FAQs

Tecan specialises in micro precision manufacturing, focusing on chemical etching (also known as photo-chemical machining), laser material processing, and precision forming and assembly services. We manufacture complex, fine-featured metal components with extremely tight tolerances for industries including aerospace, medical devices, electronics, semiconductors, and defence.

Tecan has been based on the UK’s South Coast in Weymouth and Portland since 1970. We operate from a purpose-built facility and are part of IDEX Corporation’s global Materials Science Solutions Group, alongside Veco.

We offer integrated micro precision technologies under one roof, combining chemical etching, laser cutting and welding, and precision forming and assembly. This eliminates the need for multiple suppliers, reduces lead times, and provides a single point of contact for complex manufacturing challenges. Our digital tooling approach means we can produce rapid prototypes in days rather than weeks or months.

Chemical etching (also called photo-chemical machining, PCM, acid etching, or photochemical etching) is a precise manufacturing process that uses chemicals (etchants) to dissolve unwanted material. A photo-resist acts as an outline to protect the desired pattern. This photolithography-based process produces burr-free, stress-free parts without the need for expensive hard tooling or machinery.

We typically achieve tolerances of approximately +/- 10% of the material thickness. Generally, we work with metal thicknesses ranging from 25μm to 2mm. Specific tolerances depend on factors including metal type, thickness, sheet size, and the nature of the pattern being etched.

We process a wide range of metals including: stainless steels (austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic), mild steel, carbon steel, tool steel, spring steel, aluminium (including aerospace grades), brass, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, nickel silver, molybdenum, nickel alloys (Inconels, mu-metal, alloy 42/Nilo 42, Invar, Kovar), and various copper grades (C110, C101). If your required metal isn’t listed, we can discuss your specific requirements.

Chemical etching is ideal for thin metals and intricate precision features where mechanical or thermal methods risk distortion, burrs, or heat-affected edges. It’s perfect for meshes, filters, encoder discs, RFI and EMC shields, lead frames, springs, shims, washers, fuel cell plates, and microfluidic features. Choose etching when you need complex geometries without costly hard tooling, clean burr-free edges, and fast iterations from prototype to volume production.

Compared to CNC or stamping, chemical etching introduces no mechanical stress and avoids tool wear, keeping fine features crisp and consistent. Compared to laser cutting, there’s no heat-affected zone, which preserves edge integrity on very thin gauges and delicate patterns. Additionally, each feature on each component is created simultaneously rather than sequentially, which significantly speeds up production.

Yes, we specialise in etching both aluminium and stainless steel. Aluminium is ideal for applications requiring low density, high thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance. Stainless steel is so versatile that it often doesn’t require finishing after the chemical etching process, translating to quicker overall production times.

Thanks to our digital tooling, rapid prototypes can be produced from your drawings in a matter of days, with production then quickly scaled to industrial levels. This is significantly faster than traditional laser or machine tooling which can take weeks or months.

We provide in-house laser cutting and laser welding capabilities with advanced laser systems that produce very small beam diameters, achieving machining precision in the micrometer area. Our short-pulsed lasers have almost negligible heat input, enabling us to manufacture high-quality, high-precision components in 2D, 2.5D, and even 3D applications.

Combining these technologies leverages the strengths of both methods. Chemical etching is excellent for intricate patterns and high-volume production, while laser machining provides precise cuts on thicker materials and can handle features beyond what’s economical in etching alone. This combination offers unparalleled design flexibility, enhanced precision, improved efficiency, and cost-effectiveness while maintaining the highest quality standards.

Our integrated approach means complex parts that might require multiple manufacturing methods can be produced under a single point of contact. This simplifies supply chains, compresses timelines, reduces multi-supplier risk, and ensures consistent quality. We can employ the right technology for each feature of your component, making complex parts manufacturable.

Our post-production services include doming, punching, framing, bending, plating, and assembly. These capabilities are available on-site, which drastically shortens total component production time. Examples include pressure leaf filters, RFI shielding components, domed nebuliser plates, and custom shielding cans.

