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Photo Etching

Low Cost Photo Chemical Etching

Low risk, low cost set-up with No expensive hard tooling means low cost set-up with no significant cost penalty for amending and optimizing designs.

High Speed

Sample can be provided quickly while the same technology can produce economical volume quantities, minimising 'critical development paths' and reduce 'time to market'.



Material Diversity

Virtually all metals can be etched, including stainless steel and 'corrosion resistant' advanced engineering alloys. Even metals that are hard or brittle can be etched. Photo Etching is ideal for machining thin metals and foils.




Materials

Amorphous Metals, Aluminum, Beryllium Copper, Bi-Metals, Brass, Brazing Foils, Copper, Copper Alloys, Iridium, Maraging Steels, Magnesium, Mild Steel, Molybdenum, Mumetal, Nickel, Nickel Alloys, Nickel Iron, Pewter, Phosphorous Bronze, Radiometal, Silver, Spring Steels, Stainless Steels, Tantalium, Tin, Titanium, Titanium alloys, Zinc, Zirconium, Zirconium Alloys.



Ease of Use

Techniques such as half-etched bend lines facilitate complex hand forming of parts, saving the cost of hard tooling. Integrated marking reduces handling and cost. Photo etching is the recommended and in many instances the superior alternative to precision presswork & laser cutting.



  Typical Industry Sector
      Automotive
Aerospace & Defence
Electronics
Medical
Communications
Precision Engineering
Decorative Etching
 

Stress and Burr Free

Photo Etching is a cold chemical process that corrosively removes unwanted material. The process does not include stress or deformation, unlike presswork where parts are subjected to substantial mechanical forces and stresses. Photo Etched components are burr free while temper and magnetic properties remain unchanged.




Material 
Thickness (T)
General
Tolerance Achievable
Hole / Slot Size Bar Width
 0.025 - 0.050  ±0.025  0.1000  160% T
 0.050 - 0.100  ±0.025  0.1000  150% T
 0.100 - 0.125  ±0.025  125% T   110% T
 0.125 - 0.150  ±0.025  125% T  110% T
 0.150 - 0.200  ±0.030  125% T  110% T
 0.200 - 0.250  ±0.030  125% T  100% T
 0.250 - 0.500  ±12.5% T  125% T  100% T
 0.500 - 0.100  ±12.5% T  125% T  100% T
 0.100 - 0.200  ±12.5% T  125% T  100% T