Materials · Smart Materials
Shape Memory Alloy Actuator
Intermediate 3 weeks 20-25 hours
Build an actuator from nitinol wire that contracts when heated by electric current, then measure stroke and lifting force vs current.
Major
Materials
Focus area
Smart Materials
Total hours
20-25 hours
What you'll need
- nitinol shape memory alloy muscle wire 0.25mm
- IRF520 MOSFET driver module for Arduino
- Arduino Uno R3 ATmega328P microcontroller board
- INA219 DC current voltage power monitor sensor module
- calibration weight set for testing
- 5V 3A DC power supply adapter
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Steps
- Research how nitinol changes shape when heated through its transformation temperature.
- Mount the wire in a frame with a weight hanging from one end.
- Wire the MOSFET and current sensor so the Arduino controls current through the wire.
- Measure stroke at several current levels and several weights.
- Cycle the actuator many times and check if its performance changes.
- Chart the results and document the actuator for your portfolio.
What to photograph for your portfolio
- Actuator build
- lifting a weight
- stroke vs current chart
- cycle testing
Resume bullet starters
Copy one, then swap in your own numbers.
Designed a nitinol wire actuator and measured stroke and lifting force across [X] current levels
Cycle-tested the actuator [X] times and documented performance changes over time
Quantified results with [insert your result, such as hardness change, strength, efficiency, or error vs published values] and summarized findings in a technical report
Skills you'll show off
Smart materialsphase transformationsArduinoactuator designtesting