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Whitepaper Chemical Etching in a World of Precision Engineering

whitepaper chemical in a world of precision engineering

innovators in chemical etching since 1970 introduction

The trend in many industries is Chemical Etching in Micro Manufacturing This whitepaper on Chemical Etching aims to give you a good towards smaller, more complex understanding of the technology and its applications. It covers an Chemical Etching is a high precision subtractive and more delicate devices with manufacturing process that uses baths of introduction of the technology, explanation of detailed process, higher levels of performance. temperature- regulated etching chemicals to technical capabilities, comparison with other micro manufacturing Miniaturisation is no longer a wish; selectively remove material to produce high precision processes, markets served and applications, etc. it is a fact and we see across all parts in any desired shape. kind of industries. Compared to other micro manufacturing techniques, such as , EDM, CNC, , and There are many advantages to making smaller Water Jetting, Chemical Etching is more cost efficient products, but you have to be aware of the challenges with shorter time, more design flexibility, and no that this implies. Designing smaller parts doesn’t mean need for deburring. It is an optimal choice for precision you can lower product performance expectations. metal part manufacturing, regardless of prototyping or Quite the contrary: the basic materials used to industrial production. transform designs into actual products must perform better than ever before, since the smallest irregularity will have a much larger effect on the end result.

Micro manufacturing is becoming a big challenge for many industries. Metal parts need to get smaller by the day, yet stay ultra-precise, at a reasonable cost.

2 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 3 chemical etching

subtractive manufacturing Etchable Materials

Almost any metal can be etched. These include (but are not limited to):

• Stainless : Wide Range of Austenitic, Ferritic and Martensitic Stainless Steels; • Mild , Carbon Steel, Tool Steel, Spring Steel; What is Chemical Etching? • Aluminum: Including Aircraft/Aerospace grades; • Molybdenum; Chemical Etching is a subtractive manufacturing process that use baths of temperature-regulated etching • Alloys: Inconel, Mu-Metal, Alloy 42 (Nilo 42), Invar; chemicals to selectively remove material to produce high precision metal parts in any desired shape. • : Including C110 and C101 (Oxygen Free); It is also referred to as Chemical , Photo (Chemical) Etching, Electrochemical Etching, Photo (Chemical) • , Phosphor Bronze, Beryllium Copper, Nickel ; Milling, Photo Chemical , and Industrial Etching. The process is ideally suited to a wide range of • Many other materials – please call us to discuss your needs. materials. Most commonly used materials include , non-, low-alloy steel, nickel, copper, bronze, brass, etc. Many other types of metal, e.g. , silver, aluminum, hastelloy, , and special alloys such as You are always suggested to talk to one of our industry leading experts if you are considering any nitinol and vitrovac, can be etched under appropriate conditions. specific material that’s not listed above.

Chemical Etching process Profile Geometries of Chemical Etching

Chemical Etching process can be concluded in a series of steps including Cleaning, Laminating, Exposing, Single sided etching Specific depth, profile, or can easily be achieved with Single Developing, Etching, and Stripping, after which rigorous inspection is automatically carried out on all Sided Etching. components.

Photo sensitive coating UV light Double sided etching Double-sided Etching is used for on both sides, which allows for extra design flexibility.

Ratio etching With Ratio Etching, products can be etched to a 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, Metal or 80/20 ratios if necessary. Conical apertures or cutting edges can also be achieved. 1 - Cleaning 2 - Laminating 3 - Exposing Material is cleaned The cleaned metal ‘blank’ The metal sheet is then to remove all surface is then coated with a exposed to ultra-violet 2/3 Etching 2/3 Stage Etching can be used to achieve multiple depths, requiring contamination. This light-sensitive photoresist light, which hardens the additional imaging. provides a suitable surface in a clean room. photoresist. for resist adhesion later in . the process. Parallel profile etching Also referred to as “Seagull Profile”, Parallel Profile Etching is a typical etching profile used in particular to reduce etch cusp

Etchant spray Photo-resist removed Photo-resist lacquer Convex profile etching For through-etched components Convex Prole Etching, also referred to as Under Etching Profile, is a typical industry standard edge condition.

Concave Profile With Concave Profile Etching, also referred to as Over Etching Profile, a straighter edge profile can be achieved. 4- Developing 5 - Etching 6 - Stripping Unexposed areas are Etching chemistry is The resist is removed in developed away, leaving sprayed on both sides of the end to leave behind behind the bare metal. the metal at high pressure. - and stress-free This accurately removes components. the unwanted metal.

