Phosphor Bronze Chemical Etching

Copper photo etching is often used to offer high electrical and thermal conductivity to metal components.

Through our Photo Chemical Etching process, the smallest and most complex designs are made possible such as electrical spring contacts, contact membranes, busbars, antennae and micro antennae, spring fingered contacts, heating elements and battery terminal as well as many other bespoke components to your own designs. The Copper retains all of its properties, as well as remaining burr and stress-free following our etching processes. At Qualitetch, we can offer your bespoke designs in a wide range of copper and Beryllium copper non-ferrous metal specifications and hardnesses as required.

Due to the high conductivity of Copper, the metal is often used for electrical, automotive and transmission components. One of its primary uses is for wiring and harnesses, especially within the automotive industry where many electrical components are manufactured from copper using the photo etching process.

The metal is cleaned once your design has been finalised, and the metal sheet covered with UV sensitive photo-resist before printing your design. The metal is then taken through a chemical bath with ferric chloride, which acid etches the design from the metal sheet to produce your finished precision components.

Any trace of UV photo-resist remaining is stripped and removed once the etching process has been completed − and your chemically etched metal parts are taken to our QA technicians for final dimensional approval.

Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser to cut through the material, and is typically used for industrial manufacturing applications.

For some components, that may be unsuitable for photo etching, we are able to offer parts manufactured using CNC laser cutting techniques.

The precision may be better than some traditional methods, as the laser beam does not wear during the manufacturing process.

Always seeking to diversify into new markets, Qualitetch now offers a non-metallic presswork service and produces gaskets and other flat cut parts from materials such as Neoprene, Nebar or Klingersil to name a few.

Our extensive supplier base means that if we do not stock the material you require, we can source it quickly and at a competitive cost.

Parts are cut from the sheet using an impression knife tool on a fly press for a minimal charge and can be supplied plain or with an adhesive backing if required. Wherever possible, parts will be nested to maximise yield from the sheet and minimise cost to you.