How Electroplating Works for Polymer 3D Printed Parts

Polymer 3D printing brings accessible geometric complexity, but a plastic part might not deliver all the functionality the application demands. For situations requiring electrical conductivity, EMI shielding, heat conductivity or greater strength than polymer alone, electroplating these parts can be an option. RePliForm in Baltimore, Maryland, specializes in plating polymer printed parts with layers of nickel and copper to achieve the desired effects. This video provides an overview of how the process works (from part design through plating) along with considerations for taking advantage of electroplating as an option between straight polymer and directly 3D printed metals.                                        

Related Resources

• Much more on RePliForm and applications for plated polymer
• An example of a copper plated polymer antenna in The Cool Parts Show RAPID 2022 episode
• A conversation on finishing’s role in additive manufacturing
• More on electroplating from our sister publication Products Finishing

Electroplating FAQ

What do I need to consider when electroplating 3D printed parts?

• The parts must be designed for electroplating. For example, the parts may need offsets to accommodate the added finishing material. 
• The parts must be watertight as the process requires full immersion into liquid solutions.
• The parts must be clean. Oils and loose particles can hinder the electroplating process. Read: Preparation for Electroplating

What is RePliForm’s process for electroplating polymer 3D printed parts?

1. The parts go through a mechanical etching process.
2. The parts are metallicized in a room temperature electroless nickel process.
3. Once conductive, the parts are electroplated with copper, nickel or a combination of the two.

Why electroplate polymer 3D printed parts?

Electroplating polymer 3D printed parts can provide similar properties of a metal part — without committing to a fully metal 3D printed part. These properties include

• Aesthetics
• EMI shielding
• Electrical conductivity
• Heat conductivity
• Improved strength

Transcript

What do you do when a straight 3D printed polymer part isn't quite good enough, but going all the way to direct printed metal isn't an option?

Well electroplated 3D printed plastic might be an option.

I'm Stephanie Hendrixson with Additive Manufacturing Media. I'm here at Repliform in Baltimore, Maryland, where they specialize in electroplating of 3D printed polymer parts. Parts need to be designed for this process, so they probably need offsets to accommodate for the material that's going to get added during the printing process. They have to be watertight, and they also need to be very clean.

When parts come into Repliform, they first go through a mechanical etching process, and then a room temperature electroless nickel process to be metallicized to be prepared for the electroplating process that allows them to be conductive so that they can be electroplated with copper, nickel, or some combination of those different materials to impart the desired characteristics.

There are a lot of different reasons that you might want to electroplate your 3D printed parts, including aesthetics, but also things like EMI shielding, electrical conductivity, heat conduction, as well as mechanical properties. You can improve the strength of the polymer part through this process, giving you an option in between 3D printing with straight polymer and going all the way to direct metal 3D printing.