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Metallizing Nonconductors as a Structural Enhancement

2002

In a quest to achieve the goal of one of our OEM Machines in a completely different way, the concept of plating was brought up to check into. Currently our machine wraps .012"-.026" DIA wire around rubber tubing as reinforcement. Is there the ability to "plate" a rubber compounds in a structurally enhancing way? Not to create a tubing but to lay repeated thin bands of "plate" down as to retain "limited" flexibility (1.9m bend radius) and allow the combination of rubber layers and "plating" (preferably less than six layers) to create a flexible structural member? In the reading on your website it seems any structural ability would be minimal relatively and would not be able to create a pressure vessel of sorts. The picture is a close up of several samples laid next to each other of one layer of reinforcement on rubber tubes, note the gaps allow flexibility in the product. Any guidance, speculation, or comments would be appreciated.

Best Regards,

Zack Stair
- Reading, PA, US

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2002

Although electroplating often tends to be stressed and to exhibit poor structural properties, it is not impossible to electroplate or electroform an object with mechanically useful properties. Record stampers, CD molds, safety screens for electric razors, bellows for air-operated instruments, and waveguides are examples of such things.

Adding the requirement that the electrodeposit be in a wire spiral is an additional challenge but is probably not a deal breaker; you would need to selectively apply the initial two-part silvering solution or use some kind of mask arrangement. My gut feel for this one is that it is very possible, although far from easy.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey