Pros and Cons of Mecanizado Fotoquimico

Mecanizado fotoquimico is the Spanish version of photochemical machining and it is the process of producing materials to achieve a particular design on a specific material. Being a step-by-step process it has its own pros and cons. In this article, we are going to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of photochemical machining.

The Pros:

  1. Speed

Mecanizado fotoquimico helps to save our valuable time. In part deliveries, approximately a couple of weeks are adequate for completing the order which might not be achieved by the other processes.

  1. Inexpensive tools

If the tools are expensive in production, the overall cost will also be quite high in the long run. Computer-aided CAD/CAM software is used for mecanizado fotoquimico which helps to minimize the cost of the operations.

  1. Can produce complicated components

Metal precision parts can easily be produced by mecanizado fotoquimico which can be difficult to produce by other methods.

  1. Mass production

With photochemical machining, the part patterns need high tolerances and these can be replicated at lower costs on a larger scale. This will not compromise the speed of the procedure by any means.

  1. Possible to make changes

The CAD/CAM software will enable to make design modifications in the process. The computers and the software allow alterations at minimum cost. It is feasible to achieve this very quickly given that it is possible to make prototypes.

  1. No chance of burring

There will be no chance of burring with mecanizado fotoquimico since it is feasible to perform the process without conducting any surface burring.

  1. No chance of deformation

As compared to other procedures, photochemical machining will not cause any deformation to the remaining part of the material which hasn’t gone through any sort of engraving since no hard tools will be used in this case.

  1. No stress

The products which will be produced by this process will be fine without any sharp edges whatsoever. In general, mecanizado fotoquimico will not cause any sort of material stress.

  1. Can be repeated

It will be possible to achieve the uniformity of the mass products by means of the mecanizado fotoquimico process since the prototypes are intended to be duplicated further.

  1. Possible to use difficult-to-machine materials

Titanium and a few other metals are quite tough to machine. However, they can be used in mecanizado fotoquimico.

The Cons:

  1. Not eco-friendly

The process involves some harmful chemical substances which can affect the environment adversely if not taken care of.

  1. Redesigning from the very beginning

In mecanizado fotoquimico when it is essential for the finished products to be updated, it is feasible to perform re-etching from the very beginning.

Conclusion:

After going through the pros and cons of photochemical machining, it will be good to know that several alternatives are also available on the market for the process. Amongst these, mention may be made of metal stamping, laser jet cutting, water jet cutting, and so on. However, in spite of having a few drawbacks, the positive aspects of mecanizado fotoquimico definitely outweigh the cons.