Creating Artificial Paintings from Metal Using Precise Electroplating Process
In an exciting development, [ajc150] has created a unique selective electroplating project that is revolutionizing the way we think about metal 3D printing. This innovative endeavour uses an electrode mounted on a CNC motion system to electrochemically print images onto a metal sheet, a technique remarkably similar to metal 3D printing methods commonly used in the industry.
The project does not employ a mask, and instead, selective plating is achieved by positioning the anode close to a certain point on the steel cathode. This strategic placement ensures that most of the plating takes place there, effectively enabling the creation of intricate designs.
To further refine the process, [ajc150] applied a gamma correction function to adjust plating times, requiring recalibration after each change. The longer a pixel's darkness in the image, the longer the electrode spends over the corresponding part of the metal sheet.
The system, which includes an electrolyte bath placed in the workspace of the CNC machine, is capable of printing recognizable images, although there is room for improvement. [ajc150] plans to extend the system to a faster multi-nozzle setup in the future.
Interestingly, this technique resembles a metal 3D printing method that is more frequently used to cut metal rather than print it. This has sparked curiosity about the potential for reversing the process, leading to the exploration of other metal 3D printing methods.
One such method is Binder Jetting with Metallic Powders. This process involves inkjet printing a binder onto metal powder layers to build parts. In reverse, a selective binder removal or an electrochemical process could be used to etch or cut metal by selectively dissolving or removing material instead of building it up.
Another method is Electroplating-Based Additive Manufacturing, which is similar to [ajc150]'s selective electroplating where metal ions are deposited layer by layer. Running this in reverse means using electrochemical etching or electrochemical machining to selectively remove metal by reversing the plating current, effectively "cutting" the metal layer by layer.
[ajc150]'s project specifically uses an electrochemical approach to add metal layerwise; running it backward equates to selective electrochemical etching, a technique closely related to electrochemical machining (ECM), which is a known industrial metal cutting method. Thus, selective electrochemical techniques combined with powder/binder or metal deposition technologies represent the closest examples to such reversible metal 3D printing methods.
As of now, no current mainstream 3D printing system fully integrates reversible additive/removal in a single continuous process. However, the principles of selective electroplating/electrochemical machining align best with [ajc150]'s concept, offering promising avenues for future research in the field of metal 3D printing.
In addition, [ajc150] replaced the router of an inexpensive 3018 CNC machine with a nickel anode, and aims to develop an algorithm that considers spillover between pixels during the electroplating process. The project's GitHub repository is available for those interested in exploring the details of this groundbreaking work.
References: 1. US5340656A: [Link to patent] 2. [Electroplating-Based Additive Manufacturing article link] 3. [Binder Jetting with Metallic Powders article link] 4. [Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) / Selective Laser Melting (SLM) article link] 5. [Cold Spray Deposition and Removal article link]
In the realm of DIY projects, [ajc150]'s unique selective electroplating method is pushing boundaries in data-and-cloud-computing technology, as it involves utilizing an algorithm to manage electroplating times. The project also explores the integration of this technology with other established methods like Binder Jetting with Metallic Powers and Electroplating-Based Additive Manufacturing, potentially leading to innovative advancements in reversible metal 3D printing.
