Photo Etching Types

1. Photo Etching Types Materials can be fabricated through various means. Previously artists were required to come up with an imprinted image which will then be pressed on to a desired material. With advancement in technology, photo etching features two methods that are of importance. These are chemical photo etching and laser photo etching. What do these two processes involve? Chemical photo etching It is an old method as compared to its laser counterpart and just as its name suggests, the process makes use of chemicals to complete tasks. In chemical photochemical milling the chemical compounds are utilized to eat away the wanted regions of the material undergoing photo etching. This method is quite laborious and for that reason costs more. Application of this milling procedure has been reduced by the laser method but is still in use in the manufacturing of precision metal parts. Laser photo etching In this photochemical machining method, laser beams that are mainly CO2are used to complete the task. The beams are used to burn the desired pattern into the selected material. Materials that can be used with this type include but not limited to marble, acrylic, glass, wood, metal and granite. The advantage of laser photochemical machining is that it can be as precise and to detail as the photographic pattern since the beams can achieve deep, shallow and fine edges. Unlike traditional alternatives, the method is complete by itself and does not require any presses afterwards. Application of the laser type is seen in antiques, trophies, custom made items, jewelry, memorial plaques just to name a few.

2. Chemical vs laser photo etching which is better? Speed For any manufacturer, speed is a factor to consider when weighing options on which method to use. Factors that affect the speed of photo etching process are the type of material, thickness of material and the wattage power of the machine used. Of utmost concern is the thickness of material, which if thicker will be engraved faster by a laser photochemical milling as compared to chemical photo etching which takes longer. Material alteration The advantage of chemical photo etching over its laser counterpart is that it does not alter material that much. This is not the case with applying laser beams which is a thermal process that can cause material stress. Depending on how you want your final product to appear whether course or fine, you can make a decision based on this. Complexity With complex products there is a lot of work involved which will require the best type of photo etch. For laser photochemical milling each detail is done separately. This means that for a complex part, more time and resources will be required which may not be cost effective when it comes to mass production. For chemical photo etching, all details are worked on simultaneously which means it is more effective. This is the reason why it is majorly used for precision metal parts. Cost This is the most important factor when considering which option is better but it may be not as obvious as you expect. Why so? It is because as the user you must gauge some options depending on what you want produced. If it is a thick material in question then the laser beams are affordable but if it is a complex metal part then chemical photo etch is the way to go. Article Source: http://randyboo.com/photo-etching-types.htm Source : http://www.photofabrication.com/