Our Metalise-It® process enhances durability, conductivity for demanding engineering applications.
3DDC specialises in electroplating additive manufactured and plastic components using our proprietary Metalise-It® process. Developed in-house by our experts, this advanced coating solution applies a durable metal layer to 3D printed parts, transforming lightweight plastic components into functional, high-performance products.
Our electroplating services enhance durability, wear resistance, conductivity and appearance, making them suitable for demanding industries including aerospace, defence, motorsport, architecture and industrial manufacturing.
Whether you require a cosmetic metallic finish, improved electromagnetic shielding or enhanced mechanical performance, our team can recommend the ideal plating solution for your application.
What is the Metalise-It® process and how does it work?
The Metalise-It® process developed in house by 3DDC is a coating technology that plates a composite metal material onto a plastic substrate as either a structural coating or for an improved cosmetic finish. The technique used is a specifically adapted electroplating process for Plastics, composites and 3Dprinted parts.
What materials can be used for coating parts with the Metalise-It® process?
3DDC can currently apply the Metalise-It® process using a full range of standard composite metal materials.
Which part materials are most receptive to the Metalise-It® coatings?
RP materials: The materials used to build parts with the most common RP processes — such as stereolithography (SLA), Laser Sintering (SLS), Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), and Perfactory — work extremely well, untreated, with the Metalise-It® process.
Plastics: ABS, PEEK, PVC and APET have all been successfully coated using the Metalise-It® process.
Special materials: Vacuum Cast resins, Epoxy or Polyester tooling block materials, glass fibre and carbon fibre parts operate very successfully with the Metalise-It®.. process.
Are any of the RP processes more suitable than others?
Yes, preferred RP processe is SLA which is suitable for high gloss surfaces but most RP processes (SLS/MJF/DLP/FDM) plate very well with great adhesion.
Will my original model need to be modified?
Not required but a common modification is offsetting the part for the required plating thickness (generally 0.1mm).
What model finish is required for the different Metalise-It® finish options?
Technical finish: Removal of support structure and build layers with up to 240 grade.
High Gloss finish: Remove support structure / build layers and finish up to 400 grade wet and dry. Imperfections need to be repaired.
The Metalise-It® process will not hide any kind of build layers or imperfections. It just replicates the quality of the model that is beneath.
Is there an optimum surface thickness for the coating?
3DDC recommends coating thicknesses between 20 and 200µm, based on experience. Layer thicknesses greater than 200µm may lead to distortion of the part itself. Please always take into account your required plating thickness and ensure that you offset your parts accordingly.
What benefits will the Metalise-It® process bring to my model?
The Metalise-It® process can add specific advantages to any plastic part, including improved stiffness, rigidity and impact protection, electrical shielding (EMI/RF), decorative applications, prototypes/Leight weight show models.
Can I get a partially plated model?
3DDC is happy to consult on specific projects that require partial plating. Generally, depending on the requested area and the geometry of the model it is possible to plate sections of a model. However, partial plating requires an additional step in the process and costs may increase.
Are there any part geometry limitations?
The largest parts that can benefit from the Metalise-It® process are 1500 x 700 x 700 mm (length x width x depth). Coating thickness decreases rapidly when plating in a deep, narrow section or recess.
Is there an optimum part size?
The optimum part size is smaller than 700 x 700 x 500 mm (length x width x depth), based on our process set up sizes but can do sizes up to 1.8m
How do I get a quote?
Please feel free to send your CAD files (MGX, STL, IGES) to 3ddc@3ddc.eu to request a quotation. Please state which RP / plastic material will be used, number of parts / batch size, required plating finish and any other special requirements. We will get back to you within half a day with a detailed quotation and possible lead time.
