Aluminum is a light and versatile metal. However, it has a couple of characteristics that give etching houses fits. It is highly reactive and will etch in both acids and bases. Common photoresist film is designed to repel acid, but to remove it you need to use a fairly high Ph caustic solution. And, oh darn, that etches aluminum, too. So, say bye-bye to dimensional tolerances. For many etchers, the headache isn't worth it. (And, shhh, don't tell anybody... but sometimes they come to us for aluminum.)
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Topics: Photo chemical etching, Aluminum Photo Etching, metal etching
Why Use Photo Etching for Aerospace Applications
Posted by
Kathleen Stillman on Jun 15, 2015 11:41:01 AM
Modern aircraft are making use of very high-tech materials, including carbon fiber and advanced composites, for many elements of airframes. But not all elements can be replaced with non-metallic materials. When it has to be metal, aluminum is most often the metal of choice.
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Topics: Aluminum Photo Etching
OEMs Should Consider Photo Etching For Growing Aluminum Needs
Posted by
Kathleen Stillman on May 12, 2015 9:29:00 AM

Demand for aluminum component parts is growing, and photo etching is a superior process for fabricating precision parts.
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Topics: Aluminum Photo Etching
Can your processes handle precision aluminum manufacturing?
Posted by
Kathleen Stillman on Feb 25, 2015 5:00:00 PM

Aluminum is one of the most commonly used metals in manufacturing and while most manufacturers have extensive experience in working with it, their processes may not be well equipped to handle this versatile, yet tricky material when fabricating precision parts on a micro scale.
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Topics: Aluminum Photo Etching
Photo Etching: Superior Non-Conventional Fabricating For Aluminum
Posted by
Kathleen Stillman on Oct 30, 2014 12:03:00 PM

Aluminum is strong, lightweight and versatile, making it one of the most popular materials for manufacturing components for a wide range of industrial applications. Unfortunately, the same properties that make it so desirable can also make it problematic to work with.
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Topics: Aluminum Photo Etching
What are the Problems of Cutting and Photo Etching Aluminum?
Posted by
Kathleen Stillman on Mar 6, 2013 1:20:00 PM
One of the lightest metals, aluminum, is one of the more challenging alloys to to process. This post will compare laser and plasma cutting with photo etching with regard to cutting aluminum.
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Topics: Aluminum Photo Etching