Photo chemical etching is used extensively in the manufacture of custom meshes, filters and sieves as unlike conventional machining technologies the process offers unlimited complexity – you only pay for the first hole.
Manufactured in a single piece, photo etched meshes are slimmer, cleaner and have greater integrity, making them more robust during handling.
Where punch-perforated sheets are prone to distortion, photo etched mesh is burr and stress-free, with zero material degradation.
Functionality inbuilt
As the photo etching process removes metal simultaneously, multiple aperture geometries can be incorporated to control flow rates.
Far greater open areas are achievable than with woven meshes, with bar widths to 0.1mm.
Etched meshes do not exhibit straight or orthogonal walls and edge profiles, but a unique rounding effect which can be controlled to micron accuracy. This gives designers the flexibility to specify conical holes.
High aesthetic quality
As the surface of the metal being worked is protected during metal etching, components are 100% scratch-and blemish-free.
High definition surface engraving of logos, legends and part numbers can be incorporated at no additional cost.
Materials
Meshes can be etched from almost any metal, including those considered hard to machine or highly ‘non-corrosive.’
Typical metals include:
Steel and stainless steels
Nickel and nickel alloys
Copper and copper alloys
Aluminium
Titanium and titanium alloys