VT machining provides precision chemical etching of steel for customers who need burr-free, stress-free thin-metal parts made to an exact drawing. Steel is strong and economical across a range of carbon and alloy grades, and photochemical etching lets us reproduce fine features in it without the mechanical force, tooling cost or edge stress of stamping or laser cutting.
Why Chemically Etch Steel?
Photochemical machining removes steel by dissolving it through a patterned photoresist, so there is no contact force on the part. The result is completely flat, burr-free and free of the work-hardening and heat-affected zones that mechanical and thermal methods introduce. Because steel is strong and economical across a range of carbon and alloy grades, etching is often the only way to hold very fine apertures and intricate profiles in it economically.
Steel Etching Capability
- Foil thickness typically 0.02–1.0 mm
- Minimum feature size around 0.8 × the metal thickness
- Burr-free, stress-free, perfectly flat parts
- Tooling-free — designs are revised in artwork, so prototypes are fast
- High repeatability from the same digital master across volume runs
Typical Applications
Etched steel offers an economical route to burr-free thin parts. Common etched steel parts include flat springs, shutter blades, shims and structural fine-blanked parts. Each is produced to your CAD or 2D drawing, with the open area, pitch and overall geometry made to order.
From Drawing to Delivered Steel Parts
Send us your artwork, the steel grade and thickness you need, and your quantity. We confirm feasibility, suggest the optimal foil and finish, prototype quickly and then scale to production from the same master. Post-etch finishing such as plating or passivation can be arranged where your application requires it.
For a quotation on chemical etching of steel, send your drawing and quantity and our engineers will respond with pricing and lead time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fine and burr-free is Chemical Etching Steel?
Because chemical etching removes metal without mechanical force, Chemical Etching Steel is completely burr-free and stress-free, holding very fine features and apertures that mechanical methods cannot.
Why choose chemical etching for Chemical Etching Steel?
Chemical Etching Steel needs no hard tooling, so designs can be revised quickly and produced flat, stress-free and burr-free — ideal for fine-pitch, thin-gauge precision parts.
What materials can be chemically etched for Chemical Etching Steel?
For Chemical Etching Steel we etch aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, nickel, copper, brass, steel, silver, molybdenum, tungsten and invar. Material choice follows your corrosion, precision and application needs.