Electroforming
Electroforming plays an increasingly important role in the production of microstructured metal foils and components, as well as stamping tools for plastic molding.
Electroforming for the production of metallic precision and micro components
Electroforming plays an increasingly important role in the production of microstructured metal foils and components, as well as embossing tools for plastic molding. Whether it’s about producing precise hole geometries in foils for filtration, atomization, or separation, optical apertures with precise aperture geometry, stencils for screen printing, or molding tools for the replication of plastic foils and components, electroforming is at the heart of the process chain.
The starting point of this process chain is a structured photoresist template on a metallized glass or silicon substrate, which is produced using photolithographic methods. In the galvanic bath, the metal is then built up atom by atom in the areas not covered by the photoresist. Nickel is the preferred metal due to its advantageous mechanical and physical properties and its well-controllable galvanic deposition.
The extensive tests and research of our specialists have led to a proprietary electroforming production process that ensures the manufacture of the highest quality, consistent, and stable thin metal parts. Our electroforming company is the only one to offer this proprietary process, giving engineers the flexibility to produce electroformed nickel parts with varying degrees of hardness, gloss, and deformability. The groundbreaking electroforming system guarantees consistent surface quality and dimensional stability on both sides of the component.
Hard nickel:
- Hardness of approximately 680 HV
- Shiny on both sides
Soft nickel:
- Hardness of approximately 200 HV
- Shiny front and matte back
- Gold (also for biocompatibility)
- Black nickel
- Black chrome
- Molding dies (with structures from 10 nm – 1 mm)
- Encoder disks
- Contact probes
- Optical apertures
- Precision components
- Stencils
- Shadow masks
- Sieves for filtration
- Atomizer nozzles
- Pinholes
- Deposition masks
- Filters
- Micro gears
- Micro-nano nozzles
- Optical masks
Your benefits
at a glance
- Additive process with high material purity
- Diverse shapes and dimensions
- 2.5D structures possible
- High precision down to the nanometer range
- High aspect ratios (height/width)
- Micro and nanostructuring of surfaces
- Products that do not form burrs
Trumpet profile
Density: (+/- 5%)
Standard: 5 – 100 µm
By arrangement: 200 µm
Standard width: ≥ 1 µm
By arrangement: 0.5 µm
Height to width ratio:
up to 10
Precise metal parts in continuous strips
The reel-to-reel etching process enables the production of thin metal parts in continuous strips. The etched parts wound on spools can be separated by the customer during further processing or fed to the next processing steps by defined cutting to length. The thickness of the metal strip to be processed is between 25 µm and 400 µm.
Application examples at a glance
Together
to the Right Solution
The metal specialists of the Wickeder Group combine their strengths to offer you the best in metal. A wide range of standard and customized solutions is available on three continents – Europe, America, and Asia. Thanks to the product and service-oriented business model, the highest quality standards, necessary flexibility, and fast response times can be consistently maintained.
Micro Component
Processes such as electroforming, photochemical etching, and laser cutting enable the realization of micro components with high precision and fine structures. The Micro Component Portfolio shows which product solutions can arise from these manufacturing possibilities.
Your contact with us
Do you need more information about electroforming or have a specific task? Then we look forward to your inquiry.