A person in a white lab coat holds a small, cylindrical medical stent between their fingers in a clean, clinical environment.

Success Story

Strong Wires. Smart Stents.

19 September 2025

    
          High-performance wires for stents – Precision enabled by ZEISS EVO
        
    Since 2022, Ingpuls GmbH, based in Bochum, Germany, has been producing ultra-thin Nitinol wires for stents. To ensure the highest quality, the company relies on the ZEISS EVO scanning electron microscope (SEM). This powerful tool reveals the finest surface and microstructural details, enabling precise material analysis.

ZEISS EVO as the key to wire technology in modern medicine

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The process of turning the so-called ingot — the product of the melt — into a 75-micrometer wire takes two to four weeks.
The process of turning the so-called ingot — the product of the melt — into a 75-micrometer wire takes two to four weeks.
The process of turning the so-called ingot — the product of the melt — into a 75-micrometer wire takes two to four weeks.

Optimizing complex processes with clarity

Producing ultra-thin Nitinol wires involves more than 100 steps — including repeated hot and cold deformation, and precise heat treatments. Each phase must be closely monitored. ZEISS EVO plays a central role in process optimization by revealing how each parameter affects the material’s structure and function.

To ensure the highest quality and process reliability, regular sample inspections are carried out using the ZEISS EVO scanning electron microscope.
To ensure the highest quality and process reliability, regular sample inspections are carried out using the ZEISS EVO scanning electron microscope.
To ensure the highest quality and process reliability, regular sample inspections are carried out using the ZEISS EVO scanning electron microscope.

Why ZEISS EVO is essential

Nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy, is known for its superelasticity and shape memory. These unique properties make it ideal for stents — but they also demand precise quality control. Even microscopic flaws can compromise performance. ZEISS EVO enables Ingpuls to inspect the wire surface at up to 2,000x magnification, detecting critical imperfections that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Only with ZEISS EVO can we verify the quality of our wires. Without it, we’d be groping in the dark and couldn’t act as quickly and precisely.

Dr. André Kortmann Co-Founder and Managing Director of Ingpuls

Even the smallest defects, such as microcracks, can affect the material’s lifespan, making high-resolution analysis indispensable.
Even the smallest defects, such as microcracks, can affect the material’s lifespan, making high-resolution analysis indispensable.
Even the smallest defects, such as microcracks, can affect the material’s lifespan, making high-resolution analysis indispensable.

High-precision quality assurance

The ZEISS EVO is not only used to inspect surface structures but also to perform detailed material analysis using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). This allows the team to identify and eliminate impurities — a key factor in ensuring the mechanical performance and biocompatibility of the wires.

By magnifying the surface 1,000 to 2,000 times, we can detect even the smallest irregularities that could impact the wire’s lifespan.

Ali El-Toufaili Quality Engineer at Ingpuls

ZEISS EVO: Fast reproducible results – with brief training and intuitive operation.
ZEISS EVO: Fast reproducible results – with brief training and intuitive operation.
ZEISS EVO: Fast reproducible results – with brief training and intuitive operation.

User-friendly design and built-in safety

In addition to its technical capabilities, ZEISS EVO stands out for its intuitive operation. A customizable interface, smart shortcuts, and built-in safety protocols allow the team to work efficiently and confidently.

It’s a luxury to be able to see on screen how close the sample is to the detector — it gives me great confidence.
After just a short training session from ZEISS, I was ready to operate the microscope with ease.

Ali El-Toufaili Quality Engineer at Ingpuls

Ingpuls manufactures ultra-thin wires from shape memory alloys for medical technology and the automotive sector.
Ingpuls manufactures ultra-thin wires from shape memory alloys for medical technology and the automotive sector.
Ingpuls manufactures ultra-thin wires from shape memory alloys for medical technology and the automotive sector.

A smart investment in innovation

ZEISS EVO is more than just a microscope — for Ingpuls, it's an investment in future-proof manufacturing. With weekly quality checks on over 10,000 meters of 75-micron wire, the SEM enables speed, precision, and consistency. It also plays a vital role in failure analysis and product development.

If we hadn’t chosen ZEISS EVO, we might have ended up with a solution that covered 80% of our needs — and the missing 20% would’ve frustrated us later. The ZEISS microscope saves us valuable time and strengthens our customers’ trust — and that’s priceless.

Dr. André Kortmann Co-Founder and Managing Director of Ingpuls

Conclusion

Metallic stent structure shown in a symmetrical, tunnel-like view highlighting its intricate design, as used in ZEISS medical technologies.

The ZEISS EVO SEM is a cornerstone of Ingpuls’ success:

Ultra-high resolution for detailed surface inspection
EDX for precise material composition analysis
Key support in optimizing over 100 process steps
Intuitive, secure, and efficient to use
A boost to product quality, development, and customer confidence

Thanks to ZEISS EVO, Ingpuls is pushing the limits of medical wire technology — with precision you can see and performance you can trust.

Key figures & facts

>100

Over 100 manufacturing steps from melt to 75 µm wire
>10,000 m

Analysis of over 10,000 meters of wire per week for monitoring and process optimization
2,000 ×

Up to 2,000× magnification plus EDX: reliably identify microcracks and contaminants

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High-performance wires for stents

Ingpuls GmbH from Bochum began with shape memory alloys in the demanding automotive industry – a field mastered by only a few companies worldwide. Since 2022, Ingpuls has applied its expertise to the production of ultra-thin Nitinol wires for stents. A key role in quality assurance is played by the ZEISS EVO scanning electron microscope (SEM), which reveals the finest surface and microstructural details and enables precise material analysis.

ingpuls-medical.com

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