micro motion Answered

.001 inch is 25 micrometer (aka microns) - typically listed as "flexinol 025". Just google "muscle wire" or Flexinol. Here are a few hits:

http://www.robotstore.com/store/product.asp?pid=289&catid=1635

http://www.elexp.com/kit_2mt3.htm

http://www.smallparts.com/products/descriptions/naw.cfm

thanks for the links, do you know what the difference is between the low temp and the high temp flexinol for an electric application? According to the flexinol datasheet they're hte same, just that the high temp relaxes faster.

The higher the temperature of the wire, the faster it will cool off when you remove the current, because the temperature difference between the wire and surrounding air will be larger. That means that a wire with a higher transition temperature will tend to go through the transition zone faster when cooling off, i.e. the wire will relax faster, and will be able to switch back and forth faster. The new HT wire is a little more expensive and can run very hot (Activation Finish Temp is 98 Celsius - almost boiling). Looks like the 25 micron wire is only available in a LT version - possibly because the very fine wire is too easy to overheat and burn through.

then what is this?
http://www.robotshop.ca/home/products/robot-parts/motors/actuators/flexinol-en/dynalloy-flexinol-0010-ht-actuator-wire.html

Dunno - a figment of your imagination perhaps? :-D I just based that assumption on the specs available from robotstore.com. I guess their information is outdated...

never mind, I found it, it was hidden in the dynalloy page

Don't forget that their motion is only about 4% of their length - a 5mm length will only shrink by 0.2mm.

Thanks for the tip kiteman!

I prefer putting a similar jig in a cordless drill. It goes MUCH faster, and is WAY neater.

Like the old saying about a cat, there are many ways to wind a coil LOL

do you know od a place to buy it for the US? If I were to buy it from there it'd cost 20bucks for 1 meter.