The future of the technological scenario is changing rapidly. What we see today is just the cusp of innovation as there will more promising technology that the upcoming years will witness. Apart from the high-tech innovations such as drones, 5G technology, artificial intelligence, and cars without drivers, there is another thing that has caught all users’ attention. Yes, we are talking about photo chemical etching.
Photo chemical etching is nothing but the process of producing thin metal parts fabricated with simple designs. The whole process might look simple from the outside but is a lot more complex. There is more than one step involved in the whole thing, like using photo-sensitive material, transferring the images onto the metal surface, and so on.
The growing consumer demand today has led to a vital prosperous economy along with new manufacturing processes. The photo chemical etching process is one among them. Both big and small companies can take advantage of this and create prototypes for mechanical operations.
The whole process is clearly explained below with the help of the steps. Keep reading to find out more.
The Photo chemical Etching Process
1. Design of the Photo tool
This is the first and essential step in Photo chemical etching. In this step, the design is carried out with the help of CAD and transported into Mylar film. The Mylar film is further used to transfer images onto the metal.
2. Preparation of the Metal
This step allows the cleaning of the metal thoroughly. This is done using high water pressure and a mild soap solution. Any chemicals or residue present on the metal is washed away to make the photo chemical etching more acute through this step.
3. Exposure of the Metal
The metal is further laminated and sandwiched between two photo tools with the help of a photo resist film. After this, all three pieces are exposed to UV radiation, which helps the tooling sections get embedded in the metal.
4. Developing the Sheets
In this step, the sheets are washed in a machine. This is the step where both the top and bottom film on the sheet of metal is dissolved, and the remaining section gets washed away in the next step that is etching.
5. Etching the Sheets
The metal is then exposed to an etcher. In this step, the bare metal is etched away using a chloride solution, and the remaining sheet is sent further for inspection or the final step.
6. Stripping and Inspection
The etched sheets are placed in a tank of sodium hydroxide solution. This step ensures that the remaining photo resist film is removed. Then the metal is inspected keenly using electronic equipment like digital calipers and gadgets.
The Benefits of Photo Chemical Etching
Photo chemical etching is best suited for creating complex shapes and patterns. The process is more effective than laser cutting, metal stamping, and CNC machining due to its precision and faster process. Also, with the help of Photo chemical etching, multiple parts can be made simultaneously. Let us now take a look at other benefits.
- Cheaper and Affordable:
As discussed earlier, photo chemical etching is cheaper and affordable than the other processes. It is mainly because the operation costs in other processes like water jetting, EDM, and metal stamping are higher and cannot be considered affordable.
- Precise and fast:
Photo chemical etching is more precise and faster than the other processes. It is because, like other processes, it does not involve thermal stress, which makes changes to the properties. With the help of photo etching, an organization can easily produce thin sheets, making it a cost-effective process.
TMN is a chemical etching manufacturer that is the leader in the sector of Photo chemical etching. The organization has become a flag bearer in photo etching and thus has set a massive benchmark for itself and others.
What makes the company an example before others is the adaptability to new manufacturing process. With professional staffs, automatic etching machines, and supportive production equipment, one thing is for sure is that your requirement is in capable hands, which will never fail you.
If you are looking for any thin metal parts ,please send email to lydia.sales1@tmnetch.com .