Electroforming

Electroforming is an industrial practice defined as the manufacture or reproduction of impressions or electroforms produced by electroplating a metal onto a mandrel, or bath model, which is then separated from the deposit (demolding). This process reproduces the dimensions and surface finish of the mandrels with atomic-scale definition. It can be used to produce molds for parts ranging from tachometer gears to aeronautical structural parts.

Few metals are electroformed (nickel, copper, gold...). Nickel is by far the most widely used because of its good mechanical strength and resistance to corrosion and wear. This article describes electroforming operations using nickel baths. Developed in the 1950s, electroforming today offers the possibility of manufacturing tooling for plastics processing.