Metal Deposition: on the Concept of Simple DIY Systems for 3D Prints

Good afternoon Friends, My Name is Marvin, I am not new to the Consept of Metalizing none-conductive objects, I will be assembling my own 3D Printer during the next Months(DLP), I am very excited to join this new revolution, I am usually very thorough when I am about to embark on a new field, but so far I have yet to find a user friendly System(DIY or COTS) of Metal Deposition(Copper, Silver, Gold,) for High Resolution 3D printed objects, I believe this combo of High Resolution 3D printers and Low Cost/DIY Metalizing will have an big impact on this field(Rapid Prototyping), especially if the Metal Deposited has a Highly reflective surface(Mirror like, jewelry grade shine)

I have a few ideas on how to go about doing such sytem and I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject, what is the challenges that this new field needs to overcome?

3D Printed prototypes can be Coated with Matals by the following methods, PVD/CVD(Physical Vapor Deposition and Chemical Vapor Deposition) Electroplating(Electrochemical deposition) Electroless Plating(auto-catalytic plating)

I was interested in buying an electroforming kit but the machines sold looked way too pricey (>4000€) for what they offered : basically an amp generator, a tank, a stirrer and a solution.

I found some interesting stuff at Gateros, I might go that way at Xmas.

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Originally Posted by LambdaFF

I was interested in buying an electroforming kit but the machines sold looked way too pricey (>4000€) for what they offered : basically an amp generator, a tank, a stirrer and a solution.

I found some interesting stuff at Gateros, I might go that way at Xmas.

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What kit are you thinking on getting? A brush plating kit? Small electroplating kit?

the biggest issue I have with electroplating 3D non conductive parts is the need to use a conductive coat, the coat often use is based on graphite and its rather thick and will not preserve the details of High resolution 3D prints, one could use Silver Ink which is less think but its very expencive, that’s why this method is not one I will be using

Something like this. http://gaterosplating.co.uk/Electroforming-Products.php

Kit includes silver paint and graphite (don't ask me why).

Just how rough are the graphite particles ? Could you post some photos ?

Can you show some electroplated parts you've made before / after ?

Let me tell you a little of my background, My dad has been electroplating for about 30 years now, only metals, never plastics, so I always thought I could exploit that market(Plating Plastics) so I documented myself very well on the subject, being a DIY type of guy(I will be building a DIY DLP after all) I decided to use Graphite coat to plate parts, the Plating process my father uses is double chrome system(Nickel and chrome only no copper) so I applied the graphite conductive coat on a small plastic spoon(coming from a modeler background where we test new colors and technics in plastic spoons), the nickel plated for 40 minutes then Chrome Hexavalent chrome dip, the finish didn’t come out as I would have like it, it lacked a mirror finish because the graphite coating was too thick, I tried to thin it more but it lost its conductive properties, having to build copper(electro forming) and then polishing to a mirror finish and then nickel(polishing again) and chrome was too labor intensive and didn’t produce a consistence mirror finish on delicate plastics, so I decided to go with Spray On Chrome(before that I tried plating ontop of Polished graphite powder and the finish was very good but the powder had poor poor adhesion to the plastics/coatings)


Being a DIY guy I made myself a Spray On Chrome Kit to "Plate" this type of items, in the end the customer is in the look out for a bright mirror finish and that’s what this type of metal deposition gives a mirror finish because it creates a Front surface silver mirror. After all I have learned from this field I believe 3D printed parts should have a similar system but more simplistic, able to do not only silver but copper, gold(Rhodium latter if desired) and Cobalt(non toxic hexavalent chrome alternative)

here is an example of electroplating using graphite conductive coat on 3D printed parts


http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150113-a-simple-technique-for-how-to-plate-your-3d-prints-in-copper-or-silver.html


and here a Spray On Chrome system and process on 3D printed parts

http://3dprint.com/38746/cosmichrome-coat-instructable/


now nobody on their right mind would purchase a Cosmichrome system first because their systems are very expensive and 3D printed parts are usually no larget than 10 x 10 inches,

