Photochemical machining for aerospace applications
Service Detail from Conard Corporation (The)
Photochemical machining is used to produce metal components for many types of aerospace applications from airframe stiffeners and heat sinks to satellite batteries.
The ability to produce complex parts that are free of burrs and thermal or mechanical distortion in very thin gauges of metal is a key advantage of chemical etching. Precision etched components enable the creation of complex geometries at negligible incremental cost.
Many aerospace components are produced in aluminum to save weight. Photo-etching aluminum is challenging because it is a very reactive metal that readily oxidizes.