Methods of manufacturing jaw members of an end-effector assembly for a surgical instrument

A method of manufacturing a jaw member of an end-effector assembly, comprising:

• forming at least one stress-relief cavity in an electrically-conductive surface of a sealing plate, each one of the at least one stress-relief cavities defining a pad portion having a pad surface coincident with the remainder of the electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate;
• and
• depositing a material on the pad surface of each pad portion to form a stop member thereon, each pad portion surrounded by one of the at least one stress-relief cavities, each one of the at least one stress-relief cavities functioning as a wetting ring to limit the spread of the material, wherein each one of the at least one stress-relief cavities is configured to prevent force applied to a bottom surface of the sealing plate during an overmolding operation from stressing each pad portion to avoid compromising adhesion between the stop member and the pad surface of the electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate.