Benefits at a glance
- Unlimited complexity – you only pay for the first hole
- No expensive hard tooling required
- Low-cost design iterations – fast
- Burr and stress-free – metal temper and magnetic properties unaffected
- Lead-times in days, not months
- Virtually any metal
- Accuracy to ±0.025mm
What is metal etching?
Metal etching, also known as photo etching, chemical etching or chemical milling, is a subtractive metal machining process which uses etchant chemistry to produce complex, highly accurate metal components.
Why use metal etching?
Almost any metal
Metal etching offers a fast, economical alternative to stamping, punching, laser and waterjet cutting when machining close tolerance, feature dense components from almost any thin metal to 1.5mm thick.
Design optimisation without financial penalty
The tooling for metal etching is digital, meaning design changes can be carried out quickly and design optimisation is “risk-free” without financial penalty.
Accurate, complex, burr- and stress-free components
No mechanical force or heat is used during the metal etching process, ensuring material properties are unaltered and components are free from stresses and burrs. Also, as component features are machined simultaneously almost limitless part complexity is achievable, with accuracy to ±0.025mm.
How does metal etching compare?
Precision Micro and metal etching
Precision Micro has been at the forefront of metal etching technology for more than 50 years and is trusted by industries leading names to deliver innovative solutions to a wide range of high-value engineering challenges.
Why partner with Precision Micro?
- Unrivalled know-how – Precision Micro has pioneered photo etching for over half a century
- Proven capability – AS 9100, IATF 16949, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accredited
- Largest capacity – 44,000 sq ft state-of-the-art photo etching plant
- Material know-how – we specialise in etching hard-to-machine metals
- 2,000+ metal variants – standard and specialist material types and
grades - Global support – we have sales offices and partners in locations that enable us to respond quickly to demand
- Added value – we offer a number of additional services including wire EDM, electropolishing, forming, finishing and plating
