AUTOMOTIVE


and contract, and can even alter the properties of the materials used. Cutting edge stress, which can be caused by stamping, can create a physical stretch on the cutting edge; while burring, which is caused by the heat generation of physical impact, is another common issue that can compromise the accuracy and dimensions of a component. These risks can result in uncertain lead times and can create a domino effect through the supply chain, leading to increased inventory and tooling costs. With chemical etching, there’s no heat or


physical impact during the process. Similarly, with no impact force or harsh cutting involved, the risk of burred edges is also significantly reduced. The chemical etching process guarantees consistency across runs and makes it ideal for high-volume automotive manufacturing, but it also offers benefits for low-volume orders too. Unlike stamping and lasering, the chemical


etching process doesn’t require expensive tooling and the photoresist tools used instead are easily reworked. In practice, this gives design engineers the flexibility to make design iterations throughout the process and, more importantly, without the lengthy lead times usually associated with tooling changes for other machining methods.


ENGINEERING A SOUND EXPERIENCE Due to its ability to achieve unparalleled precision and easily repeatable geometric incisions, chemical etching is the ideal process for creating metal speaker grilles. In addition to being capable of creating captivating patterns within the grille itself, premium audio brands also believe metal grilles can provide a better sound quality than their plastic counterparts. The choice of grille material is said to affect sound at the extreme upper limits of a speaker’s frequency response, and therefore metal is the preferred material for providing a near-perfect in-car audio experience and more transparent sound output for passengers. To deliver the best performance possible,


however, speaker grilles must strike a delicate balance between protection and acoustic transparency. Traditional manufacturing methods like stamping often involve perforating the metal, which can lead to distortion or attenuation of sound waves. Chemical etching, on the other hand, allows for the creation of micro-sized holes or openings in the metal without compromising its structural integrity. This means that sound waves can pass through the grille with minimal interference, ensuring optimal audio performance can coexist with a luxury visual appearance.


LET THERE BE LIGHT From a visual perspective, chemical etching also allows unique patterns to be integrated into interior components. In addition to creating complete incisions, chemical etching also offers the ability to partially etch the substrate, meaning designers can create an impressive level of complexity and patterns that cannot be replicated using other processes. Beyond the transmission of sound, the addition of LED backlighting to etched components can create striking visual features within the cabin. Adding unique stylistic touches to the interior, this combination can further enhance functional elements like speaker


grilles or be used to illuminate larger areas such as door panels or the vehicle’s centre console.


CHEMICAL ETCHING AND PVD COATING Chemically etched metals are also ideal for pairing with PVD coating – an increasingly sought-after finishing process, thanks to its decorative, yet highly durable finish. Unlike traditional coating techniques like


chrome plating or painting, PVD is less than a micron thick but delivers a high degree of hardness and wear resistance to the finished component. In addition to adding long-term durability, PVD allows designers to add colour to


“Chemical etching is a subtractive machining process which uses acids to create


complex and highly accurate precision components”


a component and opens up a choice of surface finishes, including bead blasted, brushed or polished. For chemically etched parts with tight tolerances, the thinness of the coating allows for the intricacies in the metalwork to be maintained, as opposed to paint or chrome plating which can compromise the small holes or patterns within the component. When combined with half-etching, it also creates aesthetically pleasing colour contrasts, particularly useful for making logos more prominent.


YOUR NEXT PROJECT Chemically etched components offer several benefits compared to stamping and laser etching, and when combined with Vestatec’s expertise in complex metal forming, coating and assembly, design engineers can easily bring their interior design ambitions to life. Under one roof, Vestatec helps many of the world’s automotive brands to enhance aesthetic appeal, user experience and brand differentiation.


Vestatec www.vestatec.co.uk


INDUSTRY FOCUS


ACCELERATING THE INDUSTRIALISATION OF NEW CARS


Hexagon and SEAT S.A. have signed a strategic agreement focusing on the digitalisation of vehicle components, the management of digitised information and advanced process simulation. This will enable SEAT S.A. to optimise its


production, making decisions on adjustments to its processes in real time. The joint project team will integrate a digital twin that applies metrology data with process simulations to predict outcomes and improve manufacturing efficiency. The solution will make use of innovative systems to digitise the car body and its components, manage their data, and provide reports and analytics that help production personnel drive efficiency, and reduce costs. Under the new agreement, Hexagon’s


PRESTO system will fully automate the high-precision 3D laser scanning of the entire body with high-speed robotic inspection, allowing every detail of the car to be measured and evaluated in real-time. The second pillar of the agreement is the management of digitised information, which uses Hexagon’s eMMA data management, quality planning and analytics platform. This automatically captures metrology data and manages it in a standardised way. The centralisation of all 3D measurement data captured facilitates efficient decision-making, allowing production and quality managers to monitor the condition of the parts and optimise quality in all phases of assembly. The third key aspect is process simulation, which allows SEAT’s quality analysts to accurately predict problems and optimise critical vehicle manufacturing processes such as part alignment, assembly and subsequent welding operations. Thanks to Hexagon’s simulation solutions, SEAT can optimise production and adjust the production settings using a virtual prototype of the product, speeding up the process of fine-tuning the production methods that will be used in the series manufacturing phase. This capability translates into a significant reduction in costs, a reduction in material waste, and an improvement in the time-to-market for the new vehicle models.


Hexagon hexagon.com NOVEMBER 2024 DESIGN SOLUTIONS 55


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