photochemical machining
Photo etching (photochemical machining, PCM) is a non-contact precision metal fabrication technology widely applied in the automotive industry. Modern automobiles, especially new energy vehicles, demand ultra-thin metal components with micro features, precise dimensions and burr-free edges. Photo etching perfectly meets these strict manufacturing requirements without introducing mechanical stress into thin metal substrates.
A broad selection of metals can be processed for automotive applications, including 304 / 316L stainless steel, nickel, copper, brass and titanium. These materials deliver corrosion resistance, good electrical conductivity and stable mechanical performance to withstand vibration, temperature fluctuation and fluid erosion inside vehicles.
Common photo etched automotive components cover oil filter meshes, fuel cell bipolar plates, sensor shims, EMI shielding sheets, spring contacts, flow restrictors and micro positioning parts. These precision parts are installed in fuel systems, cooling circuits, hydrogen fuel cell stacks, automotive sensors, on-board communication modules and hydraulic control units for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and electric vehicles.
Compared with stamping or laser cutting, photo etching has unique advantages for thin automotive metal parts. It creates complex micro holes and intricate profiles in one step, leaving clean, burr-free edges. No expensive hard tooling is required, so design iterations are fast by simply updating CAD drawings. This feature greatly accelerates automotive R&D prototyping, and the process can smoothly transfer to mass production after design validation.
We implement rigorous quality control for all photo etched automotive components. Key parameters including flatness, aperture tolerance, dimensional accuracy and surface integrity are fully inspected to comply with automotive industry standards. Our team provides custom photo etching service according to customer drawings, supporting customized thickness, patterns and post-treatment for automotive projects.