4 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 5 Dimensions of Holes/Features Key Benefits of Chemical Etching:

• Burr- and stress- free; Pitch • Eliminates cold working (common use in stamping and ) or heat affected zones or recast layers for laser and wired EDM; • Low tooling cost; Hole Diameter • Design flexibility; • Fast turnaround; • Etched fold lines for ease of without tools; • Magnetic and other material properties unaffected; • Complex designs are easy to tool; • From prototype to industrial manufacturing volume; • Company logos, part numbers, and QR codes of all kinds can easily be etched into the surface during Corner Bar Slot Material manufacture. radius Width Width Thickness Chemically Etched Products: Material Minimum hole Minimum Minimum Minimum thickness (T) µm Ø µm radius µm bar size µm tolerance ±µm

25 > 75 38 25 15

50 > 90 45 40 25

75 > 110 55 60 25

100 > 140 70 80 25

150 > 210 105 120 25

200 > 240 120 160 30

250 > 300 150 200 38

300 > 360 180 240 45

400 > 460 230 320 60

500 > 560 280 400 75

If a job is beyond the specification limits set out in this document then special advice and approval must be sought from the Veco’s Application Engineering team. All the above parameters are subject to the following:

• Component size; • Material type & grade; • Distribution of features; • Component quantity.

6 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 7 chemical etching vs. micro stamping

Stamping, also known as pressing, is a manufacturing process that place flat into a , where a tool and surface forms the metal into the desired shape. The trend of miniaturisation has driven the industry to the micro level, which is referred to as Micro Stamping.

Cost Efficiency Design Flexibility Unlike Chemical Etching which features no Chemical Etching allows for more design tooling cost, Stamping always requires flexibility due to the fact that it requires no substantial investment in tooling and tooling investment and that it has a very short installation: both monetary-wise and time- lead time, while with Stamping modifying a wise. One stamping die can easily cost design means making a completely new die thousands of dollars, not to mention the extra and investing on tooling and setting up all over costs for setting up and maintenance costs again. This also means that Chemical Etching chemical etching in micro over time. is perfect for small amount prototyping as well as industrial production. Lead Time manufacturing With Stamping, the lead time can be 6-8 Quality/Accuracy weeks only for preparing the tooling. Even Chemical Etching is a high precision micro- after the stamping tool is completed, extra manufacturing technology. With etching, a time (and costs) will incur for setting up the higher level of accuracy and precision can be tooling in the stamping press. With Chemical achieved. Moreover, etched parts are Etching, lead time is a matter of days. completely burr- and stress-free while Compared to those who still stamp their stamped parts feature partial burrs and stress precision metal components, you can receive at cutting edge. Although minor burr or stress your ultra-precision etched parts even before can be acceptable for some applications, their stamping tool is ready! it might be a stumbling block for your next breakthrough.

Compared to Stamping, or Micro Stamping, Chemical Etching is clearly the more effective process no matter for prototyping or industrial production with shorter lead time, lower costs, better quality, and more design flexibility.

9 chemical etching vs. laser cutting chemical etching vs. electro discharge machining Laser Cutting is another subtractive manufacturing process. It works by directing the output of a high-power laser most commonly through optics to cut materials in order to achieve the desired products. Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), also known as spark machining, burning, die , wire burning, or wire erosion, is a manufacturing process whereby a desired shape is obtained by removing materials with Cost Efficiency Design Complexity electrical discharges (sparks). When it’s a small volume production or Chemical Etching and Laser Cutting are both prototyping, Laser Cutting can be more cost- flexible regarding design. When the design is effective than Chemical Etching. When it’s very complex, however, Laser Cutting might Cost Efficiency Design Complexity industrial mass production, however, Laser take much longer time since it can only deal When production volume is small or it is EDM is limited to electrically conductive Cutting loses its advantage in costs. with one part/feature after another while only for prototyping, there’s no significant and alloys since the process is Chemical Etching works on the complete difference regarding cost-effectiveness dependent on electrical current. Chemical Lead Time design simultaneously and can harvest a large between Chemical Etching and EDM; when Etching, on the other hand, can work with With Laser Cutting you can’t produce multiple amount of product in one run. it is industrial scale production, however, almost all metals. This allows for more design parts simultaneously, while with Chemical Chemical Etching is far more cost effective. flexibility regarding material choices. Etching you can. Compared to Laser Cutting, Quality/Accuracy which can only deal with one component Chemical Etching is a high precision process Lead Time Quality/Accuracy after another, Chemical Etching is a process that does not change the properties of metals Lead time of Chemical Etching and that of Compared to Chemical Etching which has no that harvests a large amount of products in such as hardness, grain structure, or EDM are at a similar level. For large volume effect on material properties, EDM can cause every run. When production volume is very ductility. With Chemical Etching, you can production, Chemical Etching may have some heat distortion because of its use of high- low and the complexity of the part is low, harvest ultra-precision thin metal parts, burr advantage over EDM in lead time. temperature electrical current. Besides, micro Laser Cutting has an advantage in speed and stress free. Laser Cutting, on the other burring, tempering, and structural changes over Chemical Etching. However, when it is hand, is a thermal process which results in may also occur. industrial production, lead time of Chemical thermal stress, as well as micro burrs. Etching is most likely shorter. Compared to EDM, Chemical Etching is obviously more advantageous than EDM with less cost, shorter lead time, more design flexibility, more material choices, and better component quality. Compared to Laser Cutting, Chemical Etching is the more optimal choice when it is large volume production of precision thin metal parts, especially when the design is complex and quality/accuracy demand is high.

