当前申请(专利权)人：
UNISON INDUSTRIES LLC
原始申请(专利权)人：
UNISON INDUSTRIES LLC
当前申请(专利权)人地址：
Incorporated in USA - Delaware, 7575 Baymeadows Way, Jacksonville, Florida 32256, United States of America
摘要：
A methods of electroforming components 38 are described. A heat exchanger 38 is prepared through electroforming by polishing a conductive surface of a mandrel 58. The mandrel 58 is shaped as at least a portion of the heat exchanger 38. The heat exchanger 38 is then electroformed onto the conductive surface of the mandrel 58 and subsequently removed. A further method of electroforming a component is also defined. The method comprises: a conductive surface of a mandrel 58 shaped as the component is polished, and the component 38 is electroformed onto the conductive surface of the mandrel. The mandrel 58 is then removed from the component 38 to expose a new surface of the component previously bordered by the mandrel 58. The new surface has a surface roughness (rms) that is less than 81 micrometres resultant of polishing the conductive surface before electroforming the component. An additive manufacturing process (AM) may also be used to create a heat exchanger using an electrodeposition process.
权利要求：
CLAIMS
‘What is claimed is:
1. A method of electroforming a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
polishing a conductive surface of a mandrel shaped as at least a portion of the heat exchanger;
electroforming the heat exchanger onto the conductive surface of the mandrel; and
removing the mandrel from the electroformed heat exchanger.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein polishing the conductive surface smooths the conductive surface roughness (rms) to less than 32 microinches (0.81 micrometers). 3. The method of any preceding claim, wherein electroforming the heat exchanger further includes electroforming the heat exchanger to have a wall thickness that is less than 4 mils (0.01 centimeters).
4. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising activating the conductive surface for electroforming.
S. The method of claim 4 wherein activating includes treating the conductive surface to remove contaminants.
6. The method of any preceding claim wherein the electroformed heat exchanger is treated along inner surfaces that are exposed when the mandrel is removed. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein treating the heat exchanger includes treating the inner surfaces with an etchant.
8. The method of any preceding claim further comprising attaching a manifold component to the mandrel.
9S. The method of any preceding claim further comprising metalizing the mandrel to form the conductive surface prior to polishing the conductive surface.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming the mandrel to shape to at least the portion of the heat exchanger prior to metalizing the mandrel.
11. A method of electroforming a component, the method comprising:
polishing a conductive surface of a mandrel shaped as the component;
electroforming the component onto the conductive surface of the mandrel; and
removing the mandrel from the component to expose a new surface of the component previously bordered by the mandrel;
wherein the new surface has a surface roughness (rms) that is less than 32 microinches resultant of polishing the conductive surface before electroforming the component.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the component further has a wall thickness that is between 3 and 4 mils
13. The method of claim 11 or 12 further comprising treating the new surface with an etchant.
14. The method of any of claims 11 to 13 further comprising activating the conductive surface prior to electroforming by treating the conductive surface to remove contaminants.
15. The method of any of claims 11 to 14 wherein the component is made of a material that has a porosity that is less than 50 microinches.
16. A method of forming a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
providing a removable mandrel defining the shape of the heat exchanger;
coating surfaces of the mandrel in a conductive coating to define a cathode;
electroforming the heat exchanger onto the cathode to include wall thicknesses that are 3-4 mils;
removing the mandrel from the electroformed heat exchanger; and
treating the electroformed heat exchanger to remove any remaining conductive coating from the electroformed heat exchanger.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising polishing the conductive coating prior to electroforming.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein polishing provides for creating a surface roughness (rms) for the heat exchanger that is less than 32 microinches. 19. The method of any of claims 16 to 18 wherein electroforming further includes forming a monolithic, unitary heat exchanger including a first manifold, a second manifold, and a set of tubes coupling the first manifold to the second manifold. 20. The method of any of claims 16 to 19 wherein treating the remaining conductive coating includes using an etchant.