Electroforming-based micro-texturing: Advancements for surface engineering in EDM.

Area of Science:

• Surface Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Mask stereolithography (MSLA) and electroforming offer sustainable solutions for microtextured component fabrication.
• Microtextured electrodes are critical for high-precision die sinking electrical discharge machining (SEDM).
• Existing manufacturing methods often fail to meet the stringent geometric and microtextural demands of SEDM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop microtextured electrodes for SEDM using MSLA and copper electroforming.
• To evaluate the fidelity and accuracy of microtexture replication from CAD design to electroformed copper electrodes.
• To identify challenges and areas for improvement in the MSLA-electroforming process for EDM applications.

Main Methods:

• 3D CAD modeling of microtextures.
• Fabrication of master parts using high-resolution MSLA with photosensitive resins.
• Metallization via sputtering to ensure conductivity.
• Copper electroforming in an electrolytic bath to create electrode shells.
• Metrological characterization at each process stage and on final EDM parts.

Main Results:

• High replicability in transferring microtextures to electroformed copper shells was achieved.
• Dimensional variations were observed, linked to MSLA resolution limitations.
• Biomimetic textures showed excellent lateral fidelity; low-relief textures exhibited greater variations.
• Ultrasonic cleaning was identified as crucial for minimizing errors and enhancing accuracy.

Conclusions:

• MSLA and electroforming are viable for producing microtextured electrodes for SEDM.
• MSLA's resolution is a key factor influencing dimensional accuracy, particularly for fine features.
• Optimized post-processing, like ultrasonic cleaning, is essential for achieving high-precision results.
• Further research is needed to enhance electrode texturing accuracy for advanced EDM applications.