Study of machinability aspects of shape memory alloys: A critical review

Memory metals or memory alloys or smart metals are those alloys which get deformed when cold and returns to their preformed shape when subjected to heating. Their exquisite properties make these alloys an ideal material for several engineering applications. The recent developments in these materials have attracted the interest of the scientific community. In this context, an attempt has been made to provide an overview of the shape memory alloys (SMAs) along with their deformation mechanism. The study further explores the classifications and advantages of different shape memory alloys. Various machining processes adopted for machining shape memory alloys as well as the making of these alloys have been also articulated in this review. Besides all these, a light has been also thrown on the significant characteristics of these materials in addition to their applications in automobile, aerospace, robotic, and biomedical fields.