Mandrel and orifice plates electroformed using the same

Abstract

A mandrel for electroforming non-uniformly thick orifice plates and a method of making the mandrel are disclosed. The orifice plates have a thicker border surrounding a thinner orifice area. The mandrel has a metallic layer on a substrate. The metallic layer has a first molding surface that is electrically isolated from a second molding surface. The first and second molding surfaces are for substantially electroforming the border and the orifice area respectively. The mandrel also has dielectric areas patterned on the metallic layer for electroforming orifices in the orifice area. In use, the first molding surface is used to first electroform the border without electroforming the orifice area. As the border builds up, it electrically connects the first and the second molding surfaces to allow the second molding surface to subsequently electroform the orifice area.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.