Why photochemical etching is the ideal solution for Vestatec ’ s luxury speaker grilles
EDITOR ’ S CHOICE PHOTOCHEMICAL ETCHING
PRECISION MICRO
Why photochemical etching is the ideal solution for Vestatec ’ s luxury speaker grilles
Nottingham-based Vestatec supplies unique styling solutions for premium brands like Bentley , Porche and Lamborghini . Its longstanding relationship with photochemical etching specialist Precision Micro is key for supplying speaker grilles to many of the world ’ s most luxurious vehicles .
Why photochemical etching ?
Photochemical etching allows Vestatec to bring intricate designs to life while also adding clear cost-saving benefits . Chemical etching also means that finished metal speaker grilles maintain their sleek appearance and tactile perception for longer , as well as offering improved sound quality and durability .
An alternative to traditional stamping and laser cutting , photochemical etching uses chemical etchants to create complex but highly accurate precision components from almost any metal . With hundreds of holes to cut in the average speaker grille , and the need for consistent , pinpoint accuracy , laser cutting is simply not viable .
Made in the Midlands
Vestatec ’ s journey with Birminghambased Precision Micro began a decade ago but Vestatec did offshore its supply briefly while Precision Micro was actioning a £ 5.1m recovery plan following a fire in 2019 .
While Precision was back to full manufacturing potential within three months , reconfiguring its processes and
This desire to go beyond what ’ s possible has helped us deliver some truly unique products .
increasing its overall capacity , Vestatec was facing difficulty importing product from the continent due to Brexit and the impact of the pandemic .
Precision ’ s rapid recovery , combined with importing woes , soon gave Vestatec the confidence to switch back to using Precision Micro as its primary supplier . Another key reason for the switch was Precision Micro ’ s product quality and service offering , while the geographical proximity of the two Midlands-based businesses presents significant benefits
for prototyping and makes complex designs more feasible .
Pushing the boundaries
In automotive , continuous innovation and strong collaboration is key . Improving the driving experience requires creative thinking throughout the supply chain – something which Vestatec ’ s Adam Jay believes Precision Micro always helps to deliver .
“ We really push Precision Micro to explore the limits of what ’ s possible because ultimately , that ’ s how you innovate . We ’ ve often sent them designs which are theoretically impossible to manufacture but they always give their best efforts to make them a reality . This desire to go beyond what ’ s possible has helped us deliver some truly unique products ,” says Adam .
Precision Micro ’ s value proposition ‘ etching enhanced ’ is something , by Vestatec ’ s own admission , that perfectly describes the business ’ s ability to explore the limits of its technology .
Adam Jay continues : “ The etching process is high quality and it ’ s efficient for many reasons . Pushing boundaries and working collaboratively together stack up to provide USPs for both of us and I think the customers we deal with recognise our efforts to innovate and deliver consistent quality .”
To find out more about photochemical etching visit : precisionmicro . com
26 PECM Issue 62