More about Chemcial Milling

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The chemical milling process utilizes chemicals rather than cutting tools to etch shapes in metal. Depending on the design of the part and desired volume of parts necessary, chemical milling can be an economical machining option, and it is regularly employed for a wide number of applications. Tooling for chemical milling is relatively simple, as it is generated using CAD software, with little to no need for replacement parts. Additionally, the process does not alter the structure of the remaining metal, which occurs in a variety of other physical machining processes. However, the process is only suitable for metals of relatively limited thicknesses, except in situations where only etching is required.

The process of chemical milling begins with a CAD file, which is sent to or produced by the fabrication service (according to customer specifications). Once received, the fabricator creates a graphic representation of the file, which will map the pattern on the top and bottom surface of the metal to be milled, and selects the type of metal to undergo the process. Before any other steps can be performed, the metal must be thoroughly prepared and cleaned for the application of photo-resist material. After the metal is cleaned, the photo-resist material is applied to both sides, then developed using UV light and chemicals. The remaining photo-resist material maps the areas that will be removed by the application of acid, which is then sprayed on the coated part. After the acid has been given sufficient time to work, the component is removed from the chemical milling area and the layer of photo-resist material is removed.

The process is extremely useful for creating parts like heat sinks, haptics and certain filters. It can also be used to produce a number of parts simultaneously, thus adding to its cost effectiveness. Additionally, a wide range of metals can be milled using chemical processes, including titanium, niobium and copper.