What is Metal Etching? What are the Types of Metal Etching Technology?

2025,05,30

Metal etching is a process that uses chemical reactions to corrode metal surfaces, creating patterns or text. By applying specific techniques and chemicals, the metal workpiece is partially corroded, leaving the desired patterns and text. Metal etching has extensive applications in the machinery industry, including the production of molds, scales, mechanical parts, and electronic components, making it a versatile tool in this field.

I. Types of etching technology

1. Classification according to the type of chemical reaction during etching

(1) Chemical etching.

Process flow: pre-etching → etching → water washing → acid immersion → water washing → resist removal → water washing → drying.

(2) Electrolytic etching.

Process flow: enter the tank → open the power supply → etching → water washing → acid immersion → water washing → remove the anti-etching film → water washing → drying.

2. Classification according to the type of material etched

(1) Copper etching.

Process flow: After polishing or drawing, the copper plate surface is cleaned → screen printing of graphics and text → drying → pre-etching → water washing → inspection → etching → water washing → acid immersion treatment → water washing → removal of the protective layer from the screen printing → hot water washing → cold water rinsing → post-processing → finished product.

(2) Stainless steel etching.

Process flow: Clean the plate surface → Screen print liquid photoresist ink → Dry → Add film exposure → Develop → Wash with water → Dry → Inspect and repair the plate → Harden the film → Etch → Remove the protective layer → Wash with water → Post-processing → Dry → Finished product.

3. Classification according to the requirements of its processing objects

(1) Chemical punching.

That is, the use of etching to penetrate thin plate metal.

(2) Chemical milling.

That is, only part of the thickness of a certain thickness of metal is eroded without penetration, so that the bottom surface eroded has a certain height difference with the original surface.

II. Advantages of etching process

Metal etching process has the following advantages:

1. High precision: metal etching can be used to engrave fine patterns and words at the micron level, with high precision and repeatability.

2. Nondestructive processing: Compared with traditional processing methods such as drilling and milling, metal etching does not need to contact the metal surface, avoiding scratches and stress defects on the surface.

3. Strong flexibility: metal etching process can deal with a variety of design patterns and text, flexible, suitable for a variety of metal materials and shapes.

4. Cost saving: Metal etching is relatively low cost for mass production, especially for small batch high precision processing.

5. Improved strength: The metal etching process can achieve different etching effects and texture texture by changing different etching solutions, adjusting etching time, temperature and concentration and other factors, to meet a wide range of design requirements.

Author:

Ms. Gracie Ge

E-mail:

graciege@zjhech.com

Phone/WhatsApp:

+86 13735366055