Fig. 6. Plane transversal of series 2 (×600), etch 2.
6. Internal stresses
One of the main characteristic that a shell should have for its application like an insert is to have a low level of internal stresses. Different tests at different bath temperatures and current densities were done and a measure system rested on cathode flexural tensiometer method was used. A steel testing control was used with a side fixed and the other free (160 mm length, 12.7 mm width and thickness 0.3 mm). Because the metallic deposition is only in one side the testing control has a mechanical strain (tensile or compressive stress) that allows to calculate the internal stresses. Stoney model [10] was applied and was supposed that nickel substratum thickness is enough small (3 μm) to influence, in an elastic point of view, to the strained steel part. In all the tested cases the most value of internal stress was under 50 MPa for extreme conditions and 2 MPa for optimal conditions, an acceptable value for the required application. The conclusion is that the electrolitic bath allows to work at different conditions and parameters without a significant variation of internal stresses.
7. Test of the injection mold
Tests have been carried out with various representative thermoplastic materials such as PP, PA, HDPE and PC, and it has been analysed the properties of the injected parts such as dimensions, weight, resistance, rigidity and ductility. Mechanical properties were tested by tensile destructive tests and analysis by photoelasticity. About 500 injections were carried out on this core, remaining under conditions of withstanding many more.
In general terms, important differences were not noticed between the behavior of the specimens obtained in the core and the ones from the machined cavity, for the set of the analysed materials. However in the analysis by photoelasticiy (Fig. 7) it was noticed a different tensional state between both types of specimens, basically due to differences in the heat transference and rigidity of the respective mold cavities. This difference explains the ductility variations more outstanding in the partially crystalline materials such as HDPE and PA 6.

 
Fig. 7. Analysis by photoelasticity of injected specimens.
For the case of HDPE in all the analysed tested tubes it was noticed a lower ductility in the specimens obtained in the nickel core, quantified about 30%. In the case of PA 6 this value was around 50%.
8. Conclusions
After consecutive tests and in different conditions it has been checked that the nickel sulfamate bath, with the utilized additives has allowed to obtain nickel shells with some mechanical properties acceptable for the required application, injection molds, that is to say, good reproducibility, high level of hardness and good mechanical resistance in terms of the resultant laminar structure. The mechanical deficiencies of the nickel shell will be partially replaced by the epoxy resin that finishes shaping the core for the injection mold, allowing to inject medium series of plastic parts with acceptable quality levels.
References
[1] A.E.W. Rennie, C.E. Bocking and G.R. Bennet, Electroforming of rapid prototyping mandrels for electro discharge machining electrodes, J. Mater. Process. Technol. 110 (2001), pp. 186–196. [2] P.K.D.V. Yarlagadda, I.P. Ilyas and P. Chrstodoulou, Development of rapid tooling for sheet metal drawing using nickel electroforming and stereo lithography processes, J. Mater. Process. Technol. 111 (2001), pp. 286–294.
[3] J. Hart, A. Watson, Electroforming: A largely unrecognised but expanding vital industry, Interfinish 96, 14 World Congress, Birmingham, UK, 1996.
[4] M. Monzón et al., Aplicación del electroconformado en la fabricación rápida de moldes de inyección, Revista de Plásticos Modernos. 84 (2002), p. 557.
[5] L.F. Hamilton et al., Cálculos de Química Analítica, McGraw Hill (1989). 电铸镍壳在注塑模具的应用英文文献和中文翻译(4):http://www.youerw.com/fanyi/lunwen_5028.html