Chemically Etched Aerospace Parts

Tecomet Etch provides quality chemical milling for aerospace parts and acid etching services to top suppliers in the aerospace industry. Common aerospace components that Tecomet Etch is able to chemically etch include carriers, springs and foil circuits.

To meet the needs of the aerospace industry, Tecomet Etch carries a large supply of DFARS compliant material in stock and is ITAR registered and compliant. Here at Tecomet Etch, we routinely supply to government contractors and can provide a price quote within 24 hours to assist with the bidding process. For more information on our aerospace chemical etching, contact us or request a quote today!

aerospace industry etching

Aerospace Etching Components

Tecomet Etch offers the following aerospace chemical milling components:

Shields
Carriers
Foil Circuits
Lids
Covers
Flat Springs

Aerospace Materials

Aerospace customers typically work with the following materials:

Our Aerospace Chemical Milling Process

Tecomet Etch relies on its aerospace chemical etching process, using photochemical machining — a precise, non-contact method of chemical milling for aerospace parts — to manufacture aerospace components without the burrs, heat-affected zones, or mechanical stress introduced by traditional stamping or CNC machining. This process allows us to etch conventional and exotic metal foils from 0.0001" to 0.070" thick, holding the tight tolerances required for chemical milling in the aerospace industry and defense programs.

Because this aerospace chemical milling process uses no hard tooling, Tecomet Etch can move quickly from prototype to full production without the lead times or costs associated with hard-tool stamping dies — a key advantage for photochemical etching aerospace parts under evolving specs or accelerated bid timelines. Parts can also be routed through our secondary finishing services, including forming, metal plating, and passivation, to meet exact aerospace finishing requirements.

Aerospace Applications for Etched Components

The components Tecomet Etch produces through aerospace chemical etching serve critical functions across avionics and airframe systems:

Shields protect sensitive avionics and communication electronics from EMI/RF interference in aircraft enclosures
Foil circuits support onboard electronic assemblies where lightweight, precisely patterned conductive layers are required
Flat springs and carriers provide reliable mechanical retention and connection points in instrumentation and connector assemblies
Lids and covers seal and protect sensitive components within avionics housings

Every component can be prototyped before scaling to full production, giving engineering teams a fast, low-cost way to validate designs before committing to volume orders.

FAQs

What is chemical etching used for in aerospace manufacturing?

Aerospace chemical etching (also called photochemical machining) removes metal from thin foils using a precise chemical process instead of mechanical cutting. In aerospace manufacturing, it's used to produce burr-free components like shields, carriers, foil circuits, lids, covers, and flat springs without introducing heat-affected zones or mechanical stress into the material.

What metals can be used in aerospace chemical milling?

Tecomet Etch performs aerospace chemical milling on aluminum and titanium, along with other conventional and exotic metals used across its broader etching capabilities. Material selection depends on the application's requirements for weight, corrosion resistance, or thermal performance. Contact Tecomet Etch to confirm compatibility for a specific aerospace material or alloy.

Is Tecomet Etch's aerospace etching ITAR and DFARS compliant?

Yes. Tecomet Etch is ITAR registered and compliant, and carries a large in-stock supply of DFARS-compliant material to support chemical milling in the aerospace industry and meet government contracting requirements. This allows the company to routinely supply top aerospace suppliers and government contractors without compliance delays holding up production or bidding timelines.

How thin can chemically etched aerospace components be made?

Photochemical etching for aerospace parts allows metal foils to be etched to thicknesses ranging from 0.0001 inch to 0.070 inch, making it well-suited for lightweight, precision aerospace components. Because the process uses no hard tooling or mechanical force, extremely thin materials can be etched accurately without warping, burring, or inducing stress into the part.