature shape with
a substantial force that is able to drive
the pulleys and thus create motion.
See the Heat Engine in action!
More Information
Nitinol Heat Engine $65.95
"HOT" Wire
This custom shaped "HOT" wire is a simple way of demonstrating the properties of Nitinol. When the wire is cool, it can be bent into any shape. Drop it into warm water (above 105F/40 degrees Celsius) and it springs back to its original remembered shape, spelling the word 'hot'. Allow the wire to cool and the experiment can be repeated.
Measures approximately 4"x2", 24" total wire length
Niti-Hot $40.00
Hot Wire
Thermobile
This fully assembled Nitinol Heat Engine works like an engine without any visible power source. As a shape memory alloy, the Nitinol wire reacts to small changes in temperature converting low temperature thermal energy into mechanical energy and driving the engine as it tries to return to its "remembered shape".
The wheels of the Thermobile will continue to spin as long as it remains heated. To start the engine, simply immerse the edge of the smaller pulley into a water bath between 45 and 90 degrees Celsius and spin the larger pulley.
Specifications:
8" long x 1" thick, 4 oz.
Clear acrylic handle with aluminum pulleys and looped Nitinol wire.
Operating Temperature: 45 - 90 degrees Celsius. (105 - 200F)
HE-03N $85.00
Thermobile
Inch Bot
BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot. This walking robot uss a small length
of BioMetal Fiber. Place the walker on a non-slippery flat surface. Press the switch on the battery case for about 2 seconds to widen the leg angle.
Release the switch to make the legs return to original position. Make the robot move forward by repeatly pressing and releasing the switch.
More Information
Purchase from Amazon
BioMetal Fiber Inchworm - $24.95
NanoMuscle Rotary Nitinol Actuator - 2 Pin
Weighing in at 4.2 grams, NanoMuscle Rotary shape memory alloy actuators
are now available from Images SI, Inc. These spring-loaded rotary muscle
wire actuators provide 60° of rotation using the linear NM70-Super
nitinol actuator, encapsulated in a body with a cam-action rotary output
shaft. Operating voltage ~3-6V.The rotary NanoMuscle memory metal actuators
come in two different versions, the 2-pin NM70R-2P listed here, and
6-pin NM70R-6P listed below. MOSFET driver
is available for controlled actuation.
Rotary Actuator pdf manual
Rotary Pin outs pdf
NanoM-70R-2P
Rotary Nitinol Metal Actuator - 2 pin- $11.95
NanoMuscle Rotary Nitinol Actuator - 6 Pin
Weighing in at 4.2 grams, NanoMuscle Rotary shape memory alloy actuators
are now available from Images SI, Inc. These spring-loaded rotary muscle
wire actuators provide 60° of rotation using the linear NM70-Super
nitinol metal actuator, encapsulated in a body with a cam-action rotary
output shaft. Operating voltage ~3-6V.The rotary NanoMuscle memory metal
actuators come in two different versions, the 6-pin NM70R-6P listed
here, and the 2-pin NM70R-2P listed above. MOSFET
driver is available for controlled actuation.
Rotary Actuator pdf manual
Rotary Pin outs pdf
NanoM-70R-6P
Rotary Nitinol Metal Actuator - 6 pin- $11.95
MOSFET Switch
This MOSFET switch is designed to safely power the NM70R-6P shape memory alloy actuator across a wide range of speeds or input voltages. It allows either push-button control, or external Gate or CNTL signals (from 2.5-30V) to actuate the NM70R-6P memory metal actuator until the end-of-travel is reached.
It then cuts power momentarily, preventing overheating of the shape memory "muscle" wires.
Manual pdf
MOSFET Driver - $15.95
Flexinol® Butterfly
Nitinol demonstration of long life and durability, butterfly gently flaps its wings, beautiful lifelike motion makes it a great gift as well. Uses wall transformer for power (included).
Item Niti-BF $24.95
Nitinol Memory Wire
Fun and educational! You can bend it while
cold, then heat it in hot water, and it will straighten quite
forcefully. You can modify the remembered shape
by annealing the wire. For more information Click Here.
Purchase from Amazon
NMW-3 $12.50
Nitinol Memory Wire
This nitinol metal changes phase around 50oC. Bend it, then drop it into hot water and watch it return to its original shape! Can be set into different shapes by heating with a candle flame. Diameter: 0.75mm(approximately .03")
For more information on Nitinol material click here or Download this PDF file
Nitinol Wire is priced per foot
Bulk Discount -
10 feet or more @ $4.75 per foot.
Nitinol Memory Wire Samples
These 3" samples of memory wire can be wound around a pencil to form a coil. When immersed in hot water, the wire returns to its original shape. The wires can be "set" into other shapes, using a candle flame. These wires have a smaller diameter than our memory wire by the foot.
