Short answer: Chemical (photochemical) etching dissolves unprotected areas of a thin metal sheet in an acid or alkaline bath through a photoresist mask, producing complex, burr-free flat parts with no heat, no stress and no tooling cost. It is ideal for foils and shims, meshes,_encoder wheels, lead frames and decorative panels where stamping would distort the material or where low volumes cannot justify a die — holding tight tolerances across thousands of features at once.
At a Glance
Etch vs Other
Etching pairs with Metal Pickling Guide e Metal Surface Treatment Guide; compare Metal Edm Guide e Metal Laser Welding Guide.
Qualità
Tolerance and edge checked per Metal Tolerances Fits Guide, certified by Mill Test Certificate Guide. Inspect by Metal Ndt Guide.
Supply & QA
Start from Metal Foil Supplier e Metal Degreasing Guide; protect via How To Prevent Metal Rust. HXSCO supplies etch-ready foil.
Get a Quote
Tell HXSCO your requirements and we will respond with a competitive quote and lead time.
Domande frequenti
Masked acid dissolution of thin sheet to shape parts.
Etch is burr-free, stress-free; laser adds heat/affects edge.
Foil to ~1.5 mm sheet in most metals.
Yes — only a phototool; ideal for prototypes and low volume.
HXSCO supplies stainless, copper and nickel foil for etching.
Source Etch-Ready Foil from HXSCO
HXSCO supplies stainless, copper and nickel alloy foil suited to photochemical etching. Send your alloy and thickness for a quote.