EDITOR ’ S CHOICE PHOTOCHEMICAL ETCHING
PRECISION MICRO
Medical device manufacturer partners with Precision Micro to increase etched component production – fast
For manufacturing firms looking to scale their operations quickly and affordably , leaning on the expertise of their supply chain can be highly impactful .
It is this approach which has enabled a leading manufacturer of medical components to increase the production of its nebuliser while maintaining the same high standards of quality .
Through the process of photochemical etching , Precision Micro has been able to quickly move from prototyping to largescale the production of a critical etched shim , while keeping costs down .
Made of stainless steel , which is used widely across the industry thanks to its versatility and durability , this small shim , though simple , is instrumental in the nebuliser ’ s operation .
CRITICAL DESIGN FEATURES
As a stress-free component which is required to be completely flat and clean , the process of photochemical etching delivers shims in which there are no unaltered physical properties – precision crafted to specification .
In practice , this ensures its customer can rely on components which are 100 % true to specification , without the possibility of burrs or stresses which are common in other types of metal machining .
SUPPORTING GROWTH WITH SCALABLE SUPPLY
Now producing more than 100,000 precision-etched shims , Precision Micro ’ s process of photochemical etching has enabled the company to scale its operations – doing so cost-effectively and without compromising on quality .
Combining sheet metal with a CADimage-printed photoresist mask , the required components are then selectively etched with chemical etchants , photochemical etching presents a less intrusive , more accurate and repeatable option for creating intricate components .
Alongside the uncompromising quality of final components , photochemical etching benefits from extremely low tooling and set-up costs which facilitate the turnaround of components in short timescales . Capable of producing parts to the same exacting quality every time , components can be produced at differing volumes and at short notice .
A STRONG CUSTOMER SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIP
Despite Brexit , Precision Micro has been able to maintain its commitment to providing the highest levels of service and support to its international customers , which has been critical to supply chains at a point of high growth .
Markus Rettig of Precision Micro said : “ This example , of components for an innovative nebuliser machine , really demonstrates how working as partners can lead to success . Our process has allowed for consistent , cost-effective scaling as demand has increased – something which would be difficult to replicate with other machining processes where scale and complexity generally results in increased costs . We ’ re looking forward to continuing our relationship and working closely to bring out even more benefits of photochemical etching in their business .”
By working together when the needs of its customer were small , Precision Micro was able to lay the foundations for growth through their specialist machining process . This has resulted in scaled production which consistently and costeffectively delivers quality .
For further information , please visit www . precisionmicro . com
28 PECM Issue 56