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Processing and characterisation of precision microparts from nickel-based materials

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Abstract

The objective of this research was to study the influence of electroplating parameters on electrodeposit characteristics for the production of nickel (Ni) and nickel–iron (Ni–Fe) microparts by photoelectroforming. The research focused on the most relevant parameter for industry, which is the current density, because it determines the process time and the consumed energy. The results of the Ni and Ni–Fe characterisations can be divided into two aspects closely linked with each other: the morphology and the hardness.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Dr Tony Hart (Hart Coating Technology Ltd, UK) for technical discussions on nickel electroforming, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for Grant EP/C534212/1 to study “3D-Mintegration” that involved development of a demonstrator nickel-electroplated metrology microprobe and the Stiftung Rheinland-Pfalz für Innovation (Germany) for a Grant to do the NiFe-plating.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Advanced Materials, Cranfield University, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK

    D. M. Allen, H. J. Almond, K. Bedner, M. Cabeza, B. Courtot, A. Duval & S. A. Impey

  2. Department of Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Amerikastraße 1, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany

    K. Bedner & M. Saumer

Authors
  1. D. M. Allen
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  2. H. J. Almond
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  3. K. Bedner
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  4. M. Cabeza
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  5. B. Courtot
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  6. A. Duval
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  7. S. A. Impey
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  8. M. Saumer
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Correspondence to M. Saumer.

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Allen, D.M., Almond, H.J., Bedner, K. et al. Processing and characterisation of precision microparts from nickel-based materials. Microsyst Technol 15, 1287–1291 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-008-0717-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-008-0717-x

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