Metal coating from Rapid-Components can replace sheet metal, die casting and even carbon parts.

Metal coating is an electro-chemical finishing process. Pure copper layers transform insulating surfaces into electronic and thermal conducting surfaces. The application of a reproducible thick layer, typically a combination of nickel and copper, allows mechanical, electrical and chemical component properties substantially to improve. Plastic components which are produced without tools by Rapid-Technology have a weakness: their limited mechanical properties.

The metal coating finish changes this with a precisely fitting metal protective housing, whose strength is specifically controllable. The result: these refined, stereolithographic components can replace the parts sheet metal, die-casting and even carbon parts, for prototypes and low volume productions.

This targeted metallic surface finish makes Rapid-Manufacturing possible. The attained strength of materials is comparable with the classic production process.

• Composite with higher mechanical strength and EMV-compatibility
• Metal coating for application in an abrasive und aggressive medium.
• Metal protective housing replaces complex metal, die casting and even carbon parts.

In the data preparation phase, the first step, the applied thickness of the subsequent metal layer, must already be defined and is extracted as offset from original data record. Thus, the metal coating refined products lie within the given tolerance.

The production time for metal coating parts averages typically five working days from the data entry. The advantages of metal coating procedures are especially evident with thin walled and complex geometric shapes.

In addition, the metal coating parts can be refined through additional surface finishing. They can be chrome, silver or gold plated, according to the desired design or functional requirements.

The metallic sheathing of metal coating improves the mechanical properties of Rapid- Parts considerably. The core is made of stereolithographic material (supporting material SL TOOL® MC32).