Methods of selectively heat treating tubular devices
A method of heat treating a tubular device may include heat treating a first longitudinal section of the tubular device to have a first austenitic finish temperature and heat treating a second longitudinal section of the tubular device to have a second austenitic finish temperature different than the first austenitic finish temperature. The tubular device may include a hypotube and/or a wire.
1. A method of heat treating a tubular device, the method comprising:
spooling part of the tubular device around a first reel, a first longitudinal section of the tubular device extending from the first reel into a heat treatment chamber comprising bath media and towards a second reel;
heat treating the first longitudinal section of the tubular device in the heat treatment chamber to have a first austenitic finish temperature, wherein heat treating the first longitudinal section comprises flowing gas through a heating element and a porous plate and into the heat treatment chamber, the gas fluidizing the bath media;
spooling the first longitudinal section of the tubular device around the second reel, a second longitudinal section of the tubular device extending from the first reel into the heat treatment chamber and towards the second reel;
heat treating the second longitudinal section of the tubular device in the heat treatment chamber to have a second austenitic finish temperature different than the first austenitic finish temperature, wherein heat treating the second longitudinal section comprises flowing gas through the heating element and the porous plate and into the heat treatment chamber, the gas fluidizing the bath media;
spooling the second longitudinal section of the tubular device around the second reel, a third longitudinal section of the tubular device extending from the first reel into the heat treatment chamber and towards the second reel;
heat treating the third longitudinal section of the tubular device in the heat treatment chamber to have a third austenitic finish temperature different than the first austenitic finish temperature and the second austenitic finish temperature, wherein heat treating the third longitudinal section comprises flowing gas through the heating element and the porous plate and into the heat treatment chamber, the gas fluidizing the bath media;
spooling the third longitudinal section of the tubular device around the second reel, a fourth longitudinal section of the tubular device extending from the first reel into the heat treatment chamber and towards the second reel; and
heat treating the fourth longitudinal section of the tubular device in the heat treatment chamber to have a fourth austenitic finish temperature different than the first austenitic finish temperature, the second austenitic finish temperature, and the third austenitic finish temperature, wherein heat treating the fourth longitudinal section comprises flowing gas through the heating element and the porous plate and into the heat treatment chamber, the gas fluidizing the bath media.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular device comprises a hypotube and a wire, the hypotube comprising a lumen, a portion of the wire coupled inside the lumen of the hypotube.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular device comprises a hypotube.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular device comprises a woven tubular structure.
5. A method of heat treating a tubular device, the method comprising:
spooling part of the tubular device around a first reel, the tubular device comprising a plurality of longitudinal sections, the tubular device extending from the first reel into a heat treatment chamber comprising bath media and towards a second reel;
heat treating the plurality of longitudinal sections in the heat treatment chamber,
wherein, after heat treating, each of the plurality of longitudinal sections has a different austenitic finish temperature,
wherein heat treating the plurality of longitudinal sections comprises flowing gas into the heat treatment chamber, the gas fluidizing the bath media; and
between heat treating each of the longitudinal sections, spooling the tubular device around the second reel and unspooling the tubular device from the first reel.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein heat treating the plurality of longitudinal sections comprises flowing the gas through a heating element.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein heat treating the plurality of longitudinal sections comprises flowing the gas through a porous plate.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the tubular device comprises a hypotube and a wire, the hypotube comprising a lumen, a portion of the wire coupled inside the lumen of the hypotube.
9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the tubular device comprises a hypotube.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the hypotube comprises a cut pattern.
11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the tubular device comprises a woven tubular structure.
12. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one longitudinal section of the plurality of longitudinal sections comprises a different material than another longitudinal section of the plurality of longitudinal sections.
13. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one longitudinal section of the plurality of longitudinal sections comprises a different shape set than at least another longitudinal section of the plurality of longitudinal sections.
14. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one longitudinal section of the plurality of longitudinal sections is shape set to a straight configuration.
15. The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal sections comprises between 1 and 15 longitudinal sections.
16. A method of heat treating a tubular device, the method comprising:
heat treating a first longitudinal section of the tubular device to have a first austenitic finish temperature; and
heat treating a second longitudinal section of the tubular device to have a second austenitic finish temperature different than the first austenitic finish temperature;
wherein heat treating each of the first longitudinal section and the second longitudinal section comprises flowing gas into a heat treatment chamber, the gas fluidizing a bath media in the heat treatment chamber.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising, between heat treating the first longitudinal section and heat treating the second longitudinal section, spooling the tubular device between a first spool and a second spool.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tubular device comprises a hypotube.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tubular device comprises a hypotube and a wire, the hypotube comprising a lumen, a portion of the wire coupled inside the lumen of the hypotube.