Improved Design of Electroforming Equipment for the Manufacture of Sinker Electrical Discharge Machining Electrodes with Microtextured Surfaces

Abstract

The development of microtextures has had a transformative impact on surface design in engineering, leading to substantial advancements in the performance, efficiency, and functionality of components and tools. This study presents an innovative methodology for fabricating SEDM electrodes. The methodology combines additive manufacturing by mask stereolithography with an optimized electroforming process to obtain high-precision copper shells. A key aspect of the study involved redesigning the electroforming equipment, enabling the independent examination of critical variables such as anode–cathode distance and electrolyte recirculation. This approach allowed precise analysis of their impact on metal deposition. This redesign enabled the assessment of the impact of electrolyte recirculation on the quality of the shells obtained. The findings indicate that continuous recirculation at 60% power effectively reduced thickness deviation by up to 32.5% compared to the worst-case scenario, achieving average thicknesses within the functional zone of approximately 110 µm. In contrast, the absence of flow or excessive turbulence did not generate defects such as unfilled zones or non-uniform thicknesses. The shells obtained were validated as functional tools in SEDM, demonstrating their viability for the generation of textures with high geometric fidelity. This approach optimizes the manufacturing of textured electrodes and opens new opportunities for their application in advanced industrial processes, providing a more efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional methods.