It is true that many people are now interested in laser photo etching, but there are so many good reasons why photo chemical etching is still a preferred choice for many. You can certainly try different machining processes for make complex parts, but you need to pay attention to your unique needs and your overall budget to make a better choice. There are a number of advantages associated with photochemical etching and here are a few to help you get a better idea.
- One big advantage of chemical etching is that it allows you to produce complex and fragile parts with utmost ease. You do not need to be very careful when dealing with parts like semiconductor lead frames. In fact, many fragile parts can only be produced using chemical etching.
- Another advantage of chemical etching is that it is often not as expensive as other machining processes are. Moreover, it is not a very labor intensive machining process either. The reason is that the sheet is the unit of labor in this process. The unit of labor cost will come down when you want to make more parts per sheet. This is another reason why you may want to switch to photo chemical etching from other machining processes.
It is important to mention that you will be able to enjoy the benefits of chemical etching only when you choose the best etching company. Not all service providers know the ins and outs of chemical etching and therefore fail to deliver quality results. You may want to use chemical etching because you have complex parts to make, but only an experienced company can offer this benefit because of their experience in handling pars of all levels of complexity. In fact, photo etching is not always the best solution for certain fragile parts, and an experienced company can help you decide if chemical etching is a suitable option for your project or not.
Similarly, you know that chemical etching may not be a very labor-intensive option and may even be quite inexpensive, but again, the benefit depends on how experienced the company is. If you work with an inexperienced company and they do not specific the right sheet size, you may not be able to enjoy any benefit here. Ideally, you need to select a service provider with experience to know how to correctly specify the largest sheet size for your project. They also ensure that the sheet size they are going to select is consistent with all the dimensional tolerances and size of your part. Moreover, you need to bear in mind that material thickness will also change the overall cost. Thicker metals require longer machining time, which can increase the overall cost. A professional etching company can help you select the right material for your project.
These little details can have a direct impact on your bottom line, which is why it makes great sense to join forces with the most experienced etching company. So, take your time and make a right decision!