PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop and present a hybrid design and fabrication method based on rapid prototyping (RP) and electrochemical deposition (ED) techniques to fabricate a pressure wind‐tunnel model with complex internal structure and sufficient mechanical strength.Design/methodology/approachAfter offsetting inward by applied coating thickness, the airfoil model was modified with three pairs of deflecting control surfaces and 24 surface pressure taps and internal passages. The stereolithography (SL) prototype components were fabricated on SL apparatus and roughened by chemical treatments. And then metal‐coated SL components of the airfoil model were created by ED technique. After assembling, a hybrid pressure airfoil model was obtained.FindingsElectrodeposited nickel coating has dramatically improved the overall strength and stiffness of SL parts and the hybrid fabrication method is suitable to construct the wind‐tunnel model with complex internal structure and sufficient mechanical strength, stiffness.Research limitations/implicationsInterface adhesion of SL‐coating is poor even if chemical roughening is applied and the further research is needed.Originality/valueThis method enhances the versatility of using RP in the fabrication of functional models, especially when complex structure with sufficient mechanical properties is considered. Although this paper took an airfoil wind‐tunnel model as an example, it is capable of fabricating other functional components with other rapid prototyping techniques such as FDM, SLS and LOM.

In this paper, the rapid fabrication method based on stereolithography (SL) and electrochemical deposition is described in detail and mechanical test results of composite nickel-coated SL parts are presented. Coatings of electrodeposited nickel on SL prototypes result in increases in Young's modulus, UTS, flexural modulus, and strength. Electrodeposited nickel coating has dramatically improved the overall strength and stiffness of SL parts. The adhesive strength of the roughened SL resin-nickel interface is higher than the original. In particular, the influence of the surface roughness on adhesive strength between SL and metal is investigated. Moreover, this paper has presented an application of a structural electrodeposited nickel coating over SL parts to make a functional airfoil model with a complex internal structure and sufficient mechanical strength and stiffness.

A metal-free electrochemical method for vicinal difunctionalization of various alkenes with dibromomethane in alcohol solvent has been well established to synthesize corresponding β-bromo-α-alkyloxyalkanes with good functional group tolerance under ambient conditions. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate the oxidation of bromine source occurs prior to that of alkene substrate with the involvement of bromine radical during electrolysis.

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