10 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 11 chemical etching vs. cnc machining chemical etching vs. water jetting

Computer (CNC) Machining refers to computer Water Jetting is an industrial manufacturing process that use high controlled manufacturing process such as milling, grinding, and . pressure jet of water focused into a beam by a nozzle to cut a wide variety of materials. It can cut various materials including hard materials such as metal or granite or softer materials such as wood or rubber.

Cost Efficiency Design Complexity With CNC machining, it is unavoidable to The need of different/extra tooling for Cost Efficiency Design Flexibility invest in extra tools for different parts. This is different parts makes CNC Machining not Compared to Water Jetting which normally Both Chemical Etching and Water Jetting especially expensive if the production volume so in favor of design flexibility. Any potential involves high operation costs, Chemical can work with wide range of materials. When is not large enough to spread the costs. Even change in the design will mean extra Etching requires no tooling or setting-up costs. it comes to design change/update, both can when production volume is very large and investment and tooling adjustment. Chemical This makes it a more cost-effective solution quickly adjust to new design without much tooling costs are spread over, it might still Etching, however, can adjust to new design for both small volume prototype and large extra cost and setting up. be more expensive than Chemical Etching, easily without extra costs. volume industrial production. as there’s also more maintaining costs with Quality/Accuracy regard to tooling. With chemical etching, on Quality/Accuracy Lead Time Chemical Etching is at a higher level of the contrary, you can produce thousands of Chemical Etching is a high precision micro Similar to Laser Cutting, Water Jetting has to precision than Water Jetting. Waterjet parts without additional investment in tooling manufacturing technology. With Chemical process every feature individually, one after machine generates no distortion but may and maintenance. Etching, a higher level of accuracy and another. This makes it a slower operation have hazing near the cut. Chemical Etching precision can be achieved. Moreover, etched process than etching, with which all features generates no distortion at all, and can achieve Lead Time parts are completely burr- and stress-free are etched simultaneously. Thus no matter for excellent sharp edges burr- and stress-free. CNC Machining requires substantial while CNC machined parts most likely need prototype or industrial production, etching investment in tooling, which is not only to be deburred, which brings extra costs and has shorter lead time than Water Jetting. expensive but also time consuming. Chemical time. Etching, on the other hand, doesn’t require As material thickness increases, Water Jetting tends to become the preferred cutting method as it offers investment in tooling, which makes it more better tolerances on parts thicker than 12mm. For large volume production of thin sheet metal, especially cost effective as well as faster. Moreover, the when there’s a high demand for precision, Chemical Etching will be more preferable. Chemical Etching process itself is an efficient process with very short lead time.

Compared to CNC Machining, Chemical Etching is at a higher precision level with less cost, shorter lead time, more design flexibility, and no need for deburring. It is an optimal choice for precision metal part manufacturing, regardless of prototyping or industrial production.

12 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 13 medical when demand for precision is critical

There is no other industry than With constant development of medical science, the Medical that has a higher medical and healthcare industry sees tremendous growth opportunities as well as more challenges. The demand for precision and quality. demand for precision and quality is getting even more Precision components in medical critical. Traditional manufacturing processes such applications typically require a as stamping, EDM, Water Jetting, and CNC Milling combination of extremely small can no longer meet the demanding requirements the industry faces nowadays. size, excellent corrosion resistance, precision tolerances, mechanical strength properties, as well as material biocompatibility.

