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Electroforming of waveguide structure

I'm investigating the availability of an electroforming process to do microwave waveguide channels in copper followed by some harder/stiffer backup material (ex. nickel?). I'm looking for a final thickness of greater than .040" for the copper + backup metal. The structure looks like a line of rectangular tubes where the inside dims of each tube are 3.4" x 1.8" and they are joined on the 1.8" dim. The length of the tubes would be 1' or less. The issues I see are whether each tube has to be done individually and the type of mandrel / material / draft on the mandrel so the mandrel can be removed after plating.

Jeff Albom
- El Granada, California
1998

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There have been a number of articles in the journals about electroforming waveguides. A computerized literature search should find them for you. Hint: use Author='Dini' to cull the list if its too big.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
1998