Chemical Etching Formula
Waspaloy 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 Waspaloy?

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

Process Window & Bath Control

Hold the bath at 56°C with concentration 48 °Bé (specific gravity 1.450). Across the 0.1-0.3 mm thickness range, conveyor speed runs from 0.12-0.65 m/min — thinner sheets move faster, thicker sheets slower, in roughly inverse proportion to thickness. A typical mid-range setpoint is 0.21 m/min for 0.20 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 120-360 μm and the minimum line width ranges 100-300 μm across the 0.1-0.3 mm band, following the industry 1.2× (hole) and 1.0× (line) thickness rules. Single-side undercut ranges 21-62 μm, and the etch factor is about 2.40. Size your photomask by subtracting twice the expected undercut from each finished feature dimension.

Yield & Production Economics

This formula delivers a typical yield of 94.9% (range 94.6-95.2%). 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

Typical applications for Waspaloy processed with FeCl₃+HCl include turbine-engine seals, high-temperature gaskets, and aerospace fluidic plates. 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 Waspaloy 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.

For a broader treatment of the material itself — alloy variants, surface preparation, and process limits across thickness ranges — see our Nickel chemical etching guide. That overview complements the formula-specific bath and conveyor data on this page.

Production Use Cases for This Formula

Production examples for the Waspaloy / FeCl₃+HCl recipe span mobile-phone earpiece mesh, automotive horn mesh etching, and stainless steel shower-head filter 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.

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 Nickel Superalloys Formulas

Other formulas in the same material family.

Frequently Asked Questions