Laser Evolved Electro Forming (LEEF)

Conventional photo-electroforming is a highly specialized process of metal part fabrication by electrodeposition of metal, atom by atom onto a photo patterned conductive master substrate with virtually no loss of fidelity. The process is very effective when requirements call for extreme tolerances, complexity or light weight.

Once the plated material (typically nickel) has been built up to the desired thickness, the electroformed part is stripped off the master substrate. Parts created this way have superior edge definition and a near optical finish with accuracy and fine feature limits being defined by the photographically produced pattern on the substrate.

By direct imaging of the pattern on the substrate (using advanced LDI) far tighter tolerances can be maintained and features  less than 15 microns can be achieved with high repeatability and excellent process control.

LEEF is an economical process that facilitates higher levels of complexity at tighter tolerances, with features finer than could ever have been achieved by conventional photo-electroforming without the use of prohibitively expensive glass master tooling.