Aluminum Alloys FeCl₃+HCl

Chemical Etching Formula
Al3003 with FeCl₃+HCl

This reference describes how Al3003 responds to the FeCl₃+HCl etching formula. At a bath temperature of 40°C and concentration of 32 °Bé, the recipe holds an etch factor of about 2.58 and a typical production yield of 97.5%. It is intended as engineering reference data for design, sourcing, and process planning.

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.

FeCl₃+HCl Etchant System
32 °Bé Concentration
1.270 Specific Gravity
40 °C Bath Temperature
Through etch (double-sided) Etch Depth Type
0.05-0.5 mm Thickness Range
0.20 mm Typical Thickness
0.12-2.9 m/min Conveyor Speed Range
0.42 m/min Typical Speed
60-600 μm Min Hole Ø Range
100-500 μm Min Line Width Range
10-97 μm Undercut Range
2.58 Etch Factor (EF)
97.5% Typical Yield (96.8-97.9%)

Why FeCl₃+HCl for Al3003?

On Al3003, 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 Al3003 etch line runs a variant of this formula.

Process Window & Bath Control

Bath control for Al3003 in FeCl₃+HCl: temperature 40°C, concentration 32 °Bé, specific gravity 1.270. The recipe is tuned for through etch (double-sided). Conveyor speed is the primary throughput control, ranging 0.12-2.9 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 60-600 μm and the minimum line width ranges 100-500 μm across the 0.05-0.5 mm band, following the industry 1.2× (hole) and 1.0× (line) thickness rules. Single-side undercut ranges 10-97 μm, and the etch factor is about 2.58. Size your photomask by subtracting twice the expected undercut from each finished feature dimension.

Design Rule Summary
• Minimum hole diameter range: 60-600 μm
• Minimum line width range: 100-500 μm
• Single-side undercut range: 10-97 μm
• Typical etch factor (EF): 2.58

Yield & Production Economics

This formula delivers a typical yield of 97.5% (range 96.8-97.9%). 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 Al3003 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.

More Aluminum Alloys Formulas

Other formulas in the same material family.

Al1060 FeCl₃+HCl Through etch (double-sided) Al1060 FeCl₃+HCl Through etch (double-sided) Al1100 FeCl₃+HCl Through etch (double-sided) Al2014 FeCl₃+HCl Through etch (double-sided) Al2017 FeCl₃+HCl Through etch (double-sided) Al2024 FeCl₃+HCl Through etch (double-sided)

Frequently Asked Questions

Typical inspection on Al3003 etched with FeCl₃+HCl includes optical checks for unetched residue and surface defects, dimensional metrology on critical features, and edge-quality assessment. Final dimensional tolerance is usually ±10% of the smallest critical feature or ±25 μm, whichever is larger.

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.

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