Chemical Etching Formula
Al2017 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 Al2017?

On Al2017, 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 Al2017 etch line runs a variant of this formula.

Process Window & Bath Control

Bath control for Al2017 in FeCl₃+HCl: temperature 42°C, concentration 34 °Bé, specific gravity 1.290. The recipe is tuned for through etch (double-sided). Conveyor speed is the primary throughput control, ranging 0.12-1.08 m/min across the supported thickness range. Check specific gravity each shift with a calibrated hydrometer and correct with fresh make-up or water as needed.

Design Rules & Tolerances

Feature sizes scale with sheet thickness. For this formula the minimum hole diameter ranges 120-600 μm and the minimum line width ranges 100-500 μm across the 0.1-0.5 mm band, following the industry 1.2× (hole) and 1.0× (line) thickness rules. Single-side undercut ranges 20-100 μm, and the etch factor is about 2.49. Size your photomask by subtracting twice the expected undercut from each finished feature dimension.

Yield & Production Economics

Typical mass-production yield for Al2017 in the FeCl₃+HCl system is 97.2%, within an observed range of 96.5-97.5%. The dominant yield-loss modes are photoresist pinhole defects and rinse-water contamination. Improving incoming sheet quality and photoresist coating consistency gives the highest yield-improvement leverage for this formula.

Typical Applications

Typical applications for Al2017 processed with FeCl₃+HCl include lightweight RF shields, heat-spreader masks, nameplates, decorative trim, and lightweight structural lattices. The formula's tolerance band and yield make it well suited to medium-to-high-volume precision flat parts.

Process Equipment & Material Reference

Process equipment for the Al2017 / FeCl₃+HCl combination is built around our biomedical blade etching machine platform — closed-loop temperature control, redundant pump headers, and metering for bath replenishment all directly affect the etch factor and yield numbers cited on this page.

If you need a wider view of aluminum beyond this single recipe, our Aluminum chemical etching guide covers grade selection, photoresist compatibility, and typical industries that consume this metal in etched form.

Production Use Cases for This Formula

Across the markets we serve, the FeCl₃+HCl formula on this page is most often deployed for juicer filtration mesh etching, mobile-phone earpiece mesh, and stainless steel shower-head filter mesh. These applications share thin-feature geometries that benefit from the predictable etch factor near 2.49 and the low single-side undercut documented above.

Adjacent applications usually transfer onto this same formula with no chemistry change, sometimes only a conveyor speed tweak. Drop a drawing and a target volume and we will return a process card built off the parameters on this page.

Other Metals Etched with FeCl₃+HCl

The FeCl₃+HCl chemistry is also documented for these alloys.

More Aluminum Alloys Formulas

Other formulas in the same material family.

Frequently Asked Questions