What Chemical Etching can bring to the Medical Industry

Chemical Etching turns out to be the perfect technology that enables continuous innovative development in medical and healthcare industry. With Chemical Etching, ultra-precise, complex, stress-free, and burr-free miniature components of bio-compatible materials can be produced in a matter of days.

Veco has been working together with leading companies in the medical industry, delivering high quality and high precision metal parts that enabled various innovative breakthroughs. Applications of our products include microneedle, hearing aid, medical saw, medical blade, vascular stiffener, contact, grid, mesh and all kinds of electrical parts in medical devices. Combined with our other technology Electroforming, there are even more applications in the industry that we cover.

Solutions and related products

• Precision metal sieves; • Blades; • Electrical parts in various medical devices; • Meshes; • Vascular stiffeners; • Co-development service for next-gen • Grids; • Micro needles; innovation development and prototyping. • Medical saws;

14 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 15 automotive when smaller is better: increasing miniaturisation in the automotive industry

The global auto market has The trend of miniaturisation has brought various been in fierce competition to challenges to the auto industry, higher precision, tighter tolerances, and shorter product development cycles capture the growing market. For has made designers and engineers’ life difficult. What if auto manufacturers as well as you can take advantage of the trend rather than being OEM manufacturers, it is of vital dragged to go ahead with it (and suffer from it)? importance to improve quality and performance to stay competitive in the market. What is even more important is to invest in the future: to innovate.

What Chemical Etching can bring to the Automotive Industry

While miniaturisation has brought various challenges to the industry, it also provided the industry with unforeseen opportunities. It has been a driving force for performance improvement as well as various industry breakthroughs. It enables smaller, lighter, and smarter components and empowers next-generation techs such as connected vehicles, automated driving, new energy autos, etc., maintaining the quality and high precision of the parts.

Veco has a long history working with world leaders in the automotive industry with experience in high-end metal interior components, quality decorative components, as well as precision metal solutions that empower hydrogen cars, auto radar systems, and next-gen engines.

Solutions and related products

• Top quality decorative meshes/plates such as speaker grilles, tread plates, and brand logos; • Miniaturized components such as lead frames, spring connectors, airbag components, clutch components, gaskets, shims, washers, and spacers; • High precision meshes/filters; • Co-development with next gen solutions such as fuel cells, sensor components, and testing solutions for radar parts.

16 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 17 electronics / semiconductor under Moore’s Law: endless pursuit of faster, better, and smaller solutions

The biggest challenges sometimes lie in the tiniest parts. In the Electronics and Semiconductor industry, engineers suffer from the pressure to make electronics smaller and smaller; the end of Moore’s Law seems to be near. As the industry’s demand for faster, smaller, and better solutions grows, traditional manufacturing processes such as Stamping, EDM, Water Jetting, and CNC Milling can no longer meet the demanding requirements the industry faces nowadays.

What Chemical Etching Means for the Electronics and Semiconductor Industry

Chemical Etching turns out to be the solution that can enable further development in Electronics and Semiconductor industry. With Chemical Etching, ultra-precise, complex, stress-free, and burr-free miniature components can be easily produced from ideas to reality in a matter of days.

As the industry leader in precision with Chemical Etching, we offer co-development services: Our R&D Department is geared to solving the most challenging projects to enable your next innovative breakthrough. We have been working with industry leaders in Electronics and Semiconductor industry and typical applications include SMT Stencils, Lead Frames, EMI/RFI Shielding, Shadow Masks/Deposition Masks, and various precision components in electronics.

Solutions and related products

• SMT Stencils; • Lead Frames; • EMI/RFI Shielding such as: Standard Cans, • Hybrid Stencils; • Hybrid Lead Frames; Custom Enclosures, Labyrinth Cans, Tec-Pack • Rework Stencils; • Lids; Cans; • Stencil related accessories, • Steppd Hybrid Lids; • Washers, Shims, Spacers. such as: Placement Footprints • Testing Contactors; & Squeegee Blades; • Contact Parts

18 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 19 additional services

With our own on-site world class facility, we can provide a full plating and metal finishing service to any component we produce.

