Custom Connectors
Fotofab produces precision photochemically etched thin metal connector components for aerospace, defense, medical devices, electronics, and RF/microwave applications. Photochemical etching is well suited to connector components that demand tight tolerances, complex geometry, and repeatable production in metals that are difficult or costly to process by conventional means.
Our process works from a digital phototool rather than hard tooling, so when your design changes, a new file is all it takes. No retooling, no delay. Qualifying prototype orders ship in one to three business days through the Fotofast program, keeping your development timeline on track.
Connector Components We Produce
Fotofab etches a wide range of precision connector components, including
- Connector shields and housings
- EMI and RF shielding frames
- Waveguide aperture plates
- Contact grids and grid arrays
- Pin carrier plates and socket blansk
- Crimp terminal blanks
- Flat connector bodies and brackets
- Mounting clips and retention tabs
- Gasket carriers for sealed connector assemblies
- Multi-aperture connector plates for RF and microwave assemblies
For conductivity-critical parts such as spring contacts, flat flex contact strips, see our Electrical Contacts page. For lead frames, see our Lead Frames page.
RF and Microwave Connector Components
RF and microwave connector components place demands on fabrication that most processes handle poorly. Aperture geometry has to be exact. Grid spacing and feature pitch are non-negotiable. And the material choices (copper alloys, Kovar, Invar) require a process that does not introduce heat or mechanical stress.
Photochemical etching is a natural fit for this work. Features are etched simultaneously across the entire part. Whether the design calls for dozens of apertures or hundreds of thousands, the process complexity does not change, and every opening is produced burr-free in the same cycle. Tolerances hold to +/-0.001″ across the part, and there is no burr formation or edge deformation to affect RF performance or assembly fit.
Fotofab is ITAR registered and AS9100D certified. Connector components for aerospace, defense, radar, satellite, military RF, and medical device applications can be produced under our certified quality management system.
Why Photochemical Etching for Custom Connectors
Connector components are often too geometrically complex for stamping, too thin for machining, and too varied in design for high-volume tooling to make economic sense. Photochemical etching sits in that space.
- Hold tolerances to +/-0.001″ across multiple features simultaneously
- Produce complex cutout patterns, fine slots, and multi-aperture geometries in a single process step
- No burrs, no mechanical stress, no edge deformation
- Work in beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, Kovar, Invar, stainless steel, copper, and nickel alloys
- When your design changes, a new digital file is all that is needed. No hard tooling to modify or replace
- Scale from single prototypes to production runs without process changeover
- Shorter overall time to market through fast iteration cycles
Available Metals
Explore Metals We Chemically Etch
Here at Fotofab, we provide photochemical machining (chemical etching, acid etching) services for a wide range of metals.
Fotofab is committed to quality.
Value Added Services for Chemically Etched Parts
Fotofab offers an array of value-added and finishing options to guarantee your project gets closer to the production finish line. While chemical etching is our core business, we have an extensive list of resources to give you a ready-to-use component, no matter what your requirements, including:
- Plating
- Forming
- Machining
- Stamping
- Electropolishing
- Custom Packaging
- Laser Cutting & More
