Overview

Custom filter screen etching forms every aperture in a flat metal sheet in a single photochemical pass, rather than weaving wire or punching holes one at a time. A photoresist is exposed through film carrying the hole pattern, developed to open the areas to be removed, and the sheet is passed through a matched etchant so that aperture size, pitch and open area are all fixed by one artwork and formed simultaneously across the full panel. Screens are produced in stainless steel 304/316L, nickel, copper and brass between 0.03 mm and 1.0 mm, with apertures down to 0.08 mm and bar widths down to 0.05 mm.

The process suits filtration work because the result is a single continuous sheet. There are no wire crossover nodes to create local pressure drops or to trap fibres during backwash, thickness is identical everywhere, and aperture walls carry a natural taper that releases particles instead of shearing them. Open area is set on the artwork rather than derived from a weave, so a 22% screen and a 48% screen can be produced from the same alloy and the same stock thickness, and the flow curve stays predictable from lot to lot. For prototypes and multi-pattern programmes, custom filter screen etching changes a hole layout by changing a film rather than cutting a die.

Parameter Window

• Available Materials: stainless steel 304/316L, nickel, copper, brass, titanium
• Material Thickness Range: 0.03–1.0 mm; stock below 0.05 mm is etched on a carrier sheet
• Tolerance: ±0.05 mm on outline and hole position, ±0.01 mm on aperture diameter
• Minimum Feature: 0.08 mm aperture with 0.05 mm bar at 0.05 mm stock
• Surface Options: electrolytic polishing, passivation, nickel plating, blackening, flatness correction
• Compliance: ISO 9001 process control, RoHS/REACH material traceability

Manufacturing Process / Workflow (8 Steps)

1. Pattern Review — Convert the filtration rating into aperture and bar width, check that the requested open area sits inside the etchable window, and thin the stock if the hole array is too dense.
2. Material Selection — Choose 304 or 316L by media corrosivity, nickel or copper where conductivity or thermal transfer matters, and confirm sheet flatness and thickness tolerance.
3. Cleaning & Lamination — Degrease and hot-roll dry film resist, using a carrier for thin stock so no bubble sits under a fine hole array.
4. UV Exposure — Expose the full panel through high-resolution film registered to the sheet edge, keeping cumulative pitch error under control across the array.
5. Development — Wash out resist in the hole areas and inspect for residue, since the resist line at each aperture edge sets the finished diameter.
6. Etching — Spray etchant at controlled temperature and line speed, tuning the etch factor so wall taper and aperture size reach target together.
7. Stripping & Finishing — Remove resist, neutralise, then polish, passivate or plate; flattening is applied where the frame demands it.
8. Inspection & Packaging — Measure aperture, bar width, open area and flatness against the sample, issue a dimensional report, and interleave sheets to prevent scratching.

Core Advantages

1. One continuous sheet: With no woven crossover nodes, flow resistance is even across the face and backwashing does not snag fibres or lint.
2. Any hole shape: Round, square, slotted and profiled apertures can coexist on one screen, and the array is redrawn rather than retooled.
3. Burr-free walls: Chemical removal leaves smooth aperture walls, so no punched roll-over or laser dross lifts a filter membrane off its seat.
4. Open area locked on film: Because open area comes from the artwork, lot-to-lot variation is small and pressure-drop curves stay predictable.
5. Thin stock stays flat: Foil down to 0.03 mm is etched on a carrier and leaves the line flat, so it frames without wrinkling or curling.
6. Low sampling cost: A new hole layout is a new film, so a few hundred pieces remain economical even while the aperture pattern is still being revised.

Typical Applications

• Hydraulic and lube screens: Dense aperture arrays in 0.2 mm stainless for filter support layers and bypass strainers.
• Air and pneumatic filters: Fine holes in thin copper for flow distribution, with smooth walls that resist dust build-up.
• Fuel and chemical filtration: 316L screens passivated for acid and solvent service as pre-filters ahead of fine media.
• Acoustic and silencing mesh: Arrays designed around acoustic impedance to balance airflow against noise at exhaust ports.
• Medical and laboratory screens: Small discs with uniform arrays for sample filtration and reagent retention.
• Appliance and water inlets: Entry screens for taps, coffee machines and purifiers, cleanable and reusable after rinsing.

Design Notes & Process Considerations

1. Aperture versus thickness: Keep aperture at 0.8 × stock thickness or larger; below that, wall taper cuts the effective flow area well under the drawing value.
2. Bar width: Use at least half the aperture and never less than 0.05 mm, or side etch will thin the bars faster than the holes grow.
3. Array layout: Staggered arrays give higher open area than straight rows, but edge half-holes need a full bar behind them or the screen tears when framed.
4. Open area callout: State aperture, pitch and target open area together; where they conflict, hold open area and recalculate pitch.
5. Flatness and burr: Screens that seal against a gasket should carry a flatness figure per 100 mm and a burr-free aperture requirement, so the seal is not pinched.
6. Sample sign-off: Measure aperture, bar width and open area on the first piece. The batch consistency of custom filter screen etching depends on locking those three values before the film is released.