Ponoko’s metal etching service makes custom PCM products from your digital product designs for businesses and agencies.
What can you make photo etching metal? Just about anything your imagination can dream up. Use photo etch metal to create jewelry, lighting, signs, bookmarks, models, desk and office items, art, electronics enclosures, robots, toys, housewares, business gifts and even custom promotional products. Make anywhere from 1 to 100,000 since there are no minimum requirements.
Getting started with metal etching is easy peasy. Simply upload your product design, and select from our range of sheet metal including stainless steel, brass and copper. Then you’ll get an instant online quote for our photo chemical milling to make, package and ship products directly to your door. Give us the green light and you can have your items in as fast as the same day.
Use our design templates to design your products.
Download design templates >
Metal photo etching, also photo chemical machining or milling (PCM), is a digital making method available online from Ponoko.
It is a subtractive manufacturing process that uses chemicals to cut and engrave flat-sheet metal materials. A photo of your digital design directs the chemical where to cut and engrave the metal sheet in very fine detail.
To cut the metal sheet, the acid eats away all of the metal along the cutting line in your digital design, leaving a 90-degree high-quality cut-edge finish, without burrs or sharp edges.
To engrave the metal sheet, the acid eats away a thin layer of the metal surface along the engraving line or area in your digital design, leaving a subtle surface cavity.
You can photo etch your designs using your very own Personal Factory.