Available in strip
Chemical etching goes by several other names, including chemical photo etching, chemical milling and photomechanical machining, though it should not be confused with laser etching. Chemical and laser processes have been used as alternatives to milling, engraving, stamping, plating, and many other metal part production processes. Both processes involve removing a proportion or all of the metal’s surface in a precise manner, capable of marking, shaping, cutting and piercing at what is often a lower cost than traditional matching methods. These processes offer many benefits over traditional matching methods, including greater accuracy and complexity in design, rapid prototyping and reproduction, no burrs or deformation of the material, and are suitable for both hard and brittle materials.
While sharing many of the same benefits, one of the most obvious differences between these processes is the depth of the mark achieved. Laser etching uses the heat generated by a concentrated light energy beam to target small areas of a material’s surface. Laser etching can efficiently mark the surface and is most commonly used in the manufacturing of electronics, particularly process control boards (PCBs). Chemical etching, also known as Photochemical machining (PCM), offers a greater depth of surface removal than its laser etch counterpart. Photo etching utilises a chemical reaction between a light source and a photo-sensitive material to create the final etched product. Though this process originates from the 1940s, it has since been recognised by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers as one of the most important processes in today’s manufacturing industry. Chemical etching offers some additional benefits over laser etching, including no stresses to the material and no impact on the magnetic properties of the alloys chosen. Chemical and laser etching are used in applications across multiple sectors, including aerospace, microelectronics, automotive, fuel cells, medical, semiconductor and telecommunications.
The Knight Group has a longstanding relationship with our customers in the Chemical and Laser Etching industry. Both chemical and laser etchers, out of necessity, demand very high quality standards from the strip metal industry. At the Knight Group, we have continuously met these challenging needs. As a result, we are one of the preferred precision stencil material suppliers for manufacturers around the globe.
We deliver all of our materials in mint condition with excellent clean surface quality, saving you valuable manufacturing time. When you need precision flatness and minimum distortion during etching, you can choose from tension-levelled or tension-annealed material. We specialise in the recoiling of thin gauge metals to produce low-weight coils, ideal for this industry. Using our precision foil blanking lines, the Knight Group can supply material as thin as 0.08mm cut to length. We also offer small quantities, ideal for prototyping or small production runs. To satisfy surface quality and flatness requirements, we apply the same exacting Quality standard written specifically for this industry to each and every item.
In order to ensure your products arrive to you in perfect condition, we use our own in-house export packing. We have the long-term experience needed for damage-free deliveries, with specialist boxes for sea freight and lighter airfreight packing.
1050 / AW-1050 / A91050
1050A / AW-1050A / A91050A
1060 / AW-1060/ A91060
1070 / AW-1070 / A91070
1070A / AW-1070A / A91070A
1100 / AW-1100 / A91100
1145 / AW-1145 / A91145
1200 / AW-1200 / A91200
1230 / AW-1230 / A91230
1235 / AW-1235 / A91235
1350 / AW-1350 / A91350
3003 / AW-3003 / A93003
3004 / AW-3004 / A93004
3103 / AW-3103 / A93103
3104 / AW-3104 / A93104
5005 / AW-5005 / A95005
5050 / AW-5050 / A95050
5052 / AW-5052 / A95052
5251 / AW-5251 / A95251
5754 / AW-5754 / A95754
Alloy 201 / N02201
Alloy 200
HAYNES® 230 N06230
Alloy K-500 / MONEL® K500 / N05500
Alloy C22 / HASTELLOY® C-22 / 2.4602/ N06022
Alloy 600 / INCONEL® 600 / 2.4816 / N06600
Alloy 214 / HAYNES® 214 / 2.4646/ N07214
Alloy X750 / INCONEL® X-750 / N07750
Alloy 400 / MONEL® 400 / 2.4360/2.4361 / N04400
NI-SPAN-C® ALLOY 902 / N09902
301 / 1.4310 / S 30100
430 / 1.4016 / S 43000
17-4PH / 1.4542
17-7 PH / 1.4568 / S17700
TITANIUM GRADE 1 R50250
TITANIUM GRADE 2 R50400
TITANIUM GRADE 4 R50700
TITANIUM GRADE 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) / R 56400
Common material thicknesses for photo etching: Metal thicknesses from 0.0005″ to 0.1250″
All data is provided for informational purposes only. In no event will the Knight Group and its subsidiaries, be liable for in respect of any action taken by any third party arising from using the information taken from our online or printed sources. Chemical and Mechanical Properties should not be construed as maximum or minimum values for specifications, nor should information be used to assess suitability for a particular use or application. The information and data provided is deemed to be accurate to the best of our knowledge and may be revised anytime without notice and assume no duty to update