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For more than 15 years, KEMAC has been performing photo chemical machining, photo etching and secondary operations. Our capabilities include quick turn prototyping, plating, forming, assembly, electropolishing, high volume production and much more. We specialize in working with a wide range of metals including stainless steel, copper alloys, aluminum, kovar, titanium, molybdenum and more.
VACCO Industries is an industry leader for photo etching components and parts. We create custom metal products based on customer requirements with materials such as brass, copper or aluminum. Our customers turn to us for their photo etching because they trust our expertise. We also perform value added services like diffusion bonding, photo electroforming, adhesive bonding and pin holing.
ID3, Inc. is the place to go for unique photo etching. We also offer etching in brass, copper and stainless steel. ID3 cares as much about your application as you do. We are committed to making our product the best that it can be. We do not just want to mark you product, we want to brand your product. We are a cut above our competition with competitive pricing and superior customer service.
Industrial Engraving Solutions strives to individualize and enhance the way industrial parts look. We were established to meet the ever-growing need to individualize, identify and enhance the look of industrial parts and products. Come to us for all of your photo etching needs. For more information or to request a quote, call one of our customer service representatives or visit our website.
Industrial Etching, Inc. is a printed, painted and etched product manufacturing from Massachusetts. We offer high quality products and services with dependable deliveries. We have over 50 years of experience and recognize that printing is as much an art as it is a science. Visit our website to learn more about our printing, photo etching, laminating and protective masking services.
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Industry Information
Photo Etching
The photo etching process begins with the treatment of whatever part or sheet that is intended for etching. The part or sheet requiring acid etching is cleaned thoroughly and coated, or laminated, with a UV-sensitive photoresist. This is then developed through strategic exposure to light. The photoresist develops and hardens in the desired pattern or shape. The chemical reagent is then applied to the entire part. It can be applied using spray nozzles to further the efficiency of the process. The chemical washes away the unexposed masking layer, allowing contact with the parts of the metal part that are to be etched. The developed and hardened areas of the photoresist however protect certain areas of the metal part from corroding. The most common chemical used in the process of photo chemical milling is ferric chloride dissolved in hydrochloric acid. The etchant is left on the metal part for as long as is required to achieve the desired depth of cut and then is stripped off together with the remaining developed photoresist to reveal the etched part. The part can be re-cleaned and polished and any irregularities can be burnished until the part is completely finished.
Parts manufactured with photo etching can be sized from .020" in diameter to 24" x 60". The benefits of photo etching compared to standard chemical milling or manual engraving are substantial. The photoresist works a dual purpose of both protecting the metal where it is not to be etched, but also revealing the area to be exposed. This feature saves time in the manufacturing process. Chemical milling requires parts of the masking to be cut and removed which can be a tricky process and can result in material wastage if not properly implemented. With photo engraving, or etching, the surface merely needs to be exposed to a pattern of targeted light and then exposed to the chemical reagent and rinsed. Tooling costs and maintenance remain relatively low, and processing times for completed parts are quick. Photo etching allows for photos or much more complex images to be engraved rather inexpensively, and is often the only method which allows for very intricate designs to be etched in metal sheets, and parts or components machined using this method typically have very high tolerances and precise shapes. Photo etching can be a cost-effective and time saving alternative for many applications instead of laser or water-jet cutting, stamping or wire electrical discharge machining.
