Integration of Electrochemical and FDM 3D Printing for Metal/Polymer Hybrids

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) is offering new ways to manufacture and produce materials. They offer the choice of manufacturing complex parts using different types of polymers, metals, ceramics and composite materials. However, there has always been a distinct separation between the printing of metals and other materials, mainly because of the different and unique processes used in metal AM. In recent years, however, new processes for AM has emerged and gained traction, like the Electrodeposition process for metallic substances. These processes allow to produce metallic features on conductive substrates using electrodeposition as an AM process. Moreover, not many papers have researched the deposition process on non-conductive substrates, and not many publications have been made. As such, this thesis report presents the trials, findings, modelling and characterization of metallic features printed on polymeric samples using the electrodeposition method. The report shall provide also the outline for the machines designed and used in the experiment.

Date of Award	Jun 2019
Original language	American English