The chemical etching process for industrial stainless steel involves a series of precise and controlled steps to ensure clean results and consistent quality:
1️⃣ Cleaning — The stainless steel surface is thoroughly cleaned to remove oils, dust, and oxidation. This ensures proper adhesion of the photoresist layer and prevents defects in the etched patterns.
2️⃣ Photoresist Coating — A layer of photoresist is evenly applied to the cleaned metal surface. This protective coating defines the areas to be etched and shields the remaining surface from chemical attack.
3️⃣ UV Exposure & Developing — The coated metal is exposed to UV light through a patterned mask, transferring the desired design onto the photoresist. After exposure, a developing process reveals the pattern by removing the unexposed or exposed areas (depending on the resist type).
4️⃣ Etching (Chemical Etching) — The exposed areas of stainless steel are selectively dissolved using a chemical etchant, typically a ferric chloride solution. This forms precise holes, grooves, or patterns without affecting the masked sections.
5️⃣ Photoresist Stripping — Once etching is complete, the remaining photoresist is removed, leaving behind a clean, sharply defined etched metal surface ready for further processing or direct application.