What exactly is a Chemical Etching?
Chemical etching is a process where part of the sheet metal is removed by utilizing chemical enchants to make a highly detailed and complex component with a high level of precision that is intended for the applications of the industry from almost any single metal. The process of chemical etching works by firstly laminating the surface of the sheet metal with a photoresist that is light-sensitive that is exposed with rays of ultraviolet lights so that the CAD image of the component can be transferred. The parts of areas of photoresist that are not exposed will then be removed and they will then be sprayed with a type of etchant chemistry to precisely remove the materials that are not protected. The photoresists that are left are removed so that the final etched of the components will be able to be revealed.
What are the materials that can be Chemically Etched?
Almost any type of gauge metal that has the thickness between 0.01 mm to 1.50 mm can be etched and that includes the metals that are considered to be non-corrosive or “hard to machine”.
Common types of materials that can be chemically etched includes:
Nickel alloys and nickelStainless steel and steelAluminumCopper alloys and copperTitanium alloys and titaniumMolybdenumPolyimide metalized film
Advantages of using Chemical Etching
The tooling that is utilized for chemical etching is digital which means that it can be altered and adapted at a rapid speed and at a low cost at the same time. This guarantees a design optimization that is free of risk without any kind of financial penalties. Etched components are free from burrs and stresses with absolutely no mechanical heat or force that is being used which consequently makes the properties of the materials to be constant. Almost unlimited part complexity can be achieved with accuracy to plus-minus 0.025 mm as the component features are machined at the same time.
Applications of Chemical Etching
Chemical etching is used in the sign industry to manufacture high-quality products with a high level of durability such as:
Memorial productsElevators doorsIndustrial labels and nameplatesHotel signageWayfinding signsTrophies and awards
Chemical etching is also used in the electronics industry to manufacture many kinds of products such as:
Step stencils
Printed circuit boards
Metal foil strain gauges
RFI/EMI shielding
Washers, shims, and filters
Chemical etching is used in the printing industry to manufacture high-quality products such as:
Hot foil stamping dies
Flexible cutting dies
Intaglio printmaking
Embossing cylinders