Because the chemical composition of stainless steel is resistant to corrosion, the acid used in the etching process will not affect the metal's properties. Laser annealing chemically modifies the steel located under the chromium oxide layer. All one has to do is figure-out how to remove the surface coat of the stainless steel, be it with concentrated acid, or sand it off. Get a free copy of our ebook, 3 Ways Chemical Etching Improves Your Metal Parts. The process involves the use of a high-heat laser to modify the surface of the substrate. once this is done, ferric chloride can do the rest of the etching job. The smooth clean surface is an important feature for automotive speaker grills, interior inlays, and medical instruments that must be sanitized without the threat of material breakdown. Martensitic - (400 series) This type of stainless has a higher carbon content than the 300 series, and it is added to increase strength. Machine parts, cutlery, and kitchen appliances are just some of the evident examples. Place the heat transfer paper face down on the steel, and iron it for two to three minutes. Once the photoresist is exposed to UV light and a positive image of the product is produced, the masked sheet is exposed to an etching solution. Be Mindful of Biological Traps created by Laser Engraving on Stainless Steel. The two most common types used in chemical etching stainless steel are Austenitic and Martensitic. Choose the wrong material, and your application is subject to an unpredictable, potentially short life. try and will give you best result. Do not apply in a long, steady stream as this generally leads to sagging in the final finish. Of these techniques for etching stainless steel, chemical etching offers greater capability for manufacturing and stands out as the optimal choice. With the chemical etching process, the metal is etched evenly without any structural deformations from the hard tooling used in stamping and punching. Stainless steel mugs and tumblers are increasing in popularity, and there’s a reason. Austenitic or 300 series stainless steels typically have higher chrome as well as a significant amount of nickel (e.g. We work with many types of stainless steel and are not limited to the above two grades. Mordant is the French word for “bitting.” and refers to the actual liquids used to etch the metal when applied to the surface. Each has different properties depending on the type and amount of additional metal elements added. This technology is laser annealing. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! The best way to get a feel for how broad a range laser marking stainless has is to look at some specific applications. It is comprised of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. We etch up to 0.025” thick sheets that range up to 22x12 inches. Austenitic -  (300 series) This series is the most common and makes up about 70% of commercially produced stainless steel. What differentiates stainless steel from other types of steel? It marks any Flat or Round Metal Surface down to 1/16" Diameter and any Metal … Photo etching is the only process that can guarantee the absence of burrs in the finished part. The industries listed below choose stainless for these unmatched qualities. Medical devices are … 200g ferric chloride (FeCl3) + 300mL nitric acid (HNO3) + 100mL water (H20) This precise, repeatable and scalable technique gives us the means to create the tight-tolerance metal parts—as thin as .001 in.—that our customers’ applications require. Stainless steel etched components are very easy to manufacture with the chemical etching process. How to Laser Engrave a Stainless Steel Tumbler Mug. Stainless steel is popular in many types of industrial components for a variety of reasons. This oxidized layer is what protects them from rust and corrosion. Here are the benefits of metal etching stainless steel compared to other types of metal fabrication processes: Stainless steel is a very versatile metal because of its strength, formability, corrosion-resistance, and smooth tarnish-free surface. Stainless steel etching is a highly accurate process that produces parts with a high level of complexity with no mechanical stress placed on the material. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(2850429, '1753a1d8-3a89-4c82-9735-bae018e67f20', {}); An update regarding Switzer’s production status at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. In electrolytic etching, a metal piece is connected to a positive and negative pole of a direct electric current source. The metal alloy must have at least 10.5% chromium. Excellent resistance to high temperatures. The first step in chemical etching is to laminate a sheet of metal, or the substrate, with a layer of light-sensitive resist. Stainless steel is widely used in the modern industry due to its anti-corrosion properties and attractive appearance. Carefully peel the transfer paper backing from the steel, leaving the design on the metal. To apply the acid and the current, you’ll construct an etching tool from a Q-tip. In addition to being low-maintenance, 100% recyclable and aesthetically appealing, stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and ductile. In the picture you can see the different things I tried to engrave stainless … The process involves the use of a … Want to learn more about the benefits chemical etching can bring to your project? The part surface remains smooth while part features are etched with high precision and low tolerances. File away any burrs on the side of the steel you plan to etch with acid. The well you can cut out the pattern, the well it will be etched. See our Privacy Policy. Electrochemical marking and etching are especially effective on stainless steel surfaces. Laser marking stainless steel has the ability to produce a wide range of looks and is used in many applications across diverse industries. In just a matter of days, you can produce rapid prototypes at a cost-effective rate and easily scale to production once your design is locked in. Choose the type of steel you want to etch. The popularity of stainless steel makes it a desirable metal for use in fabrication because it easy to manufacture and has favorable properties for many industrial products. 304 is the most common type. Chromium when exposed to oxygen creates a surface oxide that makes it stronger and corrosion-resistant. Since I happened to have a couple of stainless steel cups lying around an idea was born to combine these three. Other complex electrochemical effects can take place based on the level of voltage used, as well as the concentration of the electrolyte. Acid etching was first used in the middle-ages by gol… Elcon has a special etching process that can create very sharp cutting surfaces from stainless steel. Since there isn't a heat point of contact like laser cutting, the parts' metal properties remain unchanged and free from thermal deformations. However, this type of etching can only be done on metal. Like laser etching and electrolytic etching, chemical etching can also produce controlled-depth marking. Put on rubber gloves and goggles. 