[attachment 6211 Platinghead.jpg]Hi I found reprap just a couple of weeks ago and I had an idea, it has probably already been tried but it should be almost easy to print metal by brush electroplating. I will attach a jpeg of my idea. https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111813#msg-111813 Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:27:57 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,112713#msg-112713 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,112713#msg-112713
Probably the most promising method for low budget metal printing right now is to do the process at a very high temperature or to give it a stress relief bake afterwards. This is the only known way to deposit normal metal alloys with stresses in the range of normal manufactured metal goods.

To get both low stress and high accuracy like it5 you would have to invent something new. I bet it could be done but it would require substantial development.]]> bobedybob General Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:17:20 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,112139#msg-112139 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,112139#msg-112139
But, yes, very very slow, and the plating solutions are expensive. First hit I get quotes £12.75 for 250ml of copper - which, according to their calculator, gets you ~620mm^3 of plated copper. There are probably cheaper suppliers, particularly since we would be ordering in bulk, but I can't see this being economical.]]> Andrew Smith General Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:48:39 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,112087#msg-112087 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,112087#msg-112087 Buback General Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:43:56 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,112051#msg-112051 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,112051#msg-112051
The parts on display were all less than 40mm but they all looked highly impressive.]]> richrap General Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:27:03 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111899#msg-111899 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111899#msg-111899
Much more common for 'metal-fabbing' is electro-eroding, where you remove metal with electrical discharging ... but too really time- and energy-consumpting ...]]> VDX General Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:24:02 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111887#msg-111887 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111887#msg-111887 www.caswellplating.com] .....Once a metal film has been deposited its thickness can be added to by more passes, the speed of the pass effects rate of deposition, other factors would be; contact patch size of the tip, thickness of felt between anode and cathode , voltage/current used, composition of cathode (purity of metal, size), rate of flow , temp and composition the solution.]]> Mike L General Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:43:05 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111881#msg-111881 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111881#msg-111881 Mike L General Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:18:09 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111818#msg-111818 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111818#msg-111818
A couple of points I haven't yet been able to find out - to what extent can the plating process be layered? That is, does the newly plated part continue to act as a cathode, allowing incrementally more metal to build up? To what extent would the plate continue to be effective? Several millimeters or even centimeters?

Also, how quickly can the metal be deposited? From one youtube video I saw that the brush had an immediate effect but then he was applying it on the same spot for quite a while afterwards.

Certainly interesting - and it could be useful in the reprapability of circuits.]]> garyhodgson General Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:26:17 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111814#msg-111814 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111814#msg-111814
What would the plating solution typically consist of? The wikipedia article on Electroplating says "Both components are immersed in a solution called an electrolyte containing one or more dissolved metal salts as well as other ions that permit the flow of electricity." - are these easy to come by do you know?]]> garyhodgson General Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:04:45 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111813#msg-111813 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,111813,111813#msg-111813 Mike L General Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:22:11 -0500