Chemical Etching Formula
Al2014
with FeCl₃+HCl
Formula Summary
The table below summarizes every parameter that defines this etching formula. Values listed as ranges scale with sheet thickness across the supported band.
Why FeCl₃+HCl for Al2014?
On Al2014, the ferric chloride system attacks the alloy's oxide layer continuously while ferric ions drive dissolution. It is regenerable, compatible with standard photolithography, and produces clean burr-free edges — which is why nearly every Al2014 etch line runs a variant of this formula.
Process Window & Bath Control
The process window for this FeCl₃+HCl formula centres on 43°C and 34 °Bé. Conveyor speed spans 0.12-1.08 m/min over the 0.1-0.5 mm thickness band; the typical operating point is 0.32 m/min. Every 5°C drop in bath temperature requires roughly a 30% reduction in conveyor speed to hold the same etch depth, so temperature stability is the single biggest lever on consistency.
Design Rules & Tolerances
When laying out artwork for Al2014 at through etch (double-sided), plan for a minimum hole diameter in the 120-600 μm range and a minimum line width in the 100-500 μm range, depending on the chosen sheet thickness within 0.1-0.5 mm. The etch factor of ~2.48 and undercut range of 20-101 μm determine how much the mask must be biased to land the finished dimension on target.
• Minimum hole diameter range: 120-600 μm
• Minimum line width range: 100-500 μm
• Single-side undercut range: 20-101 μm
• Typical etch factor (EF): 2.48
Yield & Production Economics
This formula delivers a typical yield of 97.2% (range 96.5-97.5%). At that rate, per-part economics are driven mostly by fixed photomask and setup cost for small batches and by sheet utilisation for large runs. The chemistry itself does not change with quantity, so the same recipe serves prototype and production volumes.
Typical Applications
Parts produced with the FeCl₃+HCl formula on Al2014 are common in lightweight RF shields, heat-spreader masks, nameplates, decorative trim, and lightweight structural lattices. The burr-free, stress-free nature of chemical etching makes it the preferred process wherever flatness and edge quality matter more than raw throughput.
Process Equipment & Material Reference
On the shop floor, this Al2014 + FeCl₃+HCl recipe is implemented on a wet chemical etching machine. The 43°C bath setpoint and 0.12-1.08 m/min conveyor range correspond to verified production envelopes on that equipment for through etch (double-sided).
The Aluminum chemical etching guide reference goes one level above the recipe shown here, surveying the full thickness range, depth options, and common subgrades we run for aluminum.
Production Use Cases for This Formula
Production examples for the Al2014 / FeCl₃+HCl recipe span stainless steel mesh for aroma diffusers, soy-milk-maker filtration mesh, and stainless steel shower-head filter mesh. In every case, the etch factor and undercut figures on this page are the dominant tolerance drivers — bath maintenance discipline matters more than equipment headline rating.
If your part falls into one of these classes — or a closely adjacent one — this formula is usually the right starting point. We confirm fit with a short sample run on the actual sheet stock before locking in mask artwork.
More Aluminum Alloys Formulas
Other formulas in the same material family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
- ASTM E407: Standard Practice for Microetching Metals and Alloys
- ASTM B912: Standard Specification for Passivation of Stainless Steels
- Photo Chemical Machining Institute — process capability guidelines
- NIST Engineering Statistics Handbook — process tolerance and capability
Standards are referenced for context. Always confirm parameters against the current published edition and your own process validation.
Need a Quote for This Process?
WET Etched runs production wet chemical etching lines using the FeCl₃+HCl chemistry. Send us your part drawing and quantity for a full process quote.