NiTi smart materials are manufactured in bulk as wire. The wire drawing process is a great contributor to creating the bulk motion in the SMA for actuators. Also, for historic reasons including medical uses, NiTi wire is significantly more accessible than other forms of the materials. Deft Dynamics modified traditional weaving equipment and discovered an effective way to form NiTi fabrics quickly and consistently from NiTi wire. Applications include powerful smart actuators, distortion resistance, and abrasion resistance (potentially even ballistic) protection. Previous attempts to make NiTi fabrics left large gaps in the material (like w wide mesh) or used softer forms of fabric creation like knitting.
