CHEMICAL ETCHING
Metching provides photochemical etching, also called photo chemical machining, for custom flat metal parts. Founded in 2005, we process material thicknesses of 0.05–2.5 mm. Digital phototools define openings, outlines and partially etched features. Material grade, thickness, geometry and production quantity determine whether etching is suitable for your drawing.
What is Chemical Etching?
Chemical etching is a sophisticated subtractive manufacturing process. Unlike traditional machining that uses physical force to cut metal, chemical etching uses a controlled chemical reaction to dissolve unwanted material. This allows for the creation of incredibly intricate and highly accurate components from almost any metal, without the stress or heat damage associated with other methods.
How Does it Work? The Art of Precision
The process is a perfect marriage of photography and chemistry. Here is a simplified breakdown of how a flat sheet of metal becomes a high-precision part:
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Cleaning: The metal sheet is meticulously cleaned to ensure a perfect surface.
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Lamination: A light-sensitive material called photoresist is applied to both sides of the sheet.
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Printing: Your specific component design is "printed" onto the photoresist using UV light.
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Developing: The areas of photoresist not exposed to light are washed away, exposing the raw metal underneath.
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Etching: The sheet is sprayed with a chemical etchant. The exposed metal is dissolved away, while the protected areas remain, forming your part.
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Stripping: The remaining photoresist is removed, leaving behind a clean, burr-free component.
Why Choose Chemical Etching?
By leveraging photochemical technology, we offer a cost-effective way to shape and enhance parts for precision applications. The benefits are clear:
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Stress-Free Production: Because there is no mechanical force or heat, the metal’s properties remain unchanged. There are no burrs or heat-affected zones.
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Infinite Complexity: Unlike traditional tools, complexity doesn't increase the cost. Whether you need one hole or ten thousand, the price remains the same.
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Low-Cost Tooling: Instead of expensive steel molds, we use digital "phototools," making it easy and cheap to modify designs.
A Comprehensive Range of Materials
Chemical etching can be applied to virtually any metal, regardless of its hardness or temper. Every year, we process over 100 tonnes of sheet metal across more than 2,000 metal types. This scale allows us to provide our customers with significant purchasing economies and ensures that a wide variety of metals are always in stock and ready for your project.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the size and thickness limits?
Material thickness: 0.05–2.5 mm. Maximum processing size: 690 × 1400 mm for material below 0.2 mm thick; 690 × 2100 mm for 0.5 mm material. Other thicknesses require drawing and process review. Long, thin sheets are more susceptible to bending and deformation.
How accurate is the process?
Tolerances are evaluated based on material thickness, drawings and processing requirements. No single fixed tolerance or percentage is promised for all projects. Involve our engineers early in the design phase to review your specific requirements.
What level of detail can be achieved?
Minimum openings, webs and partial-etch depths depend on alloy, material thickness and geometry. Mark critical features and target depths on the drawing for engineering review. We assess edge profile, remaining wall thickness and inspection requirements together; no single minimum feature size applies to every project.
What are the minimum and maximum quantities?
There are no limits. Chemical etching is uniquely flexible; we are just as efficient producing a single prototype for testing as we are producing millions of units for global supply chains.
How much does it cost?
The cost is primarily influenced by:
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Material Type: Rare or specialized alloys cost more.
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Thickness: Thicker sheets take longer to etch.
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Size: How many parts can fit on a single sheet of metal.
How long does it take?
Lead time is confirmed after drawing and material review. For a quotation, provide your CAD file or dimensioned drawing, alloy, thickness, quantity and required delivery date. Include critical tolerances, flatness, surface finish and inspection requirements so feasibility, price and schedule can be reviewed together.