Being locked into a design means less room for error and increased cost for prototyping. Servometer/Precision Mfg. Group, LLC has solved this problem by developing a special process to manufacture solid gold electroforms, suitable for both invasive and implantable medical applications.
A custom electroform requires significant tooling and the use of expensive dies or molds, which makes it difficult to prototype. Servometer produces electroforms by electrodepositing a thin layer of nickel on an aluminum mandrel of any shape, then chemically dissolving the mandrel leaving behind a hollow, structurally rigid, thin-walled metal form that becomes the electroform. This process reduces the need for tooling. In addition, several prototype variations can be made and evaluated. These very precise, thin-walled, lightweight, structurally rigid hollow shells can be made as small as 0.020 in. (0.5mm) in diameter out of nickel, copper, gold, silver, or a combination thereof, with walls as thin as 0.0005 in. They can also be produced to be hermetically leak-tight and soldered or welded to custom end-pieces.
Custom electroforms were produced using a process that eliminates significant tooling.
Servometer/Precision
Manufacturing Group, LLC
www.servometer.com
:: Design World ::
Filed Under: Factory automation, Tubing components, Materials • advanced