Dimensional control in electroforms
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsJennifer L. Trice, Charles N. DeVore, James R. Starkey
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Abstract
A method includes placing a conductive mold in a first bath of electroforming solution, the solution including metal and having a selected temperature. A current is provided to the electroforming solution so that metal deposits onto the mold, thereby forming an electroformed element on the mold, the electroformed element and the mold being a composite assembly. The method further includes removing the composite assembly from the electroforming solution and transferring the composite assembly to a second bath having the same selected temperature. Thereafter, the electroformed element is separated from the mold while the composite assembly is in the second bath.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- placing a conductive mold in a first bath of electroforming solution, the solution comprising metal and having a selected temperature;
- providing a current to the electroforming solution so that metal deposits onto the mold, thereby forming an electroformed element on the mold, the electroformed element and the mold being a composite assembly;
- removing the composite assembly from the electroforming solution;
- transferring the composite assembly to a second bath having the same selected temperature;
- and
- separating the electroformed element from the mold while the composite assembly is in the second bath.
A method comprising:
- providing a conductive mold comprising a plurality of bores and masking off each of the plurality of bores;
- placing the mold in a first bath of electroforming solution, the solution comprising metal and having a selected temperature;
- providing a current to the electroforming solution so that metal deposits onto the mold, thereby forming an electroformed element on the mold, the electroformed element and the mold being a composite assembly;
- removing the composite assembly from the electroforming solution;
- spraying the composite assembly with a fluid having the same selected temperature;
- transferring the composite assembly to a second bath of fluid having the same selected temperature;
- and
- separating the electroformed element from the mold while the composite assembly is in the second bath, wherein the separating step comprises gradually advancing a plurality of separation mechanisms through at least some of the plurality of bores in the mold to push the electroformed element away from the mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.