What is photochemical etching good for?

Fine patterns, channels, meshes, openings and half-etched features in thin metal sheets and foils (typically 0.02-0.5 mm) with no mechanical force, burrs or induced stress — ideal for EMI shields, encoder discs, fuel cell plates and springs.

What feature sizes can be etched?

Minimum feature size is roughly equal to sheet thickness, with etch depth controlled to single-digit microns. Single-side, double-side and half-etch plus through-etch combinations are supported.

Chemical Etching Services — Materials, Tolerances & Free 3D Builder

Q: What surface finish is achievable on with Chemical Etching?

Etching leaves the part with a uniform matte surface and clean, burr-free edges, with optional post-etch finishing.

Q: Can VT machining make custom parts to my drawing?

Yes. Chemical Etching is made to order from your CAD/2D drawing. Share your geometry, material grade, tolerance and quantity and we will confirm feasibility, lead time and pricing.

Q: How clean are the edges produced by Chemical Etching on ?

Chemical etching removes the metal without mechanical force, so edges are completely burr-free and stress-free — no secondary deburring needed.

Q: What is the finest feature you can etch in ?

As a guide, the minimum reliable feature size is roughly 0.8 × the metal thickness, so thinner foil yields finer apertures and detail — all produced burr-free and stress-free.

Explore VT machining's Chemical Etching capability. Photochemical etching uses a patterned resist and etchant to dissolve metal precisely, with no mechanical force, burrs or induced stress.

Photochemical etching uses a patterned resist and etchant to dissolve metal precisely, with no mechanical force, burrs or induced stress. Because the same engineers handle quoting, programming and inspection, nothing is lost between your drawing and the finished part.

Typical tolerance±0.02 mm

Surface finishStress- and burr-free

Quantities1 prototype → 100k+

Quote turnaroundUsually < 1 business day

Request a Quote Try the free 3D + 2D builder

Chemical Etching at VT machining — CNC precision machining services — Chemical Etching — in-house at VT machining

Chemical Etching Capability at a Glance

Foil thickness 0.02–1.0 mm
Minimum feature ≈ 0.8 × metal thickness
Burr-free, stress-free edges
Tooling-free: revise artwork digitally

What Is Chemical Etching?

Chemical Etching is a photochemical process. Your artwork is imaged into a resist, and etchant dissolves the exposed metal evenly from both sides. Because there is no mechanical force and no heat, parts come out flat, burr-free and free of induced stress — and design changes cost nothing but new artwork.

VT machining runs Chemical Etching in-house, so scheduling, quality and revisions stay under one roof. Photochemical etching uses a patterned resist and etchant to dissolve metal precisely, with no mechanical force, burrs or induced stress — and the parameters are set from your material and geometry, not a default recipe. Send a CAD model or a 2D print and we will confirm feasibility, tolerances and lead time before you commit.

How Chemical Etching Works at VT machining

A photo-resist patterned from your artwork masks the metal, and an etchant dissolves the exposed metal evenly from both sides. Because there is no mechanical force, the part stays flat and stress-free.

Every job begins from your CAD model or 2D drawing. Fixturing and tool paths are planned so the most critical dimensions are produced in the most rigid, repeatable setup. Critical dimensions are checked on the first part and monitored through the run.

1
Send your drawing
CAD model, PDF print — or a drawing you build free on this page. We reply with feasibility, price and lead time.
2
Artwork & resist imaging
Your DXF/Gerber is converted to a phototool and imaged into the resist — no hard tooling.
3
Chemical Etching run
First article is verified against the print before the balance of the batch is released.
4
Inspection & dispatch
In-process checks plus final inspection, with CMM reports, mill certs and FAIR on request.

Chemical Etching Tolerances & Surface Finish

Etched metal holds tight, repeatable feature tolerances on thin gauge, with a minimum feature size around 0.8× the metal thickness and completely burr-free edges.

Final tolerances are governed by the material's behaviour, wall thickness and overall stiffness. We give honest DFM feedback if a callout would be costly or better achieved another way.

