Electroforming Process to Additively Manufactured Microscale Structures

Electroforming is a metal forming process that forms parts through electrodeposition. The overall study and production of the copper mandrel were conducted by examining the growth and depth of the depositions at macroscopic levels. The study of the plating constant for a copper plate in copper sulfate was performed via the production of copper mandrels. Each mandrel was produced by performing multiple experiments and qualitatively and quantitatively examining the resultant depositions and the initial and final states of the experiment. The results were measured based on variations of current and voltage duration in the bath cycle, time duration, solution concentration, and change in mass of both the anode and cathode. The variables such as plating constant and direct current distribution are determined. It seems the rate at which the structure can be fabricated depends on the type of electrolytes used and the parts that are deposited can be scalable.