For more information on Nitinol material click here or Download this PDF file
Nitinol Wire Samples are priced per 3"
piece
For
additional information read our online
Nitinol Article.
Flexinol® Wire
Flexinol® wire properties:
Flexinol® wire's physical function resembles biological muscle; when activated
it contracts. To activate Flexinol® it is heated above its transition
temperature (typically 70°C). An electric current may be passed through
the wire to heat it electrically.
The contraction movement may be applied to any task requiring
physical movement with low to moderate cycling speeds. The small
size, light weight, ease of use and silent operation allow it
to replace small motors or solenoids.
When the material cools (or when allowed to cool) it
can be stretched back it its original length for subsequent contractions.
We offer Flexinol® wire in a variety of diameters, from .002 to .015. Flexinol® wire is also is available cut to length and precrimped, see below. We offer low temperture (LT) activation (contraction) 70° centigrade and high temperature (HT) activation (contraction) 90° centigrade, wires.
Flexinol® is a trade name for shape memory alloy actuator wires. Made of nickel-titanium (Nitinol) these small diameter wires contract (typically 2% to 5% of their length) like muscles when electrically driven or heated. This ability to flex or shorten is a characteristic of certain alloys which, dynamically change their internal structure at certain temperatures.
Flexinol® Wire properties
| Diameter Size (Inches) | Resistance (Ohms/Inch) | Maximum Pull Force (grams) | Approximate* Current at Room Temperature (mA) | Contraction* Time (seconds) | Off Time 70° C LT Wire** (seconds) | Off Time 90° C HT Wire** (seconds) |
| 0.003 | 5.0 | 80 | 100 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| 0.004 | 3.0 | 150 | 180 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| 0.005 | 1.8 | 230 | 250 | 1 | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| 0.006 | 1.3 | 330 | 400 | 1 | 2.0 | 1.2 |
| 0.008 | 0.8 | 590 | 610 | 1 | 3.5 | 2.2 |
| 0.010 | 0.5 | 930 | 1000 | 1 | 5.5 | 3.5 |
| 0.012 | 0.33 | 1250 | 1750 | 1 | 8.0 | 6.0 |
| 0.015 | 0.2 | 2000 | 2750 | 1 | 13.0 | 10.0 |
*Please note contraction time is directly related to electric current imposed. The guidelines are only approximations, since other factors like ambient temperature, air currents, and heat sinking will vary with specific devices.
** Approximate Cooling Time
| Item # Metric | Item # Standard | Unit Price |
| Flexinol® 075 HT/LT | Flexinol® 0.003 | $2.50 / ft |
| Flexinol® 100 HT/LT | Flexinol® 0.004 | $2.50 / ft |
| Flexinol® 125 HT/LT | Flexinol® 0.005 | $2.50 / ft |
| Flexinol® 150 HT/LT | Flexinol® 0.006 | $2.50 / ft |
| Flexinol® 200 HT/LT | Flexinol® 0.008 | $2.50 / ft |
| Flexinol® 250 HT/LT | Flexinol® 0.010 | $2.50 / ft |
| Flexinol® 300 HT/LT | Flexinol® 0.012 | $5.00 / ft |
| Flexinol® 375 HT/LT | Flexinol® 0.015 | $8.50 / ft |
Biometal Helix
BioMetal Helix Dimensions (.006
x .70) inches. The advantage of the BioMetal Helix
over standard Nitinol wire is that it may be stretched
and contracted to twice its length. In this case
a .75 inch length may be stretch to 1.5 inches.
Weight liftable on recover: 30 grams
Total resistance: 7.5 ohms
Typical activation current at 20°C: 150mA
Typical cycle rate at 20°C: per minute.
See following 118 KB movie.
More Information
Includes one SMA coil spring 20 mm long (in contracted
state), 4 spectacle terminals, 4 eyelet terminals,
instructions.
BioMetal Helix $48.95
Biometal Fiber
BioMetal Fiber Dimensions .15mm x 1 meter (or .006 x 39 inches
english).
The BioMetal Fiber is a fiber-like actuator (drive unit)
designed to contract (tense) and extend (relax) like
muscles. The key feature of this product is its flexible,
smooth movements like those of real life. Although soft
and pliable like a nylon thread under normal conditions,
it becomes stiff like a piano wire and sharply contracts,
when a current is fed through it.
Practical force produed: 150 grams
Total resistance: 61 ohms/ meter
Standard drive voltage (V/M) 20
Typical activation current at 20°C: 340mA
Typical cycle rate at 20°C: per minute.
BioMetal Fiber $48.95