MATERIALS • PROCESSES
As photo etching does not use hard tools, distortion
and stress are eliminated. Also, components produced are absolutely flat, with a clean surface and no burrs as the metal is dissolved away uniformly and evenly until the desired geometries are achieved.
ECONOMICAL PROTOTYPING With photo etching, you pay by the sheet, not by the part; which means components with different geometries can be processed at the same time from a single tool. This ability to produce many part types in one production run is the key to the enormous cost savings inherent in the process. Photo etching can be applied to virtually any metal
type, including those that are soft, hard or brittle. Aluminium is renowned for being difficult to stamp (due to its soft nature) and laser cut (due to its reflectivity). Equally, titanium’s hardness can prove challenging. Precision Micro has developed processes for both of these materials and is one of the few etching companies with a standalone, accredited titanium etching facility. Add into the mix the fact that photo etching is
inherently speedy (for example, tooling typically takes a day to produce – rather than 16 weeks!) and can be measured in days not months, and the rationale behind the exponential growth in uptake of this technology in recent years is obvious. Design engineers are increasingly turning to photo
etching as they are under pressure to create smaller and progressively more complex precision metal components. As with any process selection, designers need to be aware of the specific attributes of the chosen manufacturing technology when looking at design attributes and
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parameters. The versatility of photo etching and its unique advantages as a precision sheet metal machining technology make it an engine for design innovation, and it can be used to manufacture parts that would be deemed impossible if using alternative technologies. l
Albert Tsang is technical manager at Precision Micro.
www.precisionmicro.com
Above: Many flexure spring designers specify photo etching due to its burr- and stress-free nature, zero tool wear and speed of supply
Below: Precision Micro offers a maximum sheet/component size of 600mm by 1,500 mm
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