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 |