Designing medical prototypes that are small enough to operate within the human body—yet strong and precise enough for surgical use—poses a unique challenge. This challenge gets even more difficult when working with metals such as stainless steel and nitinol wire. Both are stiff and hard to manipulate, requiring special tools for bending, cutting, or shaping.
To help students overcome those hurdles, the EnMed Innovation Center (EIC) at Texas A&M University School of Engineering Medicine recently added a high-precision laser welder to its equipment lineup. This tool is already transforming how students build more advanced, durable, and accurate medical prototypes.
Unlike traditional welders, which use high heat and are difficult to control on a small scale, this laser welder uses a focused beam of light to fuse tiny metal parts together using minimal heat. Operating under a 15x microscope, it allows students to connect delicate components without damaging surrounding materials, which is very important when designing surgical or implantable devices.
That precision is already influencing projects. One example is Caroline Miller, a member of the class of 2027, who developed a surgical tool called the Finger Curette to help remove tumors while preserving more healthy bone and tissue.
Using the laser welder allowed her to refine the design and create a stronger prototype that surgeons can use through smaller openings, potentially reducing the risk of complications and recurrence.
“The laser welder has been an exciting tool to have, allowing me to intricately fuse components,” Miller said. “EnMed has helped me throughout the process, and it’s made a big difference in refining my design.”
“The laser welder has been an exciting tool to have, allowing me to intricately fuse components,” Miller said. “EnMed has helped me throughout the process, and it’s made a big difference in refining my design.”
Before the laser welder, students relied mostly on 3D-printed plastic parts, which did not provide the strength or accuracy needed for medical use. Now, they can work directly with metals like nitinol, a shape-memory alloy used in stents, guidewires, and other clinical tools.
“Nitinol wire can be heat-set into a specific shape that it ‘remembers.’ You can bend it, and it will return to that original shape when exposed to a higher temperature,” said Steven Bowles, lab manager at the EIC. “Now we can form almost any geometric shape and weld the attachments together.”
Currently, little research is available on proper heat-treatment techniques for nitinol, so EnMed students are exploring new applications in medicine.
The EIC also added a 3D scanner that lets students create accurate digital human body models. These scans help them design custom medical devices, like prosthetics or surgical tools, that match a patient’s exact shape and anatomy.
Bowles said both upgrades were added after seeing students face challenges transitioning from the research stage to making real, functional products. “These new tools replicate the industry standard and elevate student projects from basic prototypes to production-ready medical devices,” he stated.
Moving forward, the EIC plans to expand its capabilities with new equipment, training, and opportunities to support student-led innovation. Generous contributions from donors like Bob Bondurant ’80 and his wife, Derrith Bondurant, play a key role in making this possible. Their current-use donations funded the purchase of the laser welder and 3D scanner, while additional gifts established an endowment to support future EIC projects.
Whether financing specific tools or supporting student initiatives, these contributions give students the resources they need to keep pushing boundaries, improving medical solutions, and even saving lives. Support the next generation of physicianeers by donating here.
