Production Metal Part Performance with Plated Advanced Manufacturing Plastic Parts

Metal-coated parts are suitable for a variety of applications by combining design freedom and low-cost of 3D resin printing with performance of easily applied metal coatings.

Sean Wise, RePliForm, Inc.

Wednesday April 1, 2026, 8:30 – 9:30 AM ET
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Description

This presentation will demonstrate how predictable properties can be obtained for metal-plastic composite parts with knowledge of the component properties and proportions. It will also cover applications using electroplated AM parts for antennas, EMI shielding, wind tunnel models, functional parts, decorative items and historic reproductions. Electroplating is particularly suited to AM applications. The combination of processability and performance makes metal-coated parts suitable for a variety of engineering applications by taking advantage of the design freedom and low cost offered by 3D resin printing, with the performance of the easily applied metal coatings.

About the Presenter

Dr. Sean Wise is president of RePliForm Inc. He has worked with a variety of materials and processes including energetic materials while an officer at Aberdeen Proving Ground in the early 1980’s, cement-based material and prototype tooling methods for applications from matched die tooling to advanced composite tooling for Advanced Tactical Fighter prototypes in the late 1980’s through the 1990’s. Thirty years ago he developed a method to make 3D printed (called rapid prototyping then) matched plate patterns that could be used to electroform nickel shells for low volume injection mold tooling. When that company closed down in 2000, he and his wife founded RePliForm where for the last 20 years he has further developed engineering applications using electroplating over additive manufactured resin parts.