Cost Comparison between Deep Hole Etching and Conventional Electrochemical Etching

This paper compares the costs of deep hole marking with traditional electrochemical engraving, analyzing the differences in terms of equipment investment, consumables, and operating efficiency. It also uses real-world examples to show the applicability of each technique, helping manufacturing users to choose the most cost-effective solution.

Why is the cost of these two crafts so important?

In the realm of metal precision processing, deep-hole marking and electrochemical etching are common surface treatment technologies.Many factory owners and technicians are often at a loss to know which process is more cost-effective. In fact, there is no absolute answer, it depends on the specific requirements.For example, the cost difference between small-scale custom production and mass production can be several times.Today, we'll take a look at some real-world applications and crunch some numbers.

Investment in equipment: The one-time cost gap is large.

Deep-hole drilling is a "light capital" business model.

Deep hole drilling machines are now becoming more and more affordable, with ordinary models costing less than NT $ 100,000 and occupying a space no larger than a desk.It is especially suitable for small or medium-sized processing plants that don't have to specially modify their workshops, and can just plug it in and use it.However, high-end models with automatic positioning capabilities can cost up to NT $ 200,000.

The "heavy artillery" of electrochemical etching.

A traditional electrochemical setup requires a main unit costing at least NT $ 300,000, as well as a special electrolyte circulation system and a corrosion-resistant workbench.If you want to do precision work, you're looking at at least NT $ 500,000 for the whole package.But it has the advantage of a wide range of applications. For example, it is still hard to do without it for special requirements like curved surfaces and complex patterns.

Consumables: Consumables are the invisible killer.

Last year one of our customers, which makes auto parts, did the math and found that they spent less than NT $ 2000 a month on consumables for deep hole marking. That included laser tubes and focusing lenses.Meanwhile, his neighbor, who uses chemical etching, spends NT $ 8,000 a month just on electrolyte and neutralizing agents, not to mention the cost of wastewater treatment.

And don't forget the maintenance costs.

Electrochemical equipment has to have its electrodes replaced every three months, and in the south, where the air is damp, the circuit boards are prone to moisture damage, which is another expense.Although deep-hole marking can be done without much worry, the laser heads must be replaced after 20,000 hours of use, at a cost of about 15 % of the original equipment price.

Production efficiency: Time is money.

Actual results speak for themselves: To mark an 0.5-mm-deep mark on a 2-mm-thick stainless steel plate, deep-hole marking can complete eight to ten pieces per minute, while electrochemical marking, because of the need to repeatedly submerge and rinse the piece, can handle no more than three pieces per minute.However, when it comes to hard-to-process materials like titanium alloys, the electrochemical stability is more reliable.

Training costs.

New employees can learn the basic skills required for deep-hole engraving in just three days.In electrochemistry, they have to be trained for two weeks, and take a test to get a certificate in the handling of chemical products.Many factory owners complain that "young people today are very mobile, and they'll leave for another job after just a couple of months of training.The answer is "No.

How to pick the best deal.

A practical suggestion: If you are mainly doing standard products such as signs and knives, and the order volume is large, then go for deep-hole marking without hesitation.If you want to take on orders for the aerospace or medical industries, you will need to be able to handle special materials and complicated designs, so you still have to have electrochemical equipment.Of course the smartest way is to combine the strengths of both technologies," he says. "One of our customers does this. He uses lasers for regular orders, and switches to electrochemical etching when he runs into a difficult problem.

Finally, we'd like to remind readers not to be swayed by equipment prices alone. Make a table comparing the costs of consumables, labor, and maintenance over the next three years, and you'll see which process is really right for you.