Sheet Metal Etching is a chemical process which has many steps. It may have variation by types too. Metal can be formed thick, thin, plate shaped by Industrial process. This kind of metal is called sheet metal. This thickness, size and shape can be customised by choices. Etching is a traditional process. It involves strong acid and metal cut as an etching design in the metal. The metals like zinc, copper, steel are used in etching of sheet metal as this metals are acid resistant.
There are also some metals like:
Steel and stainless alloysTitanium and titanium alloysCopper and Copper alloysmolybdenum and polyamides
The acids which are generally used in sheet etching:
Ferric chloride and mixture of hydrochloric acidNitric acid and water solution in 1:3 ratioCopper Sulfate
The type of sheet metal etching:
Wet etching : When a material dissolves at the time of immersing.
Dry etching: Reactive ions or vapor etchant is needed to make the material dissolved.
Method of etching sheet metal:
Prepare the substrate by cleaning it. Then laminate it with a light-sensitive film. Fix your photo too on the top of the laminated material. This UV light passes through the vacant area of the photo tool.Then Create unique design of yours on non UV exposed area. Heat the substrate. Etch design using chemicals spray and high pressure. The solution made its effect on unprotected area and remain the impression.clean the plate for further use.
Advantages
Here are some advantages mentioned below:
High Speed : This can happen in a day. Orders can be delivered within 3-4 days.
2. Suitability of Various Designs:
It can do various designs as per need. There is no matter of easy and difficult designs.
3. Low cost:
It is cost friendly. It is much cheaper than hard tooling. This is cheaper than Stamping, EDM, CNC, laser cutting too.
4. Flexibility:
It is very flexible as the process goes very smooth and easy.
5. Accuracy:
The etching tolerance of a metal is 10% of the thickness of attached metal. It can give ±0.025 mm accuracy minimum.
6. Usefulness:
Metallic and magnetic property remains unaffected by Burr and stress-free metal temper.
7. Reproductive:
The replicas can be made easily as system capture the details. So, It will be easy to produce product in a bulk without additional cost.
Disadvantages
Here are some disadvantages too. This is mentioned below:
plasma etching is a pure technique as reactors can behave odd and can react in any direction.It can be removed by chemical reactions.
Usage
This method is used in many industries like:
Awards and trophiessign markshotel signageIndustrial nameplateslabelsElevator doorsEMI/RFI shieldingmetal foil strain gaugesshims, washers, filtersAerospacemedicalAutomotive interiors
This is very efficient and effective process. This method is used in a vast range of many industries. It’s getting increased day by day. The market will flourish more in upcoming time surely for its easy affordability and cost-effective price rate. The speed of production also make the craze of it more. This is a perfect procedure of all the product ranges of small and big. Sheet Metal Etching is the best procedure in today.