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
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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