Metal finishing and

For many hi-tech and hi-spec applications, Metal Finishing is essential for corrosion and wear resistance, or specific functional reasons. Proper Metal finishing not only helps to increase product lifetime but also allows for more flexibility regarding choice of base materials and improves product functional performance. Veco is a recognized leader for Electroplating processes with a wide range of material capabilities including gold, silver, chromium, phosphorous nickel, black nickel/chrome, ruthenium and plating. Besides Electroplating, we also offer other in-house finishing services such as passivation, insulation, laser , etc.

Forming and Assembly

With forming, assembly and plating capabilities, the post-production engineering services can shorten the total component production process drastically. Working collaboratively with our customers allows us to provide cost-effective solutions to complex engineering requirements. Current examples of our services include the requirement to provide a micro-precision domed nebulizer plate in large quantities at a competitive price in a demanding environment.

20 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 21 co-development process

Creating innovations that help your company become the Our specialised application engineering and R&D teams help you to frontrunner in its industry — that’s what you do as an engineer. But create your next-generation product. We work with you to co-develop setting the industry standard is challenging, especially when limited the best possible solutions for your critical components so you can tech possibilities compromise your freedom of design, and you don’t design, prototype, and then scale up to industrial production. have a sparring partner.

Envisioning solutions Industrial scale What if you had a partner to co-develop the best possible solutions for your critical components with? with our engineering production A partner that’s with you from the very start, so that you can design, prototype, and go to industrial scale team production together. Don’t ever feel limited or on your own again.

Work with our specialized Application Engineering and R&D teams to create your next-generation product.

Critical micro- Creation of prototypes precision challenge

1 - Critical micro-precision challenge To create a next-generation product, you require micro-precision components. In the first phase of the co- development process, we look at your project parameters and demands together so that we can design the best possible solution in phase 2.

2 - Envision solutions with our engineering team How can we co-develop your next innovation as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible, while ensuring a consistent quality of your product? Together, we draw up the path to product development We select the most suitable manufacturing technique, define which key features to measure to ensure further optimisation during iterations, and determine the parameters for final quality inspection.

3 - Creation of prototypes As the world leader in micro-precision parts, we are the first in the industry to use Laser Direct Imaging technology. It not only shortens lead time and cuts cost, but also allows for more design flexibility, which will be highly beneficial for sampling.

4 - Industrial scale production After the sample is created, tested and inspected, it’s time to move to industrial scale production. And we can move to industrial scale production fast because the majority of the production parameters are already in place from when we created your sample. Our philosophy is to use as much of the pre-existing production processes for the series production of your parts — something you’ll notice in terms of delivery times and quality.

22 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 23 about Muon group meet the Muon family world leader in micro-precision

As micro-precision components are becoming the key factor for The Muon Group consists of Centres of Excellence in the fields of companies when developing their competitive edge, Muon believes Electroforming, Chemical Etching and Laser Material Processing. that offering successful small-scale answers to complex questions requires acting on a bigger, professional and global scale.

Working together enables the Muon Group of companies to push boundaries and create game and life-changing innovations. The wider joint network, greater investment power, and accumulated confidence in the potential of micro-precision empowers them to co-create smarter and more imaginative micro-scale components that are mission critical to industrial evolution and product performance.

Veco B.V. Tecan Ltd. Located in Eerbeek, the Netherlands, Veco Located in Dorset in the UK, Tecan is a leading is a world-leading manufacturer of micro- manufacturer of customised micro-precision precision parts. With Electroforming as its parts. Using Photo Chemical Etching, Tecan main technology, Veco serves the world’s most quickly attracted a wide range of work from innovative high-tech companies in industries that companies that recognise the advantages of demand high quality and precision. etching over more conventional manufacturing methods.

Reith Laser B.V. Atul Sugar Screens Pvt. Ltd. Located in Wijchen, the Netherlands, Located in Pune, India, Atul is a sales office whose Muon B.V. Countries of activity Reith Laser is a specialist in Laser Material main function is to provide technical and sales Karel van Gelreweg 22 The Netherlands Processing for the high-tech industry. support to Veco’s sugar customers 6961 LB Eerbeek United Kingdom Reith Laser serves the industry with world- in India and neighbouring countries. the Netherlands India class laser micro machining capabilities. T +31 313 672911 www.muongroup.com [email protected]

24 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 25 contact information

Whatever your needs, we are here to help. If you have any questions about our products or services, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Tecan Ltd., located in Dorset in the UK, is a leading manufacturer of customised micro-precision parts. Using Photo Chemical Etching, Tecan quickly attracted a wide range of work from companies that recognise the advantages of etching over more conventional manufacturing methods.

