Fotofab

Precision Sheet Metal Components

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Precision Chemical Etching

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Fotofab’s chemical etching technology offers several benefits over traditional machining processes. Fotofab specializes in producing your parts by whatever means necessary – chemical etching, stamping, forming, metal fabrication, electroforming, and wire EDM to name a few. The Fotofab process features a trio of fundamental improvements over other manufacturers, including reduced costs, faster speeds, and higher precision parts. Also, we do all of our manufacturing and material sourcing in the United States.

Fotofab proudly services the US & International customers.

The affordable pricing, quick speed, and high precision of our photochemical etching process ensure that it is the quintessential method for both production and prototyping of metal parts.

Chemical EtchingBenefits of Photochemical Machining (Chemical Etching)

Photo tools are inexpensive

The price of the majority of phototools used in chemical etching are between $300 and $400. This is thousands of dollars less than the cost of using hard tools for etching equivalent metal parts.

Fast to produce

Photochemical machining typically takes less than a day, often less than an hour, to complete, which means your custom, brand new parts can be ready to ship the same day. Standard lead times are 5-7 days from order date, with an optional expedited service available.

Higher precision

Fotofab produces, stores, and uses the phototools in our in-house, temperature and humidity controlled clean room. The tools rarely leave this environment so there are no variations in size, and it remains consistent – as do we.

Photochemical machining or Chemical Etching has the ability to produce complex geometries within very strict tolerances, and the good news is that increased part complexity is very rarely a cost driver.

Production Volume - We have the capabilities to help with your prototype and help with production high volume orders.

How quickly do you need your photo etched parts? Fotofab can deliver. Delivery options may be specified on your purchase order.

Advantage of Photo Etching Process

“Chemical etching (photo etching) is a photo-lithographic process whereby a phototool is used to block UV light from exposing the area of a sheet of metal which has first been cleaned and laminated with photoresist. The sheet is developed which washes away the unexposed photoresist leaving a very precise mask of hardened photoresist behind. This patterned sheet is then exposed to concentrated etchants which very precisely dissolve any exposed material.”

Learn More About The Photo Etching Process

View a list of the Metals We Etch - HERE

Videos about Chemical Etching - HERE

   Materials We Etch 

Alloy 42, 46, and 48

Kovar

Alloy Steels

Metglas

Aluminum

Molybdenum

Amzirc

Monel

Beryllium

MuMetal

Beryllium Copper

Nickel

Brass

Nickel Silver

Copper

Nitinol

Copper-Molybdenum

Permalloy 80

Elgiloy

Phosphorous Bronze

Gold (0.005" x 6" x 6" max)

Silicon Steel

Hafnium

Spring Steel

Havar

Stainless Steel

Hy-mu 80

Steel

Inconel (600, 718, and 750)

Titanium

Invar

Tungsten

Iron

Tungsten-Copper

Fotofab also has the ability to help with secondary service

  • Plating
  • Forming
  • Machining
  • Stamping 
  • Electropolishing
  • Custom Packaging
  • Laser Cutting
  • & More

Request A Quote

Fotofab, LLC

3758 W Belmont Ave. Chicago, IL 60618

773-463-6211

sales@fotofab.com

Services

Etching
Forming
Rapid Prototyping
& Many More

Materials

Aluminum
Beryllium Copper
Stainless Steel
& Many More

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Fotofab AS9100D & ISO Certified
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