Chemical etching, otherwise called Photo etching is a process that allows producing metal components with fine details using a highly accurate compressed corrosion process. The cost-efficient etching process allows you to produce metal parts for different applications.
Benefits of photo etching stainless steel:
Photo-etching tool is digital and eliminates any hard expensive tooling required to be machinedIt can be produced and modified very quicklyLow cost and risk-free design for optimizationSteel properties are not affectedNo heat or mechanical force is used while etchingSteel components are free from burrs and stressesAn economical solution for manufacturing custom partsSet-up costs are low
Setting up and tooling for photo etching stainless steel:
The tooling for etching on stainless steel is completely digital and doesn’t require cutting difficult and expensive tools for adapting steel moulds. That implies you can have a large number of products manufactured with an absolute zero tool wear. The fine detailing of this tooling ensures that the first and the last part produced will exactly be the same.
Additionally, this digital tool can be adaptable and can change the design extremely quick and economical within an hour. That makes the machine suitable for both prototypes and large volume production. It allows design optimization without attracting any financial penalty.
The turnaround time for this tooling is estimated at around 95% quicker than ordinary stamped parts. They need substantial upfront investment to be used in mold fabrication. Photo etching stainless steel opens ways for innovation pushing barriers that are seen in traditional sheet metalworking.
The adaptability and economy of photo etching tool is the driving factor to design freedom alongside its capability to produce complex products. Because the cost of generating prototypes is very low and there is no hurdle to entry and hence complicated designs can be constructed in a few days.
The entire etching process:
The photo etching stainless steel can be broken into a few steps.
Step 1 – Designs are submitted through a mailing system after which the technicians convert those files into a working photo tool. Utmost care is taken in every step for creating the final design. Redesigns and adjustments are made with cost-effective techniques.
Step 2 – Then comes the selection of metals to be used in the project which is stainless steel. The metal will be cleaned and cut into sheets. Any contaminants must be removed from the sheet.
Step 3 – A photosensitive material will be applied to the sheet using a specialized coating machine.
Step 4 – Once the sheet is coated, it will be inserted into a UV exposure unit. The sheet will be placed between two sections of films designed as per the recommendations of the customer. The UV light will make the resist portion hard and shaded areas remain soft.
Step 5 – The soft resist will be washed away and the hard resist will be later dissolved away by the heated etchant. Areas that have hardened resist will get protected by the heated etchant.
Step 6 – Depending on the base material etching process will be effective and fast.
Step 7 – The resist will be completely removed after etching resulting in an exact same design the order was placed.
Conclusion:
Photo etching on stainless steel is a cost-effective and an alternative to stamping, punching, etc. and has precession components up to 1.5 mm thickness.