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The typical metal piece produced by the ChemArt Company is produced from flat metal sheets ranging in thickness from 0.0005" (0.012mm) to 0.060" (0.15mm) and dimensions up to 24" (0.61m) X 24" (0.61m). Metals that are typically etched are copper alloys, steel alloys, and nickel. Please, consult with a ChemArt representative for special applications
Figure 1 
Hole Diameter (D) to Metal Thickness (T) Relationship
| Thickness (T) |
Practical Hole Size (D) |
Tolerances Attainable |
0.0005" to 0.0030"
(0.0127mm to 0.0762mm) |
0.0040"
(0.1016mm) |
± 0.0005"
(± 0.0167mm) |
0.0040" to 0.0100"
(0.1016mm to 0.2540mm) |
110% of metal thickness |
± 0.0010"
(± 0.0254mm) |
| 0.0110" to 0.0200"(0.2794mm to 0.5080mm) |
110% of metal thickness |
10% of metal thickness |
0.0210" to 0.0900"
(0.5334mm to 2.2860mm) |
110% of metal thickness |
10% of metal thickness |
Corner Radii
The smallest inside corner radius (R) is approximately equivalent to the thickness of the metal.
The smallest outside corner radius (S) is approximately 75% of the thickness of the metal.
(Squared corners may be accomplished by adding serifs to the desired area to overcome typical etch effects.)
Bevel or Cusp (B)
Since etching usually occurs from both sides of the metal, a bevel or cusp forms at the intersection of the top and bottom etch-through area. This bevel is typically less than 20% of the metal thickness, but depends on the required metal type.
Metal Feature Width
The minimal metal width between etched areas should be at least equivalent to the thickness of the metal.
Required Information:
There are 6 critical pieces of information that are required to ensure that your project progresses smoothly and swiftly through the PCM process.
1. Drawing or Electronic CAD file (.dwg, .dxf, .pdf or equivalent)
2. Base metal specifications
3. Tolerances
4. Secondary operations (if required)
5. Quantity of pieces
6. Delivery requirements | 
