Precision Photochemical Manufacturing Since 1965
The dimensional capabilities of the photo chemical etching process are always driven by metal thickness.
Tighter tolerances mean smaller sheets. Smaller sheets mean higher costs.
The table below illustrates the impact of tolerances and sheet sizes on photo-etching costs. The premise is based on a 1-inch part on .010″ thick metal and does not include metal cost. The major variable in this example is the labor. In chemical etching, the unit of labor is the sheet. The amount of labor per sheet varies very little with the size of the sheet. Therefore, the number of sheets becomes a decisive factor in calculating costs.
| Sheet Size | 12″ x 12″ | 12″ x 18″ | 12″ x 24″ | 18″ x 24″ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Min Tolerance | +/-.002″ | +/-.0025″ | +/-.003″ | +/-.004″ |
Quantity | ||||
500 | $.59 | $.43 | $.41 | $.38 |
1000 | $.56 | $.39 | $.36 | $.31 |
2500 | $.52 | $.38 | $.29 | $.25 |
5000 | $.45 | $.33 | $.29 | $.23 |
10000 | $.42 | $.31 | $.27 | $.22 |
25000 | $.40 | $.30 | $.26 | $.21 |
50000 | $.39 | $.29 | $.26 | $.20 |
Sheets/ 1k Parts | 15 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
This link leads to the machine-readable files that are made available in response to the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule and includes negotiated service rates and out-of-network allowed amounts between health plans and healthcare providers. The machine readable files are formatted to allow researchers, regulators, and application developers to more easily access and analyze data.
