Component for a high-voltage system and method for its manufacture

Abstract

Component (1) for a high-voltage system, wherein the component (1) is a shielding element for electrical shielding of current-carrying components (9) of the high-voltage system and has two through-openings (6,7) for the passage of a current-carrying conductor (9), characterized in that the component (1) has a plastic body (2) produced by means of 3D printing, which is at least partially enclosed by a conductive outer coating (4) applied by means of electroplating.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a component for a high-voltage system.

[0002] A high-voltage system typically comprises a large number of components, each of which may be intended for different tasks and therefore must meet different requirements.

[0003] High demands regarding their mechanical and electrical properties also apply in particular to components that are subjected to a high voltage of more than 100 kV during the operation of the high-voltage system.

[0004] The established manufacturing processes used for such components, such as milling, turning, or casting, are relatively costly and time-consuming. This applies to both the manufacturing process itself and its planning. The cost of materials (model, tools, and possibly a mold) as well as the planning and simulation are expensive. This, in turn, results in long delivery times. This can be particularly uneconomical for small production runs.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to propose a suitable component that can be manufactured cost-effectively and is also reliable in operation.

[0006] The object of the invention is achieved by a component for a high-voltage system, comprising a 3D-printed plastic body that is at least partially, and preferably completely, enclosed by a conductive outer coating applied by electroplating. Accordingly, the component has a plastic core that is shaped and manufactured by 3D printing. The core of the component, or the plastic body, is provided externally with a conductive coating applied in an electrochemical electroplating process. The plastic body can comprise one or more plastics or plastic mixtures, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). It is also conceivable within the scope of the invention that the plastic used comprises suitable fillers. The component according to the invention offers a cost advantage over cast or milled components.At the same time, the component according to the invention is also more cost-effective than components manufactured from metal using 3D printing. Furthermore, the component according to the invention is reliable in operation because, due to the skin effect, the electrical fields of the component behave essentially the same as components made from a solid conductive material. Moreover, the 3D printing and electroplating processes are advantageously fast, as they can be carried out in a few days, require no complex planning, and are highly automated and largely similar for every component geometry.

[0007] The component suitably features a conductive intermediate layer, preferably comprising palladium, positioned between the plastic body and the outer coating. This intermediate layer serves to improve the bond between the conductive outer coating and the plastic body.

[0008] Preferably, the outer coating comprises silver or chromium. These materials are characterized by particularly good electrical properties. According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the outer coating comprises copper, wherein a nickel layer is provided between the plastic body and the outer coating. In this case, the intermediate layer is optionally arranged between the plastic body and the nickel layer.

[0009] Preferably, the outer coating has a thickness between 3 micrometers and 15 micrometers, more preferably between 4 micrometers and 11 micrometers. A thinner outer coating advantageously reduces the cost of the component, while a thicker outer coating advantageously provides higher mechanical stability.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the outer coating has a varying thickness, resulting in improved dielectric surface properties on the component's outer surface. These improved dielectric surface properties relate to the uniformity of the electric field, which is determined by the surface properties of the outer surface. The improvement is compared to the outer surface that would result from a uniform coating thickness. According to this embodiment, varying the thickness of the outer coating advantageously compensates for irregularities on the surface of the plastic body that may have arisen during 3D printing. This provides a particularly uniform outer surface with correspondingly good surface properties.The variation in thickness is therefore not arbitrary, but rather aimed at achieving the desired uniformity of the outer surface.

[0011] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the component is a shielding element for the electrical shielding of current-carrying components of the high-voltage system. Thus, the component is designed to be subjected to a high voltage, for example, a voltage of more than 1 MV, at least temporarily during operation. However, the component is not current-carrying during this time. Rather, the operating current flowing through the component is below 1 A. The shielding element can be, for example, a conductor shield or a corona ring.

[0012] The invention further relates to a high-voltage system with a current-carrying component and a shielding element for electrically shielding the current-carrying component.

[0013] The object of the invention is to propose such a high-voltage system that is as cost-effective and reliable as possible.

[0014] The problem is solved according to the invention in a high-voltage system of this type by the fact that the shielding element is a component according to the invention.

