Overview

A mesh etching service forms holes, slots and lattice patterns in sheet metal by photochemical machining instead of weaving wire or punching a die. A photoresist mask carries the aperture pattern; the exposed metal is dissolved in a matched etchant until the holes break through, leaving a single-piece mesh with sharp, burr-free edges. Because the pattern is drawn rather than woven, aperture size, pitch and open area are set precisely and repeat identically across the sheet, and non-round holes — slots, triangles, hexagons, logos — are as easy as circles. Typical stock runs from 0.02 mm foil to 1.5 mm plate in stainless steel 304/316L, nickel, copper, brass and aluminum, and the finished mesh is flat, clean and free of the cross-over nodes and loose strands that limit woven wire cloth.

Parameter Window

• Available Materials: 304/316L stainless steel, nickel, copper, brass, aluminum, titanium
• Material Thickness Range: 0.02–1.5 mm
• Tolerance: ±0.03 mm on aperture position, about ±10% of material thickness on aperture size
• Minimum Feature: aperture and ligament 1.2–1.5 × material thickness; down to 0.05 mm on thin foil
• Surface Options: passivation, Ni/Au plating, blackening, annealing, framed or unframed
• Compliance: ISO 9001 process control, RoHS/REACH material traceability

Manufacturing Process / Workflow (8 Steps)

1. Specification Review — Confirm aperture shape, pitch, open area and ligament width against material thickness before quoting.
2. Artwork & Compensation — Pre-enlarge apertures by the expected undercut so the finished hole matches the drawing.
3. Material Preparation — Select alloy and temper, then clean and laminate dry film resist on both faces for through-etching.
4. Double-Sided Exposure — Register the pattern on both sides so the etch fronts meet in the middle of the sheet.
5. Development — Open aperture areas on both faces and inspect for residual resist that would block breakthrough.
6. Etching — Spray etchant from both sides; conveyor speed and chemistry set the etch rate and hold aperture size uniform.
7. Stripping & Finishing — Remove resist, passivate or plate, anneal if the mesh must be flattened or softened, then cut to size or frame.
8. Inspection & Packaging — Measure aperture, pitch, open area and flatness under magnification, then interleave and pack.

Core Advantages

1. Uniform apertures: Every hole is defined by the same artwork, so diameter and pitch hold across the entire sheet and from lot to lot.
2. No woven nodes: A one-piece lattice has no cross-over bumps and no loose wire ends, so flow is even and nothing can shed into the product.
3. Any hole shape: Slots, hexagons, teardrops and logo cut-outs cost the same as circles — impossible with weaving and expensive with punching.
4. No die, no burr: There is no tool wear and no shear burr, so edges stay clean through the whole production run.
5. Thin foil capability: Mesh is routinely etched in 0.02–0.1 mm foil, where weaving and stamping distort or crush the pattern.
6. Flat and dimensionally stable: The sheet stays flat through processing, which simplifies framing, laminating and automated assembly.

Typical Applications

• Filtration mesh: Fuel, hydraulic and coffee filter discs with controlled aperture and open area.
• Speaker grilles: Fine perforated grilles for headphones, earbuds and smart speakers with acoustic transparency.
• EMI and RF screens: Conductive mesh windows for enclosures that must attenuate while passing air and light.
• Vent and dust covers: Aperture arrays for enclosures, sensors and motors that need pressure equalization.
• Medical and lab screens: Fine mesh for sample prep, cell supports and instrument intakes.
• Decorative and architectural mesh: Patterned metal screens and panels for facades and interior fit-out.

Design Notes & Process Considerations

1. Aperture versus thickness: Keep aperture and ligament at 1.2 × thickness or larger; below that, etch time rises sharply and tolerance widens.
2. Open area budget: Specify target open area, not just hole size — pitch drives flow and acoustic performance more than diameter alone.
3. Undercut allowance: Etching removes roughly 0.8–1 × thickness per side, so the artwork must be enlarged to land on the finished aperture.
4. Framing and handling: Thin mesh distorts if handled unsupported; design a border or frame into the panel when possible.
5. Edge condition: State whether the outer contour is through-cut or half-etched, and whether burr-free edges are mandatory.
6. Cleaning requirement: For medical or food contact, call out passivation and cleaning level, since etchant residue must be fully neutralized.