TEC Shield is our bench-top modelling system designed for RFI/EMC development engineers to prototype shielding cans, fences, and lids quickly and easily. Using etched fold line principles (similar to origami for metal), TEC Shield provides professional shielding effectiveness closer to custom-manufactured cans compared to traditional modelling techniques.

Yes, we offer high-quality metal finishing and plating services on-site. This integrated capability eliminates the need to send components to external suppliers, reducing lead times and maintaining quality control throughout the entire manufacturing process.

Absolutely. We work with customers from the early design phase to co-develop and manufacture complex micro precision components. Our engineers provide support to arrive at optimised, manufacturable solutions to your precision product challenges, from first functional prototype to fully industrialised production.

Use sheet thickness as a guide for minimum webs and aperture sizes to improve yield. Apply tight tolerances only where functionally critical. Consider component tagging for very small or fragile parts to aid handling, plating, and forming. Ask about partial-depth features for fold lines, location points, textures, or branding without requiring extra tooling.

Yes, rapid prototyping is one of our key strengths. Using digital tooling, we can produce prototypes from your drawings in days rather than weeks, allowing for fast design iterations before scaling to volume production.

We operate under ISO-based quality management systems with in-process control, chemical analysis of etchants, metrology for geometry verification, and automated visual inspection. We provide First Article Inspection Reports (FAIRs) and full traceability for regulated markets.

Our metrology team uses sophisticated precision measurement equipment and programming to maintain ultra-precise measurements and adhere to strict standards. Smart process control ensures high process stability, reliability, and repeatability. Each batch undergoes rigorous quality checks with full traceability.

Yes, First Article Inspection Reports (FAIRs) and full traceability are available on request, particularly important for regulated markets such as aerospace, medical devices, and defence.

We serve multiple high-precision industries including electronics, aerospace and defence, medical devices, clean energy and sustainability, analytical equipment, semiconductors, and industrial automation. Our components are used in mission-critical applications where precision, reliability, and performance are essential.

For the electronics industry, we manufacture RFI/EMC shields, encoder discs, lead frames, springs, contacts, and intricate components that enable miniaturisation and enhanced performance of electronic devices.

Yes, we manufacture complex, bio-inert components for medical devices including microfluidic features, surgical instruments, implantable device components, and diagnostic equipment parts. Our clean, burr-free production process and ISO quality standards make us suitable for regulated medical markets.

Yes, we manufacture lightweight, high-strength, high-precision parts for the aerospace industry using aerospace-grade aluminium and other specialist alloys. Our components meet the demanding accuracy and reliability standards required for aerospace applications.

Contact our engineering team through our website. We’ll work with you from the early design phase to understand your requirements, provide technical guidance, and develop an optimised manufacturing solution. We can quickly produce prototypes for evaluation before moving to production volumes.

We typically need your technical drawings or CAD files, material specifications, quantity requirements, tolerance specifications, and any special finishing or assembly requirements. Our engineers can also work with you to refine designs for optimal manufacturability.

Lead times vary based on complexity and volume, but rapid prototypes can often be produced in days. Our digital tooling and integrated capabilities mean we’re significantly faster than traditional manufacturing methods. Contact us with your specific requirements for accurate lead time estimates.

We handle everything from rapid prototypes to high-volume industrial production. Our chemical etching process is particularly efficient for large quantities, while our flexible manufacturing approach makes even small batch production economical.

Electroforming is an additive manufacturing process that grows metal parts atom by atom through electrodeposition, achieving extreme accuracy down to ±1 micron. Chemical etching is a subtractive process that removes unwanted material through controlled chemical dissolution. Both produce burr-free, stress-free parts, but each excels in different applications. Electroforming is ideal for ultra-high precision requirements and complex 3D structures, while chemical etching offers speed and cost-effectiveness for thin sheet metal components with tolerances around 10% of material thickness.

