Metal plated additively manufactured plastic ACM seal plates with internal thermally adaptive structure

A method of forming a seal plate for an air cycle machine (ACM), the method comprising:

• forming a seal plate base having a plurality of discrete sections including:
• a first section that is exposed to flow from a first stage turbine inlet when installed in the ACM;
• a second section that is secured to a compressor shroud when installed in the ACM;
• a third section that is secured to a first stage nozzle and shroud when installed in the ACM;
• a fourth section that is adjacent to a rotor blade of a compressor rotor when installed in the ACM,
• wherein forming the seal plate base includes:
• printing, layer by layer, the seal plate base, by printing first and second thermoplastic polymer surfaces, respectively from first and second thermoplastic polymers, that are disposed against each other, the first thermoplastic polymer surface having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and the second thermoplastic polymer surface having a second CTE;
• forming a lower support section on the seal plate base by printing, layer by layer, along the plurality of discrete sections of the seal plate base a mixture of a third thermoplastic polymer and a catalyst formed with metal;
• and
• forming an upper support section on the seal plate by depositing on the lower support section, along each of the discrete sections, via electrolysis deposition, a metallic coating, to thereby control thermal expansion and contraction of the seal plate along the discrete sections, to thereby make the seal plate,
• wherein forming the seal plate base includes printing, layer by layer, a lattice of beads, wherein each of the beads has an outer surface formed by the first thermoplastic polymer surface and an inner surface formed by the second thermoplastic polymer surface, and wherein a void is formed in a center of each of the beads.