801 Gerber St. Ligonier, IN Cage Code 1LJ13. By the way, I called this “salt water etching in stainless steel” because that’s what I’ve been doing it on. Dilution. Whether used to supplement the chemical etching process or as standalone operations, stamping, punching, forming and part assembly all fall under our umbrella of metal fabrication services. You can etch stainless steel, mild steel, or high-carbon steel. Please contact us to learn more about our full stainless steel etching capabilities. The photo etching process is a flexible option for precision etched stainless steel components because it can etch different tempers and hardness. When it comes to speed, you can't find another process that is quicker for producing a large volume of parts. © 2021 Advanced Metal Etching. The photoresist is removed from the finished part, or sheet of parts. What Are the Applications of Stainless Steel Etching? Tape your positive end to the battery and the cup. Typically, though, the goal is to create a legible or aesthetic mark on a product. Prepare the metal surface. 304 stainless steel - 18% chrome, 8% nickel) which makes them harder to etch. The process we refer to as acid etching is a well-known, ancient and reliable industrial process that uses various commonly available mordant acids and chemical compounds to impart a physical or an aesthetic improvement to the surface of stainless steel. Stainless steel etched components are very easy to manufacture with the chemical etching process. Stainless steel step lids and EMI/RFI shielding can be plated to enhance function in many electronic products. Likewise, parts such as shims and gaskets must withstand heat, force, and friction for safety standards. Choose the type of steel you want to etch. Peter CYO - Malaysia It works very well with 300 series and other stainless steel grades (see list of examples here), showing the weld nugget clearly for the penetration depth analysis. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on industry information. The cotton head of the Q-tip will hold the vinegar solution, and a wire running from a battery will transfer the current to the vinegar-soaked cotton. This method is not limited to kettles or volume markings. Below are some of the most common stainless steel parts that we etch. The engraving may be damaged or contain another person's initials, name or accomplishment. Meanwhile in chemical and food processing, plants rely on this material to resist corrosion. Austenitic or 300 series stainless steels typically have higher chrome as well as a significant amount of nickel (e.g. First we needed to decide what we wanted to etch onto the cups. Spray Painting a Stainless Steel Mug Using spray paint and spray glitter to make an ombre glitter tumbler. Engraving on metal can be very beautiful, but there are many reasons that you may want to remove it. Dip the q-tip in vinegar mix and start etching! Apply in intermittent, short spurts. Which type of steel you etch will determine the best acid or chemical to use to etch it with. Use just spray paint to make a custom tumbler for anyone. Remove any burrs on the edges of the steel. Pour water into a large, flat glass tub … Electrolytic etching has the same goal as laser etching: to create an aesthetic mark on an object. All Rights Reserved. For many projects, stainless steel is the correct answer. Parts are etched simultaneously and there is no additional cost for the number of slots, holes, sharp edges, or other apertures. Etching stainless steels can be somewhat difficult due to the anti-corrosive nature of stainless steel. Etching stainless steels can be somewhat difficult due to the anti-corrosive nature of stainless steel. Consider this to be the beginner of all beginner’s guide on how to do salt water etching on metal. The literature for etchants is extensive, and we recommend that you try a variety of etchants in order to establish an individual stock of solutions that are suited to the particular materials regularly prepared in your … because I have a signage company it is very useful. Using an Electro- Chemical principle, the New ETCH-O-MATIC can Etch as Deep as .003" of an Inch in Less than 30 Seconds or Mark the Hardest Tool Steel and Carbides almost Instantly. Carefully attach the black one to the negative terminal and red one to the positive terminal. Mix up tablespoon of salt and about a 1/2 cup vinegar. Etching of stainless steels Etching stainless steels requires some experience and patience. To do so, the surface is heated until it melts temporarily. But typically, the main goal of chemical etching is to produce a part, with or without marking. Take an exacto knife and cut out the pattern you want to etch on the steel. When the current flows, ions penetrate through the material surface to selectively etch the intended areas. Moreover, cold rolling stainless steel further increases strength and gives it a smooth shiny surface. Stainless steel etching is the process of using corrosive chemicals to etch complex shapes from sheets of stainless steel metal. 304 stainless steel - 18% chrome, 8% nickel) which makes them harder to etch. There are several grades of stainless steel. Unmasked areas of the sheet are removed by the etchant, and the masked areas stay protected, creating a part. Though this was not really up for decision: Apart from several different aperture logos, one of our motifs was a cake (not a lie). I’ll go over what you need, what the steps are, and a few tips I came up with after a bit of practice. Laser etching, also called laser engraving or laser marking, is used to create a visible mark on the surface of many substrates, including metal, plastic, stone and glass. If you’re using ferric acid, dilute it with distilled water until you have pretty close to a 50/50 … These bad boys, manufactured by companies such as YETI, RTIC, and Silverback are said to be indestructible and can keep your tasty beverages colder and hotter longer than any other tumbler on the market. Method is not limited to kettles or volume markings nickel ( e.g no additional cost for the of. Of ±.0005 can be plated to enhance function in many applications steels with. As shims and gaskets must withstand heat, force, and your is. 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