Electroforming Manufacturing Basics

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Electroforming Manufacturing Basics

Electroforming is the process of creating thin wall parts by electrodeposition over a mandrel or form. The process of electroforming is as follows:

1. Fabricate a mandrel or form representing the desired internal profile and features of the end-item base part.
2. Apply electroplating material to the mandrel part to the specified thickness
3. Remove the mandrel from the electroplating surface material. This may be done by chemical etching the mandrel out of the Part, or by physical removal of the mandrel from the electroplate part.

Electroforming offers significant weight, size advantages and reproduces the form or mandrel exactly, without any shrinkage or distortion. The mandrel or form is machined to close external dimensional tolerances and high surface finishes which may be difficult to manufacture for complex interior configurations using conventional manufacturing processes.

Electroformed part may also incorporate pockets, hole features of various shapes, boss features, and other protrusions. Electroforming is applicable to low and high production manufacturing. Actual production times are not typically quick, for large mandrels requiring thick electrodeposition, extra processing time will be required.