Due to their precise focusing properties and the possibility of an excellent non-tactile energy coupling, lasers represent a suitable machining process for miniaturised components of shape memory alloys (SMAs) in micro-system and biomedical technology. SMAs find increasing application in these fields because of their special properties such as super-elasticity and shape memory effect. Current research is concentrated on the development of suitable and economic process strategies for machining micro-components and -actuators using ultra-short-pulse lasers. The application of this laser type enables the realisation of miniaturised components made of SMAs without damaging the grain structure and therefore maintaining the shape memory effect. The processed miniaturised components are characterised with respect to the achieved geometrical resolution, the surface quality of the processed areas and their mechanical functionality. For real production, a reduction of the processing time is necessary. Therefore, different process strategies consisting in different numbers of process cycles (simultaneous material removal and smoothing, material removal and subsequent smoothing) are investigated machining NiTi-components. In this paper, results of the laser based method regarding processing time and surface quality will be presented. In addition, the application of these strategies for the realisation of exemplary actuator or component geometries (e.g. for minimal invasive surgery) will be demonstrated.