Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical conductor formed from a plurality of elongate filaments, at least a portion of which have a non-circular cross section, the filaments arranged such that the conductor has a substantially smooth exterior surface and high density of material of the filaments in a cross section through the conductor perpendicular to its axis. A preferred method for forming such an electrical conductor involves the continuous electroforming of a plurality of elongate conductive filaments. After such filaments are stripped from a cathode track upon which they are deposited, a number of them are bunched and/or twisted together to form an electrically conductive strand. Finally, that strand is compacted to reduce its cross sectional area to provide it with a smooth exterior surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved cathode arrangement for use in the electroformation of metallic filaments. The cathode includes a plurality of closed-loop plating surfaces that are congruent to, and interleaved with, each other. This pattern of plating surfaces facilitates the simultaneous stripping of a number of filaments reducing the likelihood of mutual interference among the filaments being stripped.