Chemical Etching Formula
Al5052 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 Al5052?

On Al5052, 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 Al5052 etch line runs a variant of this formula.

Process Window & Bath Control

Hold the bath at 40°C with concentration 32 °Bé (specific gravity 1.270). Across the 0.01-0.5 mm thickness range, conveyor speed runs from 0.12-74.85 m/min — thinner sheets move faster, thicker sheets slower, in roughly inverse proportion to thickness. A typical mid-range setpoint is 1.88 m/min for 0.07 mm stock. Use redundant PID temperature control to hold the bath within ±1.5°C, and titrate at least once per shift.

Design Rules & Tolerances

Feature sizes scale with sheet thickness. For this formula the minimum hole diameter ranges 8-600 μm and the minimum line width ranges 100-500 μm across the 0.01-0.5 mm band, following the industry 1.2× (hole) and 1.0× (line) thickness rules. Single-side undercut ranges 1-98 μm, and the etch factor is about 2.55. Size your photomask by subtracting twice the expected undercut from each finished feature dimension.

Yield & Production Economics

Typical mass-production yield for Al5052 in the FeCl₃+HCl system is 97.8%, within an observed range of 96.8-98.1%. 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

Al5052 etched with this recipe typically ends up in lightweight RF shields, heat-spreader masks, nameplates, decorative trim, and lightweight structural lattices. Because chemical etching applies no mechanical or thermal load, the finished features are free of work-hardening and heat-affected zones — a decisive advantage over stamping or laser cutting for these uses.

Process Equipment & Material Reference

This Al5052 formula is part of the standard process library running on our wet chemical etching machine. The same chemistry can be ported to any horizontal spray-etching line of comparable nozzle layout and bath-titration discipline.

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

Typical end-uses for Al5052 run on this formula include stainless steel mesh for aroma diffusers, tea-infuser custom filter etching, and cold-press juicer filtration mesh. The 40°C bath and 0.01-0.5 mm supported thickness range cover most of the production work in these segments without re-tuning chemistry.

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.

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