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Aluminum Chemical Etching
Aluminum is a lightweight, highly conductive, reflective, and non-toxic metal. Its durability and corrosion-resistant properties make Aluminum chemical etching ideal for components in a variety of industries, including transportation, electronics, cookware, packaging, and construction. Contact us for more information on Acid Etch for Aluminum today!
Aluminum Chemical Etching
Fotofab’s chemical etching process produces designs that can withstand harsh indoor and outdoor environments. Acid etching uses a strong caustic chemical to etch the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design or image formed to your project’s specifications.
Characteristics of Aluminum
- Lightweight, with about one-third the density of steel
- Easily malleable for use in a variety of fabrication processes
- Strong heat and electrical conductivity ideal for electronics and semiconductor applications
- A good reflector of visible light and radiated heat
- Non-ferrous offering minimal magnetic field interference for use in magnet-involved applications
Aluminum Grades We Chemically Etch
Aluminum is commonly used for both industrial and non-industrial applications, but it can be difficult to choose the right grade for your project. Below is a list of common Aluminum grades we chemically etch at Fotofab:
Alloy 1100
- Commercially pure wrought aluminum with 90% aluminum
- Mechanically the strongest aluminum alloy
- Soft, ductile, and excellent workability
- Non heat-treatable
- Corrosion resistant
- High thermal and electrical conductivity
- Applicable in heat exchanger fins, dials and nameplates, and chemical processing parts
Alloy 2024
- Copper is the primary alloying element
- Used in applications that require high strength-to-weight ratio
- Fatigue resistant
- Poor corrosion resistance
- Mechanical properties dependent on the temper of the material
- Applicable in aircraft structural components
Alloy 3003
- Most widely used Aluminum alloy
- Commercially pure Aluminum with added Manganese to increase strength
- Good workability
- Corrosion resistant
- Applicable in decorative trim, tanks, and chemical equipment
Alloy 5052
- Highest strength Aluminum alloy of the non heat-treatable grades
- Alloyed with Magnesium and Chromium
- High fatigue strength
- Saltwater and marine atmosphere corrosion resistant
- Excellent workability
- Applicable in aircraft components, home appliances, marine industry parts, and food processing equipment
Alloy 6061
- Precipitation-hardened Aluminum alloy
- Most versatile of the heat-treatable Aluminum alloys
- Great range of mechanical properties
- Corrosion resistant
- Good workability in the annealed condition
- Applicable for aircraft and automotive structural components
Certifications
Fotofab is committed to quality.
Applications of Acid Etched Aluminum
Aluminum’s combination of low weight, relative strength, conductivity, and corrosion resistance makes the metal ideal for a variety of applications, including:
- Electronic components
- Microelectronic conductors
- Tags—serial, vehicle identification number, property, and asset
- Covers and shields
- Nameplates
- Lids and shims
- High-wear components
- Control panels
- Data-rating plates
Other Factors
- After Iron, Aluminum is the second-most widely used metal in the world
- The metal is ideal for operations including drilling, cutting, punching, welding, rolling, forming and bending, due to its malleability
- Aluminum reacts with oxygen in the air to form an extremely thin layer of oxide, which is self-repairing, dense, and provides corrosion protection
- It does not rust because it contains no Iron, making it attractive for outdoor applications where moisture is a problem