Electroforming of Nickel and other metal

[MTPortugal]

Hello everyone,

I know that electroforming is a technolgy in quick development in the rapid tooling industry and aerospacial industry. I have a few questions i would like to be anwsered:
- where can i find reliable documentation relating electroforming?
- About the viability of adapting a electrolytic coating line for the purpose of electroforming.
- other markets to explore

Thanks in advance

Paulo

 

[unclesyd]

The people who do Electroforming are very tight lipped about their process parameters. There are numerous articles on the generalities but very few on actual process parameters.

Here are 2 that I have worked with several years ago.

http://www.servometer.com/products.asp?l=5

http://stork.com/veco/page.html?id=4704

 

[MTPortugal]

Thanks for yoour anwser UNCLESYD.
I know that the companies which produce these kind of deposits are very carefull about the disclosure of information regarding the process parameters. Maybe you can tell me one simple thing: the electroforming is only an electroplating (electrodeposition) process or can it be used also with electroless nickel deposits?

Thank you in advance

Paulo

 

[unclesyd]

Electrolytic Nickel was the primary metal used for electroforming but we did have some parts that were made using the electroless nickel process, confirmed by the presence of Phosphorus. Unfortunately that company was bought up by someone. At the time they wouldn’t confirm or deny if the electroless process was used. We were after the arbor material.
I think that now the primary process is fully electrolytic as I ve seen nothing that even mentions the electroless process.