Chemical Etching Formula
H80 brass with FeCl₃

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 for H80 brass?

Ferric-chloride-based formulas are the industrial workhorse for ferrous, nickel, and copper-bearing alloys like H80 brass. The Fe³⁺ ion oxidizes the metal surface; where HCl is present it regenerates dissolved species and stabilizes chloride concentration. The result on H80 brass is anisotropic etching with predictable undercut and an easily regenerated spent bath.

Process Window & Bath Control

Bath control for H80 brass in FeCl₃: temperature 43°C, concentration 36 °Bé, specific gravity 1.340. The recipe is tuned for through etch (double-sided). Conveyor speed is the primary throughput control, ranging 0.12-3.11 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 9-88 μm, and the etch factor is about 2.83. Size your photomask by subtracting twice the expected undercut from each finished feature dimension.

Yield & Production Economics

Typical mass-production yield for H80 brass in the FeCl₃ system is 97.8%, within an observed range of 97-98.1%. 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

Typical applications for H80 brass processed with FeCl₃ include lead frames, busbars, flexible heater elements, RF gaskets, and precision electrical contacts. The formula's tolerance band and yield make it well suited to medium-to-high-volume precision flat parts.

Process Equipment & Material Reference

Production of H80 brass parts using the FeCl₃ formula described above runs on a knife-mold 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 Brass 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 H80 brass run on this formula include stainless steel shower-head filter mesh, soy-milk-maker filtration mesh, and cold-press juicer filtration mesh. The 43°C bath and 0.05-0.5 mm supported thickness range cover most of the production work in these segments without re-tuning chemistry.

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

The FeCl₃ chemistry is also documented for these alloys.

More Copper & Brass Formulas

Other formulas in the same material family.

Frequently Asked Questions