Stainless Steel Etching

Stainless steel photo etching is one of the most common materials we etch.

Otherwise known as chemical etching, chemi etching, acid etching, chemical milling and PCM Qualitetch can help with your designs.

This metal is a very popular choice for chemical etching due to the non corrosion qualities of stainless steel and that parts generally in this material do not require additional plating & finishing once the material has been etched. Stainless steel is available in many grades and conditions such as annealed, half hard and full hard and in grades such as 304, 1.4301, 1.4310, 430S17, 316S11, 316L, 17-7PH, 321S31, S526, S527, 1.4307, 1.4404 and many others

Photo etching, a precise and versatile manufacturing method, finds extensive application in producing intricate metal components from stainless steel. Stainless steel, renowned for its durability, corrosion resistance, and strength, becomes even more versatile through this process, enabling the creation of complex and precise parts for a wide array of industries.

Stainless steel, an alloy primarily composed of iron, chromium, nickel, and other elements, exhibits remarkable resistance to corrosion, heat, and chemical damage. When subjected to photochemical etching, its inherent properties are leveraged to craft intricate components with exceptional accuracy and consistency.

The process of photochemical etching stainless steel initiates with the preparation of a stainless steel sheet. The metal undergoes rigorous cleaning to eliminate impurities, ensuring an immaculate surface for the subsequent stages. A light-sensitive photoresist material is then applied uniformly to the sheet's surfaces, forming a protective layer.

Utilizing phototooling techniques, a precise image of the desired component is transferred onto the photoresist through exposure to UV light. This exposure causes a chemical reaction in the photoresist, hardening the areas that correspond to the intended design while leaving the rest of the protective layer unaffected.

The stainless steel sheet, now protected by the photoresist mask, undergoes immersion in an etchant solution—typically an acid or chemical compound—where the unprotected areas of the metal are selectively dissolved. This chemical erosion precisely removes the material, leaving behind the intricately designed components on the stainless steel sheet.

Chemical etching offers unparalleled precision and flexibility, enabling the creation of intricate patterns, fine details, and complex geometries on stainless steel. It allows for incredibly tight tolerances, ensuring consistency and accuracy across batches of components.

The advantages of employing chemical etching on stainless steel are numerous. It provides a cost-effective means of producing intricate and complex designs without necessitating expensive tooling or extensive machining. Its adaptability facilitates rapid prototyping and efficient production, making it suitable for both small-scale and large-scale manufacturing.

Furthermore, the process preserves the inherent properties of stainless steel, such as its corrosion resistance, strength, and durability. This ensures that the final components maintain their integrity and functionality, making them ideal for applications demanding reliability in harsh environments.

Components manufactured through photochemical etching of stainless steel find wide-ranging applications across industries. They include precision mechanical parts in automotive and aerospace sectors, intricate meshes and screens in filtration systems, durable and corrosion-resistant medical instruments, and specialized components in electronics and telecommunications.

In summary, photo etching of stainless steel is a sophisticated manufacturing technique that harnesses the robust properties of this alloy to create precise, durable, and complex components. Its ability to maintain the inherent qualities of stainless steel while achieving intricate designs with exceptional precision makes it an indispensable method across diverse industries.

We manufacture both flat & formed components using stainless steels, with the aid of our photo chemical etching process, and we have our own dedicated in-house tool-room toolmaking team on hand to UK manufacture bespoke form tooling of all designations. The form tools we manufacture are everything from very simple knife and fork tools, such as simple 90 degree or 45 degree bend tools, through to more complex open tools in die sets and progression tools for 3d formed components parts to ensure the highest quality standards are met whilst meeting lead-time requirements of approximately 15 working days for new part metal components.

Qualitetch offers a total metal component solution for parts, and as well as photo etching we offer many other services and processes for UK manufacturing of thin gauge metal parts. We can also offer stainless steel components manufactured using other processes such as metal stamping / punching and EDM wire erosion & laser cutting of part of our services.

Get in touch today