What Is Photo Etching?

Why Is Photo Etching Different?

Photo etching is a very precise method of metal cutting and etching that uses specially formulated acids such as Ferric Chloride (FeCI3) to produce designs on flat sheets of metal with thicknesses up to 2.5mm. Due to the nature of this process, it is possible to etch designs with an unrivalled level of complexity, incorporating special features, in most metals, with thicknesses ranging from 5 μm to 2.5mm.

The ACE Etching Process

Our process starts with digital tooling, where we receive data from the customer in the form of a DXF/DWG file or dimensioned drawing. This method allows customers the flexibility to include several variations of a design on one sheet of metal. Once a sample has been approved and the best design chosen, ACE uses the same data to produce a photo tool for higher volumes. The photo tooling can be modified in a matter of minutes, and samples produced in hours, not days or weeks.

Once the design is printed onto the chosen grade of metal sheet and chemically developed, the sheet is passed through the etching machine on a conveyor, where the acid solution is sprayed and attacks the unprotected surfaces of the metal, until the chemical etching process is completed, and the resulting components can be rinsed and inspected.

Is There A Difference Between Photo Etching and Chemical Etching?

Photo etching is simply the name given to the process of using light and photo-tools to fix the image of the component to be etched. Photo etching can be used interchangeably with terms including chemical etching and chemical milling, although those terms may refer only to the chemical process of etching.

Why Choose Photo Etching?

Traditionally, processes employed in metal profiling to produce metal parts and components have included stamping, punching, laser and water jet cutting. These methods impart inevitable stress on the material, and can result in distortion, burrs and surface imperfections, leading to a loss of integrity and quality in the finished component. Hard tooling methods can involve long lead times, especially when alterations are required, and costs that scale quickly as design complexity increases.

ACE’s process allows for the highest possible level of flexibility and complexity at the best price– and produces a product of the same consistency and quality from the first etching to the last, without the characteristic drawbacks of other cutting methods.