Overview

An etched stainless steel electroformed mesh is an ultra-fine, ultra-thin screen made by combining electroforming with photochemical machining, rather than by weaving wire or punching foil. A photoresist pattern defines the apertures on a thin electroformed nickel or stainless base; the unprotected metal is dissolved in a controlled etchant, so hole size and strand width are set by the artwork and bath time. Foils run from 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm, with holes down to 0.03 mm and strands as fine as 0.02 mm, reaching 500–1000 mesh. Because the process is additive-plus-chemical, the screen is flat, burr-free and free of the wire crossings, dross and work hardening that limit woven and laser-cut alternatives.

For buyers, etched stainless steel electroformed mesh production fills the gap where a woven screen cannot hold tolerance and a machined foil is too coarse. Woven wire varies in open area, sheds filaments and has a knuckle at every crossing; punched or laser-cut foil tapers and work-hardens below about 0.05 mm; and both struggle with the very fine strands that high mesh counts demand. Photochemical machining holds ±0.005 mm on aperture, keeps open area uniform across the sheet, and can build tapered or variable-section holes that suit filtration and printing. The flat, stress-free result bonds cleanly to a tension frame and repeats from prototype to volume without tool wear, which is why it suits precision printing, screening and shielding work.

Parameter Window

• Available Materials: electroformed nickel / Ni-Fe, stainless 316L electroformed base; also copper
• Material Thickness Range: 0.02–0.2 mm
• Tolerance: ±0.005 mm on aperture size, ±0.01 mm on strand width
• Minimum Feature: 0.03 mm hole, 0.02 mm strand, up to 500–1000 mesh
• Surface Options: electropolishing, Ni/Au plating, burr-free finish, tension-frame bonding, clean passivation
• Compliance: ISO 9001 process control, RoHS/REACH material traceability

Manufacturing Process / Workflow (8 Steps)

1. Artwork & Mesh Count — Convert the target mesh to aperture, pitch and strand width, and plan panels with shared registration marks.
2. Base Foil Preparation — Select electroformed nickel or stainless base, verify thickness and inclusion level, and handle in a clean area.
3. Cleaning & Lamination — Degrease and laminate fine-grain dry film resist so micron-scale strands and holes resolve sharply.
4. UV Exposure — Expose through high-resolution film with collimated light, registering the array to the sheet datum.
5. Development — Wash out unexposed resist and inspect openings under magnification for residue that would bridge fine strands.
6. Precision Etching / Electroform Build — Spray matched chemistry to open holes, or build tapered sections by combining electrodeposition with a controlled etch.
7. Stripping & Polishing — Remove resist, electropolish or plate, then bond the screen to a tension frame where the application needs it.
8. Microscopic Inspection — Measure aperture, strand width and mesh count, verify flatness and burr-free edges, then pack in clean trays.

Core Advantages

1. Extreme mesh counts: 500–1000 mesh with 0.02 mm strands is achievable, well beyond the stable range of woven wire.
2. Uniform apertures: Hole size and open area hold across the sheet, so flow, filtration and printing results are consistent.
3. Ultra-thin, burr-free: Foil down to 0.02 mm leaves the line flat and free of burrs, wire knuckles and heat-affected edges.
4. Tapered holes: Combining electroforming with etching produces tapered or variable-section openings for controlled release and flow.
5. Frame-ready flatness: With no mechanical stress, the screen bonds evenly to a tension frame and stays flat in use.
6. Material flexibility: etched stainless steel electroformed mesh can use nickel, Ni-Fe, stainless or copper to suit corrosion, strength and conductivity needs.

Typical Applications

• Precision printing screens: Ultra-fine stencil and screen-printing meshes where uniform apertures define deposit thickness.
• Fuel-cell diffusion layers: Gas-diffusion and current-collector screens with even open area for uniform reactant distribution.
• Fine filtration and cell sieving: Medical and lab sieves that separate particles or cells at tens of microns.
• Encoder gratings: High-density optical gratings and code scales with accurate, repeatable line and space patterns.
• EMI shielding meshes: Lightweight conductive screens that shield displays and windows while passing light or air.
• Atomizer and microfluidic screens: Fine aperture plates for nebulizers, nozzles and microfluidic flow control.

Design Notes & Process Considerations

1. Mesh count conversion: Define aperture, pitch and strand width explicitly rather than only a mesh number, since the three fix open area.
2. Ultra-thin foil handling: For foil below 0.05 mm, specify a carrier, flatness and clean packing so the screen does not crease.
3. Electroform taper: State whether holes are straight or tapered and in which direction, as this controls release and flow behavior.
4. Open area versus strength: Balance open-area percentage against strand width, because finer strands raise open area but lower handling strength.
5. Tension frame: If frame-mounted, give frame size, mesh tension and flatness so the bonded screen holds registration.
6. Cleanliness and inspection: With etched stainless steel electroformed mesh, define particle limits and microscopic acceptance for holes, strands and defects.