How Chemical Etching Process Works

Chemical etching is another name for chemical milling and industrial etching which is the known subtraction manufacturing process. The process is regarded as the spraying or metal immersion with the temperature-regulated chemicals which so it can remove some areas from the metal so they can produce desired intricate designs, thickness, or shape or even the geometric features. The chemical etching can enable the manufacturers in creating the metal parts even when they encounter extremely intricate and very difficult designs to ensure that they achieve some consistent and repeat-ability production quality.
How Chemical Etching Work
There are steps involved to conclude chemical etching process which among them are laminating, cleaning, developing, exposing, stripping, etching, and others where some rigorous inspections are carried out on all components. There is a substrate which is the desired material sheet which is laminated using light resist sensitive. The photo-resist is exposed selectively into the UV rays which are then developed for obtaining the product’s positive image. The available metallic products are then obtained when the partnered substrate is already exposed to the etching solution that can remove all unprotected parts away from their substrates. The steps involved in chemical etching are also performed using some well-controlled operational conditions so that there can be best end results.
Here are the available steps involved in the chemical etching process.
Cleaning – the metal surface is prepared in this step so it can be etched where the oils, grease, contaminants, and the residues are removed. Every chemical etching should be cleaned since the contaminated surfaces are cleaned so they don’t result in poor photoresist film adhesion that can cause the defects. After the process is completed, the workers aren’t advised to handle these materials using bare hands since the human skin oils and sweat can make the material contaminated.
Lamination – is where the dry film photoresist is applied onto the surface. The photoresist can protect all metal areas which won’t be etched where the films are simultaneously applied into both sides by laminating or even rolling on the material where water, temperature, and pressure is used.
Exposure – the step requires that the material be guided with two masks that have a negative component image. The masks can either be of glass or mylar where the high intensity, ultraviolet, and collimated are shined through all the directions of the masks, where they are cross-linked through the location where there are no blockages of the mask images.
Developing – the material is then developed after exposure where the non-cross-linked films are chemically dissolved in this step hence bare metal is exposed beneath. All the protected material by the film is then the ultimate finished product.
Etching – the metal is then fed inside the etch chamber after developing and etchants are then sprayed at the bottom and top. The process then dissolves all unprotected metal so the desired product is produced. There should be very careful monitoring at the etchant bath in the concentration, temperature, composition, and time inside the etchant.
Stripping – is where the film is eliminated from the product where another concentration is required for chemistry.
Rinsing and Drying – here, all products are complete where the films are then removed. The rinsing is essential so it can remove the residuals. The process is performed with the reverse deionized water and osmosis water.