[0015] The advantages of the high-voltage system according to the invention arise in particular from the advantages previously described in connection with the component according to the invention. It can be especially advantageous if several components of the high-voltage system are designed as components according to the invention.

[0016] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a component for a high-voltage system.

[0017] The object of the invention is to provide such a method as being as simple and cost-effective as possible.

[0018] The problem is solved according to the invention by a method in which the component is formed into a plastic body by means of 3D printing and subsequently provided with a conductive outer coating that at least partially encloses the plastic body by means of electroplating. The advantages of the method correspond to those already discussed in connection with the component according to the invention. The plastic body can also suitably be completely enclosed by the outer coating.

[0019] Copper, silver, or chromium are preferably used to produce the outer coating, although other conductive materials are also conceivable. Furthermore, the component can be provided with a conductive intermediate layer before the outer coating is applied; palladium nuclei can be used to produce this intermediate layer.

[0020] To improve the dielectric surface properties of a component's outer surface, the thickness of the outer coating is advantageously varied. The thickness is therefore deliberately varied during the manufacturing process, thus improving the surface properties compared to a constant thickness. In particular, the outer surface is more uniform than the surface of the plastic body before the outer coating is applied.

[0021] The invention will be further explained below with reference to an embodiment shown in the figure.

[0022] The figure shows an embodiment of a component according to the invention in a schematic side view.

[0023] The figure shows a component for a high-voltage system in the form of a conductor shielding element. 1 shown. The conductor shielding element 1 includes a 3D-printed plastic body 2. Due to the manufacturing method of the plastic body 2 Due to the manufacturing process, it has an irregular surface. 3 , which therefore has relatively poor electrical surface properties.

[0024] The conductor shielding element 1 also includes a thin intermediate layer 8 and an outer conductive outer coating 4 , which in the example shown is made of silver. It is evident that it has a thickness D the outer coating 4 is not constant, so that an outer surface 5 of the conductor shielding element 1 more uniform than the surface 3 of the plastic body 2 is.

[0025] The conductor shielding element 1 has a first and a second through-opening 6 or 7 Through the openings 6 , 7 can a live conductor 9will be routed through the high-voltage system.

[0026] The manufacturing process of the component 1 It can be described as follows. Using 3D printing, the plastic body is first created. 2 manufactured. On the plastic body 2 Palladium nuclei are used to produce the intermediate layer 8 applied, whereupon the conductive outer coating is created by means of electrochemical electroplating 4 is manufactured. The thickness D the outer coating 4 The surface is varied in such a targeted manner that the outer surface 5 The component has improved surface properties.

Claims

[1] Component (1) for a high-voltage system, characterized by , that the component (1) has a plastic body (2) produced by means of 3D printing, which is at least partially enclosed by a conductive outer coating (4) applied by means of electroplating. [2] Component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the component has a conductive intermediate layer (8) arranged between the plastic body (2) and the outer coating (4). [3] Component (1) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer coating (4) comprises silver or chromium. [4] Component (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer coating (4) comprises copper, and wherein a nickel layer is provided which is arranged between the plastic body and the outer coating (4). [5] Component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer coating (4) has a thickness (D) between 3 micrometers and 15 micrometers. [6] Component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer coating (4) has a varying thickness (D) such that an outer surface (5) of the component (1) has improved dielectric surface properties. [7] Component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the component (1) is a shielding element for electrical shielding of current-carrying components (9) of the high-voltage system. [8] High-voltage system with a current-carrying component (9) and a shielding element (1) for electrical shielding of the current-carrying component (9), characterized by that the shielding element is a component according to one of claims 1 to 6. [9] Method for manufacturing a component (1) for a high-voltage system, wherein the component (1) is formed into a plastic body (2) by means of 3D printing and is subsequently provided with a conductive outer coating (4) which at least partially surrounds the plastic body (2) by means of electroplating. [10] Method according to claim 9, wherein copper, silver or chromium is used to produce the outer coating (4). [11] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the component (1) is provided with a conductive intermediate layer (8) before the outer coating (4) is produced. [12] Method according to claim 11, wherein palladium nuclei are used to produce the intermediate layer (8). [13] Method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the thickness (D) of the outer coating (4) is varied to improve the dielectric surface properties of an outer surface (5) of the component (1).

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