Chemical Etching Formula
Al5754
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 Al5754?
On Al5754, 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 Al5754 etch line runs a variant of this formula.
Process Window & Bath Control
Bath control for Al5754 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
Design rules for this recipe: hole diameter 60-600 μm, line width 100-500 μm, single-side undercut 10-99 μm — all as a function of thickness across 0.05-0.5 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.
• Minimum hole diameter range: 60-600 μm
• Minimum line width range: 100-500 μm
• Single-side undercut range: 10-99 μm
• Typical etch factor (EF): 2.53
Yield & Production Economics
Typical mass-production yield for Al5754 in the FeCl₃+HCl system is 97.5%, within an observed range of 96.8-97.9%. 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
Al5754 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
On the shop floor, this Al5754 + FeCl₃+HCl recipe is implemented on a wet chemical etching machine. The 40°C bath setpoint and 0.12-2.9 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 Al5754 / FeCl₃+HCl recipe span stainless steel metal filter mesh, mobile-phone earpiece mesh, and cold-press juicer filtration 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.
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.
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.