here is just an example of the stages of the process, now this system that I build using off the shelf parts and chemicals is larger than need it for small 3d printed parts, that's why I am brain storming a way to simplify the process even more, I am talking about not having to spend more than $50 to deposit a mirror like silver, copper, Gold, nickel coating on small 3D printed parts


here these are two pieces that I Silver Mirrored

original finish(Hard plastic)
Attachment 7491

here with Black Primer(white also works)
Attachment 7492

here covered with a Glossy 2K Clear Coat to create a Glass like surface(mirrors are silvered over Glass, nothing is more reflective than mirrors)
Attachment 7493

here they are Silvered and Top Coated(with the same 2k Clear to protect it from the elements and regular handling)
Attachment 7494


now just imagine if this parts were coated with 24k gold, ore Copper? how about Cobalt/Nickel? imagination is a very powerful tool

With some sceintist rushing to patent low cost production of graphine, I wonder if that would help in plating, Graphite/graphene? Maybe if you got on the trail of graphine(or at least a use for it) you might hit something big?

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Originally Posted by MechaBits

With some sceintist rushing to patent low cost production of graphine, I wonder if that would help in plating, Graphite/graphene? Maybe if you got on the trail of graphine(or at least a use for it) you might hit something big?

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thanks for letting me know about this subject, I will take a look into it.. now the process I have in mind is the mixture of Old school tech(a few hundred years old) with new methods to produce the desired "Mirror" Finish without busting your wallet,

This "paint" might be a good primer for EP coatings. http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/...ld-nickel-841/

What you're trying to do is very cool but also very difficult, especially with plastic.

You have to come at it from a cost perspective as well. At some point it's going to be cheaper to use your 3D print as a mold for a cheap metal cast that can be coated with anything. It is entirely possible for you to cast your own aluminum parts at home! You just need a half decent furnace. There's indestructible for arc furnaces that will easily liquifiy aluminum.

Coating a plastic part with metal is still very interesting though. Keep on searching. You might be also interested in vapor polishing: http://airwolf3d.com/2013/11/26/7-st...parts-acetone/

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Originally Posted by LuckyImperial

This "paint" might be a good primer for EP coatings. http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/...ld-nickel-841/

What you're trying to do is very cool but also very difficult, especially with plastic.

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There is No need to use Conductive Paint/Coating(Graphite/copper or Nickel) with Electroless/autocatalytic plating, and thats the backbone of the system I am building..

First stage> Electroless Silver Plating, which is the simplest and Oldest form of Plating(going back to the 10th Century Al-Razi alchemist) having a shiny mirror like coating we could stop here and just apply a protective clear coat, or use tints to make it look like real gold(again thanks to Al-Razi) or any other translucent colors(they are called colored chrome sometimes in the Spray on Chrome business)

Second Stage> Electroless Gold Plating, which is also very old form of plating Silver with gold. now we can leave the piece just as it is(gold plated) and have a 18k/24k looking piece that will last for a long time

Alternative Second Stage> Electroless Copper Plating, old and simple form of plating, we can leave the piece as it is and just clear coat it to have a shiny copper mirror like effect on the pieces.

Third Stage> with a Copper plated part we can move on to Nickel or Cobalt electroplating(Cobalt has the look of real chrome) using Cobalt Sulfate only, Electroless Cobalt and Nickel plating could also be applied, copper is need it as Silver alone can be quite finicky.

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Originally Posted by LuckyImperial

Coating a plastic part with metal is still very interesting though. Keep on searching. You might be also interested in vapor polishing: http://airwolf3d.com/2013/11/26/7-st...parts-acetone/

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Wow such cool technicque, much better than Boiling Acetone... After I build my DLP printer I may want to build a FPL 3D printer too so this technique can come quite handy(dont know if the acetone will attack the UV cured resins like Makerjuice G+ I intend to use)