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Photochemical Machining: Rapid Manufacturing Process

From Davidon Industries, Inc.

Photochemical machining (PCM) is one of the least well-known non-conventional machining processes. It employs chemical etching through a photoresist stencil as the method of material removal over selected areas. The technique is relatively modern and became established as a manufacturing process about fifty years ago. The processing technology has been kept a closely-guarded secret within a small number of industrial companies but despite this, the sales of parts made by PCM at the end of the twentieth century was approximately US$ 6 billion. This paper examines the state of the art of PCM, the PCM Roadmap and the newly-developed products made by PCM especially relevant to Microengineering, Microfluidics and Microsystems Technology, economic aspects and current challenges requiring research within the PCM industry.

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Products & Services
Photolithography Services
Photolithography services create photomasks and use them to etch or engrave patterns on semiconductor substrates.
Stencil Machines
Stencil machines cut or print fonts and symbols on materials and substrates. They are used to create stencils for marking applications, or to print stencils for SMT applications.
Production Machining
Production machining services providers have the capability to output large production runs using a variety of machining services.
Etchers and Etching Machines
Etchers and etching machines remove material from the surface of a part using an acid or alkaline chemical solution. Etchers and etching machines, also known as chemical milling machines, use masking substances to protect some surface areas of the part, providing selective material removal or patterning.
Product Announcements
ChemArt Company - Photo Chemical Machining (PCM)
Chemart has always been a major contributor to the Photo Chemical Machining (PCM) industry since its creation in 1976. Its founder, Dick Beaupre, was the originator of aqueous dry film photoresist... (read more)
ChemArt Company - Electronics
ChemArt Company is an ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturer of standard and custom etched metal parts and components. Products are fabricated from flat metal sheets in thicknesses ranging from 0.0005... (read more)
ChemArt Company - Quality Standards
ChemArt received its International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 certification in December 1995 and recertified to ISO 9001:2000 in 2001. The most recent renewal of that certification... (read more)
ChemArt Company - Chem Milling
Chemical milling is used to reduce the weight or dimensions of a 3-D part that was formed by a previous process. It is also used to alter the finish or eliminate scratches from the metal surface. (read more)
ChemArt Company - Prototype Fabrication
Established in 1976, ChemArt specializes in the manufacture of precision etched parts for electronic and industrial application that demand exacting tolerance requirements. (read more)
 
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