Covers and Lids

Covers or step lids can be a challenge. They need to be precise and fit tightly in their mating enclosure. They also need to stay flat so they can be welded easily. Chemical etching can be the answer to these tough problems. Machining, grinding, or stamping can add stress to any part, particularly when the part has a less than full thickness flange around its edge. By dissolving any unwanted material, photo chemical etching can produce the step lids that fit correctly and stay flat.

Photo etched covers are precisely sized, have no unwanted material, and fit perfectly every time. We can create many types of covers and lids that need to fit micro-electronics, optical, fiber optic, RF, and many other applications. These are just a few examples of applications that regularly demand high-precision components in order to function according to design expectations.

Typically, lids are made out of Kovar because of its low expansion characteristics, but they can be made out of other less expensive materials as well. We can take care of any plating your parts need. Usually, the plating will be nickel, tin, or gold, but we produce covers and lids according to your specifications and can create chemically etched step lids, for example, out of:

• Spring steel
• Stainless steel
• Phosphor bronze
• Beryllium copper
• Copper alloys
• Nickel/nickel alloys

Photo etching gives us the ability to create parts for nearly any application. Lead times are shorter than with traditional processes and tooling. The cost of setting up the tooling and producing parts is much lower as well. We can also produce many parts in one production run, without having to machine each one separately, which is costly and time-consuming.

Often, many parts can be etched out of a single sheet of metal. All the attributes of chemical etching enable us to accommodate applications, including:

• Electronic equipment: Micro-electronics, optical windows, circuits, RF components, seals, battery compartments, and enclosures.
• Medical equipment: Various types of medical devices, electronics, instruments, and components requiring high precision.
• Military and aerospace: Heavy-duty, sensitive electronics used in extreme environments ranging from the battlefield to the vacuum of space.

As with any chemically etched part, the tooling can be generated quickly and inexpensively. If any adjustments need to be made to the part on future orders, adjusting the tooling is fast and easy. Contact us by phone or email to discuss your application, ask any questions, or make changes to your order. Feel free to request a quote online today regarding photo etched covers and lids.