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Brass Photochemical Etching
Tecomet Inc. offers precision brass etching and photochemical brass etching services for very thin metal foils. We machine foils with excellent feature and tolerance control and have earned a reputation for manufacturing high-quality components that meet the most demanding specifications. We can successfully etch production brass components that are 0.0005 inches thick or 10% of the thickness of a human hair. We can also etch brass as thick as 0.040 inches. As a fully in-house chemical etching manufacturer, we control every step of the brass etching process — from tooling and photoresist imaging to etching, inspection, and secondary finishing — so customers get consistent, repeatable parts on tight turnaround schedules.
Capabilities
Brass components are used in a wide range of applications that require complex shapes and high precision manufacturing. Tecomet Inc.’s state-of-the-art precision photochemical brass etching process produces the most intricate parts with high repeatability and to the tightest tolerances, making it cost-effective. In addition, chemical etching allows components to be machined without affecting the remaining material or surface finish. The finished part has 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.
Industries
Brass is a copper-zinc alloy that is used in many applications. By varying the levels of copper, zinc and other metals in the alloy, brass can exhibit a wide range of strength and hardness, ductility, electrical and thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. As a result, it is a popular alloy used to manufacture parts for the defense, aerospace and electronics industries for EMI/RFI shields, covers, connector pins, shims and washers. It can be plated with tin for soldering or for appearance. Our photochemical brass etching components are DFARS and ITAR compliant for use in defense applications and are manufactured to ISO 9001:2015 standards
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Common Brass Etching Applications
Tecomet's brass etching process is used to manufacture a range of precision components, each suited to brass's unique combination of conductivity, corrosion resistance, and machinability:
- Shields & Covers: Chemically etched brass shields protect sensitive circuitry from EMI/RFI interference without the added cost or thickness of secondary plating.
- Connector Pins & Circuits: Brass's high electrical conductivity makes it a reliable choice for etched connector pins and circuit components requiring precise, repeatable contact geometry.
- Shims & Washers: Tight-tolerance brass shims and washers are etched burr-free, ensuring consistent fit in assembly and calibration applications.
- Encoder Discs: Precision-etched brass encoder discs benefit from the process's ability to hold fine, repeatable feature geometry across high-volume production runs.
Tecomet's brass etching capabilities complement our broader suite of chemical etching services. For textured or three-dimensional surface features, our 3D photo chemical etching process adds further functionality, and our secondary metal finishing services — including plating, forming, and passivation — deliver a fully finished brass component from a single supplier.
FAQs
What thicknesses of brass can be chemically etched?
Tecomet can etch brass foils as thin as 0.0005 inches — about 10% the thickness of a human hair — up to 0.040 inches. This range makes photochemical etching ideal for delicate shields, shims, and connector components that require tight tolerances without mechanical stress.
How is chemically etched brass different from other machining methods?
Chemical etching machines brass without affecting the remaining material or surface finish, producing a clean cut with no heat-affected zones or burrs. This preserves dimensional accuracy on thin, intricate brass components better than processes that apply mechanical or thermal stress.
Can brass etching create half-etch or multi-depth features?
Yes. Tecomet's photochemical etching process creates exacting half-etch and partial-etch areas — impossible with other manufacturing methods — to add variable-thickness features, bend lines, or part markings directly into the brass component without secondary machining.
Is chemically etched brass suitable for defense and ITAR-controlled projects?
Yes. Tecomet's brass etching processes are performed to ISO 9001:2015 standards, and components can be produced in compliance with DFARS and ITAR requirements for defense and government contract applications.
