Feature: Automotive
battery-electric vehicles, it’s more likely to be a combination of the two. EVs will most likely dominate the passenger car market, whereas hydrogen will likely lead in heavy-duty transport, long- haul logistics and commercial fleets, where it is currently gaining momentum. Yet, behind both technologies are systems built around
connectivity, and energy in particular. Battery packs, fuel cells and heat exchangers rely on etched components like busbars, bipolar plates and printed circuit heat exchangers to deliver power and handle the thermal requirements. In hydrogen this might involve supplying plates for electrolysers that generate hydrogen, or the heat exchanger flow plates that help compress and dispense it into a truck. Te same principles apply inside the vehicles and aircraſt, whether hydrogen powered or fuel cell driven. In aircraſt, thermal management is a crucial area of focus.
Compact aluminium heat exchangers rely on etched aluminium flow plates used in aircraſt engines to manage cooling airflow with higher efficiency. Tese plates, with their intricate channel designs, are evolving into fuel cell bipolar plates in hydrogen systems. Etching has long played a role in combustion-era automotive
manufacturing, from injector components to under-the-hood systems. Now, the same processes enable fuel cells, EV battery connections and the entire hydrogen ecosystem. Whether electric or hydrogen-powered, vehicles using these technologies are beginning to prevail, with a blend of legacy and future-facing technologies, albeit with much cleaner and more efficient systems.
New frontiers Apart from on the road and in the skies, we are seeing many projects heading to deep space. Recent surveys suggest a boom in space missions from both public agencies and private operators, which is creating a growing demand for small but vital components
like thin etched nickel interconnects used in lithium-ion batteries for satellites and exploration vehicles sent to study exoplanets. Such components must operate in the extreme conditions that we do not experience here on Earth. One well-known project is the Mars Rover, a remote-controlled
robotic vehicle that was sent to Mars to explore its surface, which will be complemented by the 2028 ExoMars mission, aimed at finding signs of past life on our closest neighbouring planet. What might appear as simple components for these missions
are anything but, requiring specialist materials that must be processed quickly, flexibly and with precision. Chemical etching here allows for rapid design changes and keeps tooling costs low, making it a perfectly suited discipline for high-precision work where there’s no room for error.
A cross-sector reality Analysing all these trends leads us to conclude that we are seeing sectorial convergence. Energy systems in space, air, land and sea are being determined by the same fundamental forces, which are the demand for cleaner power, the need for agility in design and the pressure to deliver quickly. Chemical etching supports rapid prototyping, delivers precision
and can be applied to a wide range of materials, making it the perfect solution in this complex and fast environment created by modern engineering. From pure nickel in satellites to copper in EVs and specialised
alloys in space-grade systems, the process adapts across applications whilst keeping outcomes consistent. Energy is the thread connecting progress across multiple
applications, whether that’s orbiting satellites or on-road innovation. Aſter all, the future isn’t just on the horizon – in many cases it’s already in production.
www.electronicsworld.co.uk October 2025 27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
