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Q&As since 1989
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Want to get into photo chemical etching of stainless steel
Q. Dear sir,
I want to start photo chemical etching on stainless steel.so I want to know the process of PCE, can You please suggest any websites, books or consultant in India who can help me setting up the PCE plant.Am completely unware of the details of this process like what is the photoresist chemical used in it and how to coat it ,expose it, etc. Which other metals other than s.s. can be worked PCE.Right now we screen print s.s sheet and than do chemical etching but that process has limitaions as you may be aware of.
Thank you
director - Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
2007
A. Manish
You will find the photochemical etching to be very flexible process. It is used to produce parts ranging in size from microcircuits to large aerospace components. Your base material can be most metals. Stainless steel, high carbon steel, aluminium, brass and many others. SS is very easy to etch using ferric chloride [on
eBay or
Amazon]. Production costs are very competitive, particularly for small production runs.
Your minimum requirements are; a chemical cleaning line, a dark room, resist coating equipment, a drying oven, ultra violet exposure unit, resist developer, spray etcher and resist stripper. You will also have to consider either making or buying in the photographic masters.
It is not practical to consider making photoresist so your first problem is to find suppliers in your country. Try Dow Corning, Xerox or DuPont. Shipley may have a local agent but I believe that Kodak are no longer in this market. The material supplier will be able to provide considerable advice on the equipment and methods.
That is about all that I can practically get into a website answer but please come back if you have specific problems.
Good luck
Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England
2007
Q. Sir, I have a company established in 1982 which deals in all metal photo-chemical etching, for all kinds of plastic injection molds/dies. though we have been doing good in this field and are listed among the best Etching companies in Delhi (India), I would like to look out for new and advanced technologies used in this field. We have been using the traditional method for all processes for Etching (Mold cleaning, Resist Coating, Exposing etc.) and all are manual. To maintain the pace with time and technology I am keen to introduce some new Techniques and methodology in my business. Kindly suggest me any institutes or companies where I can visit personally and learn new methods of Etching.
Sandeep Sharma- New Delhi, Delhi, India
January 28, 2013
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