Tecan Ltd. get in touch with us Tecan Way DT4 9TU Dorset United Kingdom +44 1305 7654 32

www.tecan.co.uk

27 how tecan helps the mass flow industry pushing boundaries to enable next generation world-leading products

Tecan has partnered with industry leaders in the thermal mass flow meters and controllers segments for more than 35 years. Specialising in co-development of key components which push boundaries to deliver next generation, world leading products. Components supplied are used in critical areas of flow instrumentation, and solutions include products utilised in food & beverage, laboratory, machinery, industrial and hazardous applications.

Thermal mass flow meters measure the mass flow of Tecan works closely with our customers to fully gases, employing a combination of heated elements understand the requirement from the beginning appendices and temperature sensors, with thermodynamic and throughout the development process. Checks principles used to derive actual flow. In the thermal are conducted to measure gas flow levels through mass flow meter, there is a critical component called LFE components and “flow units” measure the flow Laminar Flow Element. It is used to create a shunt. throughout manufacture so chemical etch rates are In the case of a thermal mass flow meter based on controlled. Etched flow parts feature the following a bypass principle, the mass flow is measured in a advantages over those made using alternative metal bypass of the main flow channel. Due to the specific fabrication solutions: dimensions of the LFE the same linear pressure/ flow characteristics as the capillary sensor Our team of experienced engineers work typically tube can be created. under terms of non-disclosure with technical specifiers and researchers to develop parts measured in The award-winning thermal mass flow meter which the micro scale. Using a range of fully scalable we have developed with our customers incorporates manufacturing technologies, Tecan can rapidly a high precision laminar flow element solution with produce prototype micro-parts, whilst also offering an integrated turbulence filter for mounting inside a a costeffective solution to production volume fluid flow channel. This element is constructed with requirements. piled-up plates with inflow and outflow openings which incorporate grooves • Burr-free, stress-free, ultra-smooth surface; and channels. • Superior cleanliness; • Endurance; For accurate and repeatable gas mass flow • Ultra-precision; measurement and control, precision is of essential • Performance you can count on; importance here: The flow resistance of the laminar • Scratch/pit free parts – preventing extra flow; flow element is dependent on the plates assembled. • Precise, reliable flow rates. The plates need to meet exact specifications so that when they are placed onto each other the grooves are dimensioned to form optimal channels, through which the flow is laminar.

29 additional services cutting, , engraving, micro machining and electroforming

As part of the Muon Group, Tecan can offer expert complementary services from its sister companies, Reith Laser and Veco.

Laser Welding Laser Welding joins multiple pieces of components quickly, accurately, and repeatably. The Laser Welding process operates in different modes which depend on power density of the focused laser spot.

Laser Cutting Laser Cutting has numerous advantages over traditional Mechanical Cutting or . Moreover, there’s more materials that can be cut with laser than that with other technologies.

Laser Engraving A wide range of materials can be engraved, including metals (coated metals included), plastics, stones, glasses, and many natural materials.

Micromachining Laser Micromachining uses ultra short pulse laser ablation with pico and femto second lasers, capable of machining almost any material. Through ablation, the heat-affected zone is less than with other laser applications and we can ablate layers off a few microns, depending on the material.

Electroforming Electroforming allows you to “grow” metal parts atom by atom, providing absolute accuracy and high aspect ratios. An electrolytic bath is used in this process to deposit metal (nickel, gold, copper) onto a conductive patterned surface -steel or glass.

1 - Electroforming Overgrowth (Plating 2 - Electroforming Thick Resist (Photo Defined) Defined)

A thin photoresist pattern shields parts of the IIn some cases, the requirement is to make the conductive substrate. A light sensitive coating product thicker. This is when the thick resist method is applied on the conductive surface, and it will is applied. A thick pattern of photoresist is used polymerise where it is exposed to UV light. Metal during photo defined growth, such that the thickness grows over the photoresist and the thickness of the of the product (T) does not exceed the thickness of product (T) exceeds the thickness of the photoresist the photoresist (TR). Aspect ratios (TR/ WR) up to 1 (TR. The process is mainly used to make sheets with can generally be achieved with ease. small conical orifices for filtration and jetting.

30 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper 31 www.tecan.co.uk

32 Tecan chemical etching whitepaper

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