How to Choose a Photochemical Etching Supplier

Choosing a photochemical etching supplier comes down to a few things: the tolerances and feature sizes they can hold, the range of metals they etch, their quality certifications and traceability, whether they offer in-house finishing and forming, and how quickly they can move from prototype to volume. This guide explains what to look for and the questions to ask.

Tecan is a UK photochemical etching specialist based in Weymouth, Dorset, manufacturing precision etched components since 1970.

what to look for in a photochemical etching supplier

precision and tolerances. The most important question is whether the supplier can hold the tolerances your part needs. As a guide, a capable supplier should hold a typical tolerance of around plus or minus 10% of material thickness above 0.15mm, tightening to around plus or minus 15 microns on thinner material, and etch features down to approximately 20 microns. Ask for their minimum feature size and tolerance on your specific material and thickness.

material range. Different applications need different metals, so check the supplier etches the ones you need. A broad capability covers stainless steels, aluminium, copper and copper alloys, brass, nickel alloys such as Inconel, Invar and Kovar, and bio-inert metals for medical work.

quality certifications and traceability. For regulated work, certifications matter. Look for an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 quality management system, full material traceability and First Article Inspection Reports (FAIRs). For aerospace and defence, check for JOSCAR registration.

in-house finishing and forming. A supplier that also plates and forms in-house can take a flat etched part through to a finished, folded, plated component without adding outside suppliers, which protects quality and lead time. Ask whether plating and forming are done on site.

trade and export compliance. For regulated or international work, check the supplier understands export and trade controls and can support the documentation. See Tecan’s trade compliance for how we handle this.

prototyping and scale. Because photochemical etching uses digital tooling rather than hard tooling, a good supplier can produce prototypes directly from your drawings within days and then scale the same design to volume without new tooling. Ask about prototype turnaround and how they move to production.

design support. The best suppliers work as a co-development partner, advising on how to design a part for etching and refining the geometry with you, rather than only quoting from a finished drawing.

questions to ask a photochemical etching supplier

• What minimum feature size and tolerance can you hold on my material and thickness?
• Which metals do you etch, and have you worked with mine?
• What quality certifications and traceability do you provide?
• Do you offer in-house plating and forming?
• How do you handle trade and export compliance?
• How quickly can you produce a prototype, and how do you scale to volume?
• Can you help with design for etching?

why photochemical etching

Photochemical etching produces burr-free, stress-free parts with no heat-affected zone, preserving the metal’s flatness and properties. It carries low tooling cost and, because it is digitally tooled, allows fast, low-cost design changes, which makes it well suited to intricate, thin-metal precision parts from prototype through to high volume.

For a broader view across all micro-precision manufacturing, see our guide to what to assess in a micro-precision manufacturing partner.