Summary for electroforming thick copper Discussion
Electroforming a complex shape in thick copper is discussed as possible, but only with significant setup and likely imperfect results. In the thread, Marin Pericic asks about making a complex thick-copper form, and Goran Budija replies that it can be done, but he thinks it would require two 3-D printed parts plus a computer-controlled electroplating system. He cautions that even with that approach, the finished part may be of poor quality. The exchange is brief and does not offer a detailed process recipe, but it does set expectations: the project is technically feasible in principle, yet difficult to execute cleanly for a complex geometry. The practical takeaway is to expect experimentation, careful control, and possible quality limitations rather than a simple one-step electroforming method.
Q. I have 3-D printed ‘mold’ which is 2 parallel plates 10×10 cm connected with 15000 “columns” 0.4 mm thick and 9 mm tall. I want to deposit copper over whole area, 9 mm thick. What would be best way to do so, and is it even possible?
Thanks in advance
Marin pericic
– Split, croatia
September 1, 2021
A. Hi Marin. Please send a photo or drawing, or clarify the project because if those columns are plated with 9 mm of copper they will be nearly 2 cm in diameter, so only 25 could fit on 10 x 10 cm plate, not 15,000 of them.
Plating of 9 mm thickness is probably not impossible but is probably impractical. What are you actually trying to fabricate?
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
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 | Q. I want to create 10x10x0.9 plate filled with 0.4mm holes for one r&d project. My understanding is that copper will deposit around columns and afterwards i’d just melt mold. Marin pericic [returning] A. You want to plate inside your object and that is real problem – you must have anode and cathode inside.You can do that but you must use computer controlled process and 2 parts model.Print plate “I” and columns and than print plate “II”. After that step you can electroform your 9 mm copper plate on plate “I” and then glue plate”II”on it. It is much simpler and better to use piece of 9mm thick copper sheet. Goran Budija |
Q. Picture shows newly created model; there is no need for top plate. What do you mean by using copper sheet? How could I perforate it in this way? I was thinking EDM but i can’t find anyone in Croatia with equipment fit for the job.
Marin pericic [returning]
– split, Croatia
A. A picture is worth a thousand words…It can be done but I think you must use two 3-D printed parts and computer controlled electroplating system. Even in that case result can be of poor quality. Hope it helps and good luck!
Goran Budija
– Cerovski vrh 157 Croatia
⇩ Similar, related, Q&As — oldest first ⇩
Q. I need to form an extremely complex shape, and think plating will make what I need. The assembly will have a large number of small details. My plan is to make an armature of wax subassemblies, coat it with a conducting paint, and plate on metal. For several metallurgical reasons I want to make the item from copper. It needs to be self-supporting, and withstand a mildly corrosive environment, so a fine grain size is desired. I have ready access to scrap copper sheet, 99.99% pure, and plan to use that for the anode. Any recommendations for plating solutions, voltages and other ideas? In particular, which of the conducting paints work well?
Tom Howard
metallurgist – Dallas, Texas
October 31, 2009
A. Hi, Tom. If you do a literature search for “copper electroform” you’ll find out some of the important issues for this project. Sierra Silver Spray or Electrodag might be good metallizing approaches and there are many others.
Complex copper electroforming is not an ideal project for a beginner in electroplating, so you might send the project to a shop that specializes in waveguides or other complex copper electroforms. If you’re not absolutely sure you need copper, NiCoForm [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] can surely make any electroform you wish.
There is nothing wrong with trying stuff on the one hand, but some people who know electroplating only from high school science class might not yet realize that there are electroplating job shops as well as suppliers of electroplating processes. If it’s important item, not just a learning experiment, at least contact a plating process supplier for the proper anodes and plating solutions. Getting something to plate out is easy but getting a robust close-grained even deposit is very hard.
Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
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