Chemical Etching — capability summary
Sheet format	Up to 600 × 500 mm
Foil thickness	0.02–1.0 mm
Min feature	≈ 0.8× metal thickness
Tolerance	±0.02 mm typical
Edge condition	Burr-free, stress-free, no heat-affected zone
Lead time	Prototypes 5–10 days · production 10–20 days
Documentation	Dimensional report, material certificate, FAIR on request

Figures are typical in-house capability. Send your drawing and we will confirm what is achievable for your specific part.

Chemical Etching by Metal — Choose Your Material

Choose a metal below for grade-level detail, achievable tolerances and typical parts in that material.

Chemical Etching Aluminum Chemical Etching Tungsten Chemical Etching Invar Chemical Etching Stainless Steel Chemical Etching Nickel Chemical Etching Silver Chemical Etching Molybdenum Chemical Etching Brass Chemical Etching Titanium Chemical Etching Steel Chemical Etching Copper

Design Tips for Chemical Etching

Small design adjustments often cut cost and lead time. Designing features no finer than ~0.8× foil thickness and allowing tab placement gives the best yield on etched metal. If you send your model early, we will return practical DFM feedback before you commit to production.

Secondary Operations & Finishing

Most metal parts need some finishing, which we manage in-house or through vetted partners. Options include deburring and edge-breaking, heat treatment, surface grinding, polishing, and plating or anodising for corrosion resistance and appearance. Give us the finished-part requirement and we will sequence every operation correctly.

Chemical Etching Quality & Inspection

Quality is built in, not inspected on. We monitor key features during the run and confirm them at final inspection, with CMM verification available for tight tolerances. We provide the inspection and traceability records your quality system requires.

Industries That Order Chemical Etching

Chemical Etching parts made by VT machining go into the sectors below. Each page lists the typical components, preferred alloys and the tolerance expectations for that industry.

Semiconductor Equipment — Chemical Etching components by VT machining

SemiconductorSemiconductor EquipmentVacuum-chamber components, wafer-handling parts, precision electrodes

Medical Devices — Chemical Etching components by VT machining

Medical & Life SciencesMedical DevicesSurgical instruments, implant components, micro-machined fittings

Optics & Instrumentation — Chemical Etching components by VT machining

Optics & MetrologyOptics & InstrumentationOptical mounts, low-expansion frames, precision apertures

Electronics & Enclosures — Chemical Etching components by VT machining

ElectronicsElectronics & EnclosuresSheet-metal enclosures, EMI/RFI shielding, heat sinks

Chemical Etching in the Shop

CNC milling an aluminium block — Chemical Etching at VT machining

CMM-verified precision machining — Chemical Etching at VT machining

EDM machining a hardened tool-steel part — Chemical Etching at VT machining

Other CNC Services

CNC Engraving CNC Boring CNC Wire EDM CNC 5-Axis Machining CNC Broaching CNC Gear Grinding

How to Order Chemical Etching

Ordering metal parts is straightforward. Provide the drawing, material, quantity and any certification needs. Our engineers reply — in English — with feasibility, pricing and a realistic lead time, usually within one business day.

Have a drawing ready? Send it with your quantity and material for a quotation, usually within one business day.

Request a Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

What surface finish is achievable on with Chemical Etching?

Etching leaves the part with a uniform matte surface and clean, burr-free edges, with optional post-etch finishing.

Can VT machining make custom parts to my drawing?

Yes. Chemical Etching is made to order from your CAD/2D drawing. Share your geometry, material grade, tolerance and quantity and we will confirm feasibility, lead time and pricing.

How clean are the edges produced by Chemical Etching on ?

Chemical etching removes the metal without mechanical force, so edges are completely burr-free and stress-free — no secondary deburring needed.

What is the finest feature you can etch in ?

As a guide, the minimum reliable feature size is roughly 0.8 × the metal thickness, so thinner foil yields finer apertures and detail — all produced burr-free and stress-free.

Chemical Etching