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 en Metal Surface Treatment Guide; compare Metal Edm Guide en Metal Laser Welding Guide.
Kwaliteit
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 en 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.
Veelgestelde vragen
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.