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ACID
ETCHING
Acid Etching At Its Finest
Acid Etching is defined as the process of cutting a hard surface, such as metal, using a corrosive chemical (etchant) in order to create a design onto the metal.
At Advanced Chemical Etching, our preferred etchant is Ferric Chloride (FeCl3). Acid etching can be traced back as far as 1531, where the French scholar Jehan le Begue wrote a recipe for acid etching on iron, distilling ammonium chloride, ordinary alum and ferrous sulphate in a mixture of water and vinegar.
Acid Etching Process
The acid etching process allows both surface etched detail and cut through areas to be produced at the same time onto metal thicknesses up to 1.5mm.
Etched Raised Areas
Alternatively, surface etched raised areas are produced onto one side only… an example is the manufacture of metal etched paper dies as per the photo on this page.
Metal Surface Etching
Etching detail can also be etched into the metal surface only… for uses such as etched presentation plaques or etched signage.
To Bear In Mind…
Unfortunately we are not able to put designs onto finished metal components or shaped metal items. All of our acid etching is performed utilsing perfectly flat sheets of metal. Please also note we are only able to acid etch metal.
