Since joining TPC, PEI has invested millions of dollars to expand its titanium etching processes, including dedicated conveyorized spray etchers and a custom etchant management system to better respond to customer requirements while prioritizing employee safety.

With growing demand for ultra-precise, customizable components across industries, TPC is laser-focused on selecting the material with the right properties to meet its customers’ photochemical etching needs. The titanium etching market’s Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is estimated at 7%, reflecting a steady increase in demand across diverse sectors like medical devices, aerospace and defense, and clean energy.

For industries that rely on the strength, durability and performance of its components, titanium is an ideal choice because of its corrosion resistance and ability to handle intricate designs that defy conventional machining.

PEI, leading manufacturer of precision-etched metal parts and assemblies, has significantly increased its titanium etching capabilities since joining TPC in 2021. In this article, we will discuss how PEI uses titanium etching to provide its customers the most tailored solutions for modern applications.

About Titanium Etching
Photochemical etching is a manufacturing process that uses chemical etchants and photoresist masks to create intricate metal components with extreme accuracy – without mechanical force or heat. The process can use many different materials, and titanium’s exceptional flexibility makes it a preferred material in precision metal manufacturing, as it enables the creation of intricate, corrosion resistant components. By photochemical etching titanium, the metal’s already remarkable properties are refined, offering a range of benefits to both manufacturers and end users.

These benefits include:

1. Precision and Control: With titanium etching, manufacturers can remove material with unparalleled precision and control. This level of accuracy is especially vital in applications where tight tolerances are required, such as fuel cells, oxygen and hydrogen generators, custom medical implants and microelectronics.
2. Improved Surface Finish: Etching maintains the aesthetic and functional appeal of titanium components. The customized surface finish not only enhances aesthetics but also provides a unique bond that promotes stability and longevity, reducing friction and wear in moving parts.
3. Customization: The adaptability of titanium etching makes it an ideal choice for industries requiring unique, non-standard components. Customizing the process to meet specific design requirements ensures that each piece meets its intended purpose.
4. Enhanced Bonding: Etching creates a textured surface that’s perfect for improving the adhesion of coatings, adhesives or other materials. In sectors like medical devices and aerospace, where bonding strength is critical to reduce inefficiencies and damages, this advantage is invaluable for highly sensitive applications.
5. Corrosion Resistance: Titanium is already renowned for its corrosion resistance, but etching takes it a step further. Chemical etching does not alter the inherent corrosion-resistant properties of the titanium substrate, protecting the component from damage from moisture or chemicals.

All titanium used by PEI meets ASTM B-265 as an industry standard. PEI’s etching materials are reviewed, tested and compliant with industry requirements – with a long history of meeting and exceeding customer demands. The company has kept quality assurance at the forefront of its work by training manufacturing teams, maintaining its equipment and establishing rigorous internal controls.

Scaling to Meet Demand
PEI holds more than 30 years of experience creating intricate and precise titanium parts for various leading industries. The company combines its laser technology with titanium etching to finish the channel features and outer dimensions of each part, ultimately reducing costs for the customer and providing more effective and accurate solutions under one roof.

When PEI was acquired by TPC, the company was able to access additional resources to scale its production capabilities – bringing new services to customers who had to seek support elsewhere when PEI’s capacity was limited. Since joining TPC, PEI has invested in significant titanium etching machinery and supporting equipment, such as:

• LED based direct imagers, which increase output and accuracy of alignment while eliminating physical phototools and greatly reducing FOD (foreign object/debris), a significant cause of negative yields in production.
• A clean room to house the new LED printing equipment and lithography department to help reduce FOD issues.
• An IPG nitrogen laser cutting capability, used in parallel with PEI’s enhanced etching capacities to increase output while driving down total production costs.
• A laser marking system that allows PEI to mark its panels with serial numbers, material heat lot information and QR codes for easy traceability.

This increased capacity comes at an opportunistic time as global trade tensions rise and create a need for more domestic production. PEI has been able to scale its production in the U.S. by investing in safe, cost-effective processes to ensure customers receive reliable, high-quality solutions.

With PEI’s increased capacity, the company also recognized the need to increase safety protocols, making another major investment in a custom etchant management system. This system is used to safely manage the handling of etchant waste, as well as the precise delivery of fresh etchant to ensure a continuous and stable chemical etch rate. This new system allows PEI to use automated controllers to pump the etchant in and out of the etching machines, setting the company apart from competitors for its safety management and quality control.

Advancing Mission-Critical Innovations with Titanium Etching

Titanium etching is a viable solution for many different applications, notably clean energy. PEI has a proven track record with the energy industry, specifically supporting hydrogen applications used to convert water into electricity. PEI has positioned itself as a leader in precision component manufacturing for hydrogen fuel cell and electrolyzer technology, and titanium is the ideal material for this application. Titanium provides exceptional flexibility to create intricate, durable components that deliver high performance and efficiency to be used in fuel cell electric vehicles, stationary power systems for buildings and industrial facilities, hydrogen energy storage solutions and more.

As the demand for sustainable energy intensifies, more companies will be calling on PEI for its innovations to shape the future of hydrogen energy. PEI Strategic Account Manager Robert Ashman says, “In the long run, hydrogen will be a vital part of the clean energy equation, and PEI’s titanium etching technology will play a crucial role in advancing that solution.”

In the medical field, titanium etching helps create cranial, surgical and maxillofacial meshes, tools, implantables and blades that are essential to modern medical procedures. The implantable parts require a customized surface finish which not only enhances aesthetics but also promotes osseointegration, allowing bones to securely merge with the implant. This unique bond enhances stability and longevity, turning titanium etching into a life-changing manufacturing solution.

PEI also uses titanium etching to serve the aerospace and defense industries, drawing on its decades of experience to manufacture durable metal parts for highly sensitive applications. Titanium etching allows PEI to meet tight tolerances and precise requirements, delivering shims used by aerospace and defense contractors for leveling or balancing missiles, optics, wheels and more.

Fueling Innovation with Titanium Solutions

From lifesaving, biocompatible implants to mission-critical aerospace components and next-generation clean energy applications, titanium etching is enabling innovation across industries.

Pioneers in etching pure titanium, PEI’s niche expertise has opened new possibilities for mission-critical applications, allowing the company to not only meet today’s demands but actively shape tomorrow’s innovations.

For more information on PEI’s titanium etching capabilities, visit the PEI website.