Jan 13, 2015 | By Alec
A desktop FDM printer is a wonderful tool to play with and to let your imagination and creativity run wild, but regular users might have noticed that a bit of monotony can sometimes creep in. After all, many of us are simply downloading files from Thingiverse or some other source and just press print. At one point, your desk gets a bit clogged with 3D printed frogs and planters.
Fortunately, we have come across a surprisingly simple and relatively inexpensive technique to plate your plastic creations in silver or copper. It has been developed by Aaron from the Milwaukee-based jewelry store Delandtree and his friend Bryan Cera, a professor of Digital Media at the Cardinal Stritch University.
In a nutshell, they use a process called electrodeposition: ‘Electroplating is a process that uses electrical current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a coherent metal coating on an electrode.’ To use it, they create a graphite paint that sticks extremely well to ABS plastic by mixing inexpensive graphite powder and an acetone solution. As the graphite is resistive, rather than conductive, the electric current ill induce the metal particles to adhere to it.
The 3D printed test piece and the graphite/acetone solution.
As the pictures show, Bryan simply took an ABS model he had lying around. He drilled a small hole into its bottom to add some copper wire to allow the current to run through it. Applying their acetone/graphite mix with a paintbrush, the model was then submersed into a solution of copper sulfate along with a chunk of copper.These are then connected to a power source (in this case a rectifier, a switching power supply).Alternatively, a few drops of brightener can be added for a smoother plate.
After about four hours, your object will be covered in copper, though you can leave it in for a longer or shorter period of time, depending on how thick of a layer you’re looking for. Simply clean it up with a steel brush to add some shine, and you’re done: a gorgeous metallic 3D print.
The copper plating, before and after processing.
It’s a very simple process to add a bit of life to your 3D prints, and is perfect (and affordable) for people looking to sell a few objects as jewelry or whatever you have in mind. Alternatively, you can even do the exact same thing with a silver solution and a silver anode to plate objects in silver, which will last longer. If you do decide on silver, just be a bit more careful during the post-processing phase.
The silver alternative (post processing).
Looking to try it out? Visit Bryan’s page here for ordering details. Alternatively, you can watch Aaron demonstrating the technique at the Milwaukee Maker Faire next week, if you happen to be in that area.
Posted in 3D Printing Technology
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It should. It doesn't matter what you use, you could do it with a stick. The idea is you coat whatever it is in graphite and then do it.
Booblick wrote at 1/14/2015 4:56:53 PM:
Is there any similar way to do this with PLA?
mwh wrote at 1/13/2015 9:00:00 PM:
I wonder if using conductive PLA would get the same results.
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