Chemical Etching Formula
Al5182 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 Al5182?

On Al5182, 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 Al5182 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 0.1-0.5 mm thickness range, conveyor speed runs from 0.12-1.08 m/min — thinner sheets move faster, thicker sheets slower, in roughly inverse proportion to thickness. A typical mid-range setpoint is 0.32 m/min for 0.25 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

Design rules for this recipe: hole diameter 120-600 μm, line width 100-500 μm, single-side undercut 20-99 μm — all as a function of thickness across 0.1-0.5 mm. The higher the etch factor (this formula holds about 2.53), the tighter the achievable tolerance. Below the minimum feature sizes, yield falls off steeply, so treat those numbers as hard floors rather than targets.

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

Al5182 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

Production of Al5182 parts using the FeCl₃+HCl formula described above runs on a wet chemical etching machine configured for through etch (double-sided). The bath chemistry, conveyor speed, and rinse cascade detailed on this page reflect the operating profile we use on a live spray-etching line for this alloy.

Related to this formula, the Aluminum chemical etching guide page documents the full process envelope for the same alloy family, including pre-treatment chemistry and post-etch inspection criteria.

Production Use Cases for This Formula

Typical end-uses for Al5182 run on this formula include ultrasonic mesh for robotic vacuum cleaners, cold-press juicer filtration mesh, and stainless steel shower-head filter mesh. The 40°C bath and 0.1-0.5 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