Invar Chemical Etching

Invar chemical etching is a great process for applications that require high dimensional stability over a wide range of temperatures.Contact us for more information on Acid Etching for Invar today!

Invar is a Nickel-Iron alloy notable for its low coefficient of thermal expansion. Like other Nickel/Iron compositions, Invar is a single-phase alloy, consisting of around 36% Nickel and 64% Iron.

Invar Chemical Etching

Fotofab’s etching process produces designs that can withstand harsh indoor and outdoor environments. The process uses a strong caustic chemical to etch into unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design or image formed to your project’s specifications.

Characteristics of Invar

Invar is a solid solution, single-phase alloy with the following characteristics:

  • Low coefficient of thermal expansion
  • Ductile, weldable, and machinable
  • Stress and corrosion resistant
  • Good thermal conductivity and tensile strength

Contact Our Precision Etching Experts Today

Fotofab is ISO & AS9100D Certified, ITAR Registered, and RoHS compliant.
Get in touch if you have questions or are ready to start your custom project.

Invar Chemical Etching Applications

Invar is used where high dimensional stability is required including applications of:

  • Light bulb and vacuum tube filaments
  • Precision instruments
  • Penetrating projectile and other military applications
  • Filters for telecommunications
  • Seals, spacers, and specialized television shadow-mask frames

Other Factors

  • Also known generically as FeNi36 (64FeNi in the US)
  • Variations include Inovco, FeNi42, and FeNiCO alloys named Kovar or Dilver P
  • Though it displays high dimensional stability over a range of temperatures, it does have the propensity to creep
  • One of its first applications was in watch balance wheels and pendulum rods for precision regulator clocks
  • The discovery of the alloy was made in 1896 and enabled improvements in scientific instruments
  • Some Invar formulations display negative thermal expansion (NTE) characteristics
  • Exhibits a lot of expansivity below its Curie Temperature-an anomaly known as the “Invar Effect
  • Invar is used to facilitate the manufacture of parts to tight tolerances

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