A nitinol latch release has the smallest volume / weight of any release

Latch Release Blog Posts

All blog posts below are about latch releases using nitinol wire. Click on the image to see the whole post.

Volume ready customizable nitinol actuator

The S125 is a volume-ready Shape Memory Alloy wire actuator, with a MOSFET switching & protection circuitry on a Printed Circuit Board substrate. The ideal uses are latch or trigger release mechanisms for battery-powered devices. The S125 is a short-stroke...

Advanced Low Profile SMA Actuator

-Our custom MOSFET/Protection Circuit is on each PCB-Actuator-Typical 3-wire interface: Power, Ground, and Enable. When you raise the Enable line logic level HIGH, we energize until you lower the Enable. The actuator moves to the end of stroke, and 'holds' there...

Laptop lid Nitinol actuator latch

Originally developed for a European laptop manufacturer. The SMA actuator electronically releases the tablet from keyboard/CPU, so you can have a stand alone tablet/touchscreen. SMA is able to provide high-force motion even in the extremely tight spaces within a...

Bluetooth controlled security latch for a Medical Cart

This latch was designed for use for applications where security is needed in very tight spaces like a medical cart. This actuator provides motion along the short axis of the PC board. It's shown operating with a 3.7 Volt Lithium-Ion cell.Our Offices Fishers, IN, USA...

Latch Release Actuator

Latch Release with 1.5 pounds of force using shape memory alloy wire. This was used as a payload release mechanism for a large military drone. This is a payload release on a life-cycle test fixture. Cycling against a 2-pound spring, powered by a 9V Duracell Lithium...

Tiny Snap Action Flexure Nitinol Actuator

This is a simple actuator using 0.008" HT Flexinol to develop a bending mode operation. It is designed to operate at 2.5 Volts.Our Offices Fishers, IN, USA Silverton, OR, USAContact Us Click here for our web form, we'll get right back to you.Office Hours Mon-Sat: 8am...

Drone Payload Release

These prototype devices have been used as drone payload release mechanisms and for protecting drugs in high security medical carts. They can be made very thin (less than 2 mm) and lightweight (less than 1 ounce) and can use very little energy to actuate. They can be...

Ganged Over-Stress Protected SMA actuator

This actuator has 7 mm of stroke at 125 pounds of force. These three ganged actuators operate in series and are an example of an over-stress protected actuator.Our Offices Fishers, IN, USA Silverton, OR, USAContact Us Click here for our web form, we'll get right back...

1/4-Pound One-Way Solid State Latching Actuator

A magnetic detent on one printed coil provides a preferred location for the magnet that is shared between the two coils. When the coil is energized the magnet escapes the detent and travels to the opposite side. When the coil is de-energized the magnet returns to the...

Side Flex Latch Nitinol Actuator

This prototype actuator provided actuation along the narrow axis of the actuator. The idea was to use the music wire flexures as biasing springs and to make it as thin as possible. It is capable of developing roughly 1 pound of force without exceeding a design limit...

SMA Actuator Moving a Binary Latch

This is an example of a commercially available actuator we designed. It essentially works like a Bic Pen. Press in once to engage, press a second time to disengage.Our Offices Fishers, IN, USA Silverton, OR, USAContact Us Click here for our web form, we'll get right...