The choice depends on your specific requirements. Chemical etching is best for thin metals (25μm-2mm), intricate 2D patterns, and high-volume production with fast turnaround. Laser processing suits thicker materials, precise cutting beyond economical etching ranges, and applications requiring welding. Electroforming excels when you need tolerances below ±5 microns, complex 3D geometries, multi-layer structures, or extreme aspect ratios. As part of IDEX’s Materials Science Solutions Group alongside our sister company Veco, we can assess which technology—or combination of technologies—delivers the optimal result for your project.

Absolutely. Many complex precision components benefit from combining technologies. For example, a part might use electroforming for ultra-precise features requiring ±1 micron tolerance, chemical etching for broader sheet metal areas, and laser welding for assembly. Through our partnership with Veco (electroforming specialists) and our own chemical etching and laser capabilities, we can employ the right technology for each feature of your component under a single point of contact—simplifying your supply chain while optimising performance and cost.

Electroforming achieves unparalleled precision (tolerances to ±1 micron), can create complex 3D structures by growing multiple layers in different directions, produces parts with extreme design complexity, and can modify material properties for specific applications. It’s particularly valuable for inkjet nozzles, medical nebulizer plates, semiconductor components, optical precision parts, and any application demanding micron-level accuracy with intricate geometries.

Consider electroforming when you need tolerances tighter than ±5 microns, complex 3D structures beyond 2D sheet patterns, multi-layer construction, extreme aspect ratios, or when material properties need tailoring for specific applications. For medical nebulizer plates, semiconductor components, or ultra-precision optical parts, electroforming often provides advantages. However, for many sheet metal applications with tolerances around 10-50 microns, chemical etching offers faster turnaround and better cost-effectiveness.

Both Tecan and Veco are part of IDEX Corporation’s global Materials Science Solutions Group. Veco, based in the Netherlands, is the world leader in electroforming technology, while Tecan specialises in chemical etching, laser processing, forming, and assembly. This relationship allows us to offer clients access to the full spectrum of micro precision technologies—from electroforming to chemical etching to laser machining—ensuring you get the optimal manufacturing solution rather than being limited to a single approach.

No single technology is universally better—each has distinct advantages for specific applications. Electroforming provides the highest precision and most complex 3D capabilities. Chemical etching offers the fastest turnaround and best economics for sheet metal parts. Laser processing excels at thicker materials and localised precision features. The “best” choice depends on your material thickness, tolerance requirements, geometry complexity, production volume, and lead time needs. Our engineering team can assess your requirements and recommend the optimal approach, whether single-technology or hybrid.

Yes, our engineering team works with you from the design phase to evaluate your requirements and recommend the optimal manufacturing approach. We consider factors including required tolerances, material specifications, production volumes, lead times, and cost targets. Through our connection with Veco and our own multi-technology capabilities, we can provide objective guidance on whether chemical etching, laser processing, electroforming, or a combination delivers the best result—we’re not tied to recommending only one method.

Electroforming primarily uses nickel for most applications, with options for palladium-nickel alloys or copper to meet specific requirements. The process can modify material properties to suit particular applications, offering flexibility beyond standard material specifications. For broader material ranges including stainless steels, aluminium, brass, and specialist alloys, chemical etching provides more options.

Chemical etching typically offers faster prototyping, with parts producible in days from drawings. Electroforming may require longer initial setup but offers exceptional speed for high-volume production once established, particularly for complex geometries that would require multiple operations in other processes. Specific lead times depend on part complexity, tolerances, and production volume—our team can provide accurate estimates based on your requirements.

For electroforming (via Veco partnership): tolerances down to ±1 micron are achievable. For chemical etching at Tecan: typically ±10% of material thickness. For laser processing: precision in the micrometer range depending on material and application. Our engineers can help you specify tolerances appropriately—often, tighter-than-necessary tolerances increase costs without functional benefit, so we work with you to apply precision only where critical.