Fort Wayne Metals - Technical Blog

How advanced processing is revolutionizing tungsten performance

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:08:36 Z

Tungsten is a material known for its exceptional hardness, high melting point, and resistance to wear. These properties make it indispensable in industries like aerospace, robotics, and industrial manufacturing. However, the performance of tungsten depends heavily on how it is processed.

Traditional tungsten processing methods, such as warm working and hot-to-warm drawing, have been effective, but come with limitations. These conventional techniques often result in lower tensile strength, increased brittleness, and an inconsistent microstructure. As industries demand higher performance materials, advanced processing techniques have emerged to significantly enhance tungsten’s mechanical properties.

Advancements in high-strength tungsten processing

Fort Wayne Metals has developed an innovative processing technique that significantly enhances tungsten’s performance. Through a series of mechanical treatments, this method increases the ultimate tensile strength by over 30% while also improving ductility and structural consistency.

Key advantages of this high-strength processed tungsten include:

Enhanced tensile strength – The material can withstand significantly greater mechanical stress, reaching tensile strengths exceeding 6 GPa.
Improved ductility – Even at small diameters, this tungsten remains more ductile, reducing the risk of brittle fractures.
Uniform grain structure – The refined microstructure ensures consistent properties across long material lengths, enhancing reliability in demanding applications.

Comparing high-strength and conventionally processed tungsten

Figures from recent testing illustrate the stark differences between conventional and high-strength processed tungsten. When comparing 25 µm (0.001 in) wire, Fort Wayne Metals’ advanced tungsten exhibited strength improvements from approximately 4 GPa to 5.5 GPa. Additionally, the work energy to fracture—an indicator of material toughness—more than tripled from 40 to 125 mJ/mm³.

Further process refinements and diameter reduction to 12 µm (~0.0005 in) have yielded even more impressive results, with strength reaching nearly 6.8 GPa (1 million psi). These properties suggest significant benefits for applications where structural fatigue performance is critical, such as robotic manipulation.

The future of tungsten in high-performance applications

With its superior mechanical properties, high-strength processed tungsten is set to play a crucial role in next-generation technologies. Fort Wayne Metals continues to push the boundaries of tungsten processing, with ongoing research into structural fatigue durability and total applied performance. As industries evolve, materials like high-strength tungsten will be essential in meeting the increasing demands for reliability and efficiency.

Super-elastic alloys with gigapascal plateau strengths: Advancing medical and space applications

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 12:00:00 Z

Nitinol alloys have long been a core material in medical and industrial applications due to their unique super-elastic properties. Fort Wayne Metals developed a new generation of Nitinol-based super-elastic (SE) alloys that push the previous boundaries of strength and performance. With upper plateau strengths exceeding 1.0 GPa and lower plateau strengths above 600 MPa, these advanced materials unlock new possibilities across a range of demanding applications.

Enhanced strength for medical applications

The ability to achieve high plateau stresses allows medical device engineers to develop components with thinner profiles while maintaining or even increasing mechanical performance. For instance, vascular guidewires and orthodontic arch wires made from these advanced Nitinol alloys can deliver greater force in smaller wire diameters.

Tensile stress-strain testing of one such alloy, NiTiNbY, revealed remarkable improvements over traditional binary Nitinol alloys. NiTiNbY demonstrated a forward loading plateau stress of 1100 MPa—an increase of more than 65% compared to conventional Nitinol’s 650 MPa. Additionally, its unloading plateau stress is double that of standard Nitinol, while its axial elastic modulus is 40-50% higher. These improvements mean that medical devices, such as stents and guidewires, can be designed with thinner structures without compromising outward force or performance.

While higher stresses can enhance push-ability and torque in guidewires, engineers must consider durability, particularly for permanent implants. However, for temporary devices, the benefits are substantial. Orthodontic arch wires, for example, can provide double the bending force compared to traditional Nitinol wires, enhancing treatment efficiency.

Superelasticity at cryogenic temperatures for space applications

One of the most remarkable attributes of these alloys is their ability to retain super-elastic properties even at extremely low temperatures. Traditional Nitinol alloys transform to martensite upon cooling, losing their super-elastic behavior. However, NiTiNbY and similar compositions maintain stable super-elastic recovery even at -130°C, as shown in stress-strain testing. This property makes them ideal for applications in space exploration and other extreme environments.

Potential space applications include deployable structures, springs, and even advanced tire designs for extraterrestrial exploration. A spring or textile-based tire made from NiTiNbY alloy could be compacted for transport and then deployed to operate over a broad temperature range while maintaining high load-carrying capabilities.

If you are interested in the future of Nitinol alloy spring tires and our collaboration with NASA, please explore our most recent research.