electroplating 3D – Electroplating a PLA 3D print usually means dunking it in a large electrolyte vat—a setup that gets impractical for bigger parts. A new rotating approach uses a custom acrylic vat, an ESP32-controlled rig, and an overnight electroplating run to coat and build
Electroplating a 3D-printed PLA part can produce a clean. attractive coating—but the classic method usually demands something most makers don’t want to build: a big vat of electrolyte.. It works beautifully for small items like a ring. but it turns into a hassle once the part gets larger. like the example shown in [Hendrik]’s recent video.
The question was simple: could you still get an even finish if you rotated the part through a much smaller vat?. The answer came with a catch.. To make the rotation work reliably. the setup required building a custom vat out of acrylic. plus a dedicated rig to hold the part and gently rotate it while it sat in electrolyte.
That extra hardware is also where the approach earns its main disadvantage. Unless you’re planning a small production run—or you expect to reuse the rig many times—the effort involved can feel hard to justify.
But the electroplating mechanics are the real story here. Rotation was controlled by an ESP32 and a stepper motor, with a stepper driver doing the heavy lifting. The most “exotic” part of the build was the custom PCB and enclosure, even though those elements can be used repeatedly.
Once the system was tested and confirmed working, the plating process followed a full run.. The part to be plated was sanded. sprayed with conductive paint. then hooked up to the rotating rig for an overnight run.. After that initial copper coating was polished. more electroplating layers were added to reach the desired result: two different colors pulled from different metals.
No issues were found with this rotating electroplating method during the process. and that’s the point that matters most for anyone stuck trying to plate parts that simply won’t fit into a practical vat.. If your parts are too big for standard setups. this rotating approach may be a workable path—even if it comes with the cost of building. and then reusing. the rig.
3D printing electroplating PLA ESP32 stepper motor acrylic vat conductive paint copper coating makers