Chemical Machining & Etching Services

Precision Aluminum Photochemical Etching

Tecomet Inc. has earned a reputation for high-quality precision aluminum photochemical etching. We specialize in high precision, very thin aluminum foils machined with excellent feature and tolerance control, ensuring that the components we manufacture meet the most exacting requirements. We can successfully etch production aluminum components that are 0.0005 inches thick, or 10% of the thickness of a human hair. We can also etch aluminum as thick as 0.040 inches.

Aluminum Etching Capabilities

Due to some of the unique characteristics of aluminum, it etches differently than most other metals. Tecomet Inc. has the expertise to chemically etch aluminum, with excellent results. Our state-of-the-art chemical etching process is cost-effective and repeatable, producing even the most intricate parts reliably and to the tightest tolerances. Etched parts are machined without affecting the remaining material or surface finish and have a clean cut with no heat-affected zones or burrs. Tecomet Inc.’s process can be used to create exacting half-etch and partial-etch areas that are impossible to produce with other manufacturing methods. Partial and half-etch processing can be used to create features with varying thicknesses, mark the surface of a component with a logo or part number and facilitate bending during fabrication and assembly. Chemical machining is also used to micro-etch the surface of completed components to improve bonding in later processes.

Applications

Due to its properties, including high temperature resistance, high strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance, aluminum is used in a wide variety of applications. It is used to manufacture covers and shields, lids and shims, often for high wear components. Etched aluminum parts can be tin plated, which allows them to become solderable. They are widely used in the aerospace and defense industries due to their light weight and high strength properties.

Our aluminum components are DFARS and ITAR compliant for use in aerospace and defense applications and are manufactured to ISO 9001:2015 standards.


Typical Grades
  • 1045
  • 1100
  • 1145
  • 2024
  • 3003
  • 4047
  • 5052
  • 6061
Common Uses
  • Cans
  • Lids & Shims
  • Shields
  • Covers
  • Shims
  • Control Panels
  • Nameplates
  • Signage
Advantages
  • Corrosion Resistant
  • Light-Weight
  • Can be anodized and/or plated
Industries
  • Aerospace
  • Defense
  • Automotive
  • Packaging
  • Cookware

 To learn more about our aluminum photochemical etching capabilities, contact Tecomet Etch today! 

 

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