COMPONENT DESIGN
The Role of Photochemical Etching in Disrupting the Design and Manufacture of Electronic Parts and Components
In the electronics sector, innovation in manufacturing techniques is vital to staying competitive.
O
ne process that is quietly revolutionising the sector is photochemical etching (PCE). This subtractive manufacturing technique uses a photoresist and chemical process to remove material from metal sheets and has become increasingly popular due to its precision, flexibility and cost-effectiveness. PCE is disrupting the design and manufacture of electronic components, offering distinct advantages over traditional manufacturing methods such as stamping, laser cutting and CNC machining.
Precision and Complexity One of the most significant ways PCE is reshaping electronics manufacturing is by enabling the production of extremely fine, intricate designs that would be nearly impossible to achieve with other methods. Electronics, especially as they become smaller, denser and more efficient, require components with incredibly fine tolerances. PCE allows for the creation of features as small as a few microns with near-perfect repeatability. For electronic applications where intricate patterns, fine meshes and thin components are required, this precision is critical. Traditional methods like stamping or machining can introduce unwanted stress into components, distorting their shape and compromising their performance; issues that PCE helps to mitigate. PCE is also ideal for handling complex geometries without the constraints of tooling or multi-step processes. It can create components with complex curves, sharp internal angles and other intricate details in a single operation. This level of design freedom opens new avenues for innovation in electronic device construction, allowing engineers to explore and create designs that were previously unattainable.
Material Versatility
Another advantage of PCE in the electronics sector is its ability to work with a wide range of materials, especially thin metals and exotic alloys that are often used in electronic components. Electronics manufacturers increasingly rely on materials with specific electrical, magnetic or thermal properties;
PCE offers a non-contact process that can precisely etch these materials without introducing stress or altering their fundamental properties.
Traditional fabrication methods such as stamping which relies on force or laser cutting, the latter of which generates heat, can negatively affect these specialised materials, changing their structural integrity or electrical properties. In contrast, PCE works at ambient temperatures and involves no mechanical force, preserving the material’s original characteristics. As a result, it is ideally suited for manufacturing parts such as RF shields, heat sinks and other critical electronic components where maintaining the purity and integrity of the material is critical.
Cost Efficiency for Prototyping and Low-Volume Production
In an industry where prototyping is essential and time-to-market pressures are immense, PCE offers significant cost advantages over traditional tooling-based methods. The process does not require the creation of expensive dies or molds, making it far more economical for low-volume production runs and rapid prototyping. This is especially important in the electronics sector, where design iterations happen frequently, and rapid adjustments are necessary to meet evolving performance demands or new technological developments.
16 OCTOBER 2024 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
For instance, manufacturers of circuit boards or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) can quickly iterate their designs without being bogged down by the long lead times associated with creating new tooling for each version. This flexibility enables faster innovation cycles and reduces overall development costs, a critical competitive advantage in the fast-paced world of electronics.
Scalability and Environmental Benefits
While PCE offers advantages in low-volume production, it also scales effectively for high-volume manufacturing, further enhancing its value proposition. Once a design is finalised, the photomasks used in PCE can be reused for mass production without deterioration, ensuring consistency and quality across large production runs. This capability makes PCE a versatile solution for both niche, customised electronic components and mass-market devices.
Moreover, as sustainability becomes increasingly important in the electronics industry, PCE’s environmental benefits are worth noting. The process generates very little waste compared to traditional subtractive manufacturing processes like machining, where significant amounts of material are cut away.
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