Apparatus for creating formed elements used to make wound stents

A forming apparatus configured to form a wave form for a stent out of a formable material, the wave form comprising a plurality of substantially straight portions and a plurality of curved portions, the apparatus comprising:

• a feeder constructed and arranged to receive a supply of the formable material and to provide the formable material along an axis;
• a first forming member configured to be movable along two orthogonal axes and rotatable in a plane defined by the two orthogonal axes, the first forming member comprising a first forming portion and a second forming portion having a size different from the first forming portion, each of the first forming portion and the second forming portion configured to engage and deform the formable material;
• a second forming member positioned on an opposite side of the axis relative to the first forming member, the second forming member configured to be movable along the two orthogonal axes and comprising a first forming portion configured to engage and deform the formable material;
• and
• a controller in communication with the feeder, the first forming member, and the second forming member, the controller being configured to control movement of the first and second forming members to form the wave form.