Facts You Must Know about Metal Chemical Etching

If you want to know about metal chemical etching, then this article is for you. Metal chemical etching is very useful in making high precision metal parts. Another good thing about chemical etching is that it is a very accurate process. It is also known as photo etching. In this article, you will get more information about metal chemical etching. So without wasting any time let’s jump into the main deal.

What is Metal Chemical Etching?

In simple words, you can say that it is a subtractive metal manufacturing process in which different etching chemicals are used to make highly accurate and complex metal parts. There are also other techniques like EDM, CNC, stamping, but chemical etching is one of the most effective techniques that provide high accuracy. It also takes less time in comparison to others and it also gives more flexibility in designing.

Another great thing about chemical etching is that it is a cost-effective option and deburring is also not needed. So after this, it’s time to talk about how the chemical etching process works.

How Does Chemical Etching Work?

There are some steps that are followed in chemical etching and to understand how chemical etching works, you have to understand all these steps. It is kinda series of different steps and it is important to follow them to get the best results. So down below you will get a briefly detailed list of all the steps, the number one step is:

1- Cleaning

In this cleaning process, all the preparation is done, this includes removing all the dirt, oils, grease, and residue from the metal surface that is going to be etched. This process is very important because if the metal surface is contaminated, then it causes defects.

2- Laminating

In the laminating process, dry film photoresist is applied to the metal surface and this is why the cleaning process is important. The reason behind applying the photoresist is that it will protect the area that won’t be etched.

3- Exposure

Now two masks are used that are generally made of glass or mylar and then the material is guided between them. After that through the masks, UV rays are shined from every direction results in crosslinking the film where the light was not blocked.

4- Developing

Now the material gets developed and the non-crosslinked films get dissolved in the developing process and the final product to be etched is ready.

5- Etching

Now the etching process takes place and the etchant is sprayed on the finished product from bottom to top, and then the unprotected metal gets dissolved and the final product is achieved.

6- Stripping, Rinsing, and Drying

Now in the stripping process, another chemical is used to remove the film and after that to remove all the remaining residue from the final product, the rinsing and drying process is used.

Conclusion

Chemical etching is a very popular method because there are a lot of advantages to using this method. Most of the information regarding metal chemical etching is mentioned above. Hope this article will clear your queries and doubts regarding it.

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