Electroforming is an additive manufacturing process specialized for the production of high precision metal parts. Its uniqueness is that you can grow metal parts atom by atom, providing extreme accuracy and high aspect ratios.
Veco’s Electroforming technology is also referred to as Photo-Electroforming, as it is an electrochemical process combined with photolithography technology.
The metal substrate will first be cleaned
and degreased.
The cleaned metal ‘blank’ is then coated with a light-sensitive coating/photoresist.
The metal sheet is then exposed to ultra-violet light, which hardens the photoresist.
We use the LDI (Laser Direct Imaging) technology which is highly accurate. Also, with an LDI, photomasks become redundant, which significantly reduces costs and decreases lead time.
After the image is transferred by UV exposure the substrate is developed, rinsed and dried.
An electrolytic bath is used to deposit metal onto the patterned surface.
The electro-deposition process involves an electrolytic solution, two electrodes, and a DC current. The DC of electricity is passed through the solution, transferring metal ions onto the cathodic surface through a continuous deposit. Therefore, the material can be built up on microscale accuracy: atom by atom.
The electroformed part can be harvested from the mandrel, once the material is plated in the desired thickness.
