Chemical milling (CHM) is a process that uses controlled chemical dissolution to remove material from a workpiece. It involves masking areas not to be removed, then immersing the workpiece in an etching solution to dissolve the exposed material. Key steps are masking, scribing the mask to expose areas for etching, immersing in etchant, and removing the mask. Factors like etchant type/concentration, temperature, material properties, and process parameters influence the etch rate and surface finish. With proper controls, CHM can produce pockets, contours and complex shapes to tight tolerances and surface roughness of 0.1-0.8 μm.

1. Chemical Milling

2. 1. Introduction
 Chemical milling (CHM) is a controlled chemical
dissolution (CD) of the workpiece material by
contacting with a strong reagent.
 Special coatings called maskants protect areas from
which the metal is not to be removed.
 The process is used to produce pockets and
contours and to remove materials from parts having
a high strength-to-weight ratio.

3. CHM consists of the following steps:
1. Preparing and pre-cleaning the workpiece surface. This
provides good adhesion of the masking material and assures
the absence of contaminants that might interfere with the
machining process.
2. Masking using readily strippable masks, which are
chemically impregnable and adherent enough to stand
chemical abrasion during etching.

4. 3. Scribing of the mask, which is guided by templates to expose
the areas that receive CHM.
 The type of mask selected depends on the size of the
workpiece, the number of parts to be made, and the desired
resolution of details.
 Silk-screen masks are preferred for shallow cuts requiring
close dimensional tolerances.
4. The workpiece is then etched and rinsed, and the mask is
removed before the part is finished.

5.  During CHM (Fig. 1), the depth of the etch is controlled
by the time of immersion.
 In order to avoid uneven machining, the chemicals that
impinge on the surface being machined should be fresh.
 The chemicals used are very corrosive and, therefore,
must be handled with adequate safety precautions.
 Both the vapours and the effluents must be suitably
controlled for environmental protection.
 Agitation of the workpiece and fluid is usual; however,
excessive solution flow may result in channeling, grooves,
or ridges.
 Inclination of the workpiece may prevent channeling
from gas bubbles.

6. Figure 1. CHM setup.

7.  Typical reagent temperatures range from 37 to 85°C. Faster
etching rates occur at higher temperatures, but must be
controlled within ±5°C of the desired temperature in order
to attain uniform machining.
 When mask is used, the machining action proceeds both
inward from the mask opening, laterally beneath the mask
thus creating the etch factor as shown in Fig. 2.
 The etch factor is the ratio of the undercut d to the depth of
etch T. This ratio must be considered when scribing the
mask using templates.
 A typical etch factor of 1:1 occurs at a cut depth of 1.27 mm.
Deeper cuts can reduce this ratio to 1:3.
 The radii of the fillet produced will be approximately equal
to the depth of etch.

8. Figure 2 Etch factor after CHM.

9.  CHM will not eliminate surface irregularities, dents,
scratches, or waviness.
 Tapered cuts and stepped cuts (Fig. 3), can also be produced
without masking the workpiece by controlling the depth and
rate of immersion or withdrawal and the number of
immersions respectively.
 Successive steps of mask removal and immersion as shown
in Fig. 4 can achieve stepped cuts.

10. Figure 3 Machining tapers and steps by CHM.

11. Figure 4 Contour cuts by CHM.

12. Tooling for CHM
 Tooling for CHM is relatively inexpensive and simple to
modify.
 Four different types of tools are required:
 maskants,
 etchants,
 scribing templates, and
 accessories.

13. Maskants:
 Maskants are generally used to protect parts of the
workpiece where chemical dissolution (CD) action is not
needed.
 Synthetic or rubber base materials are frequently used.
 Table 3.1 shows the different maskants and etchants for
several materials together with the etch rate and etch factor.

15. Maskants should, however, possess the following properties:
1. Be tough enough to withstand handling
2. Adhere well to the workpiece surface
3. Scribe easily
4. Be inert to the chemical reagent used
5. Be able to withstand the heat generated during etching
6. Could be removed easily after etching
7. Inexpensive

16.  Multiple coats of maskant are frequently used to increase
the etchant resistance and avoid the formation of pinholes
on the machined surfaces.
 When thicker, rougher dip or spray coatings are used,
deeper cuts that require long exposure time to the etchant
can be achieved.
 Dip, brush, spray, roller, and electro-coating as well as
adhesive tapes can be used to apply masks.

17.  Spraying the mask on the workpiece through silk screen,
on which the desired design is imposed, combines the
maskant application with the scribing operation since no
peeling is required.
 The product quality is, therefore, improved as is the
ability to generate finer details.

18.  The accuracy obtained for lateral dimensions depends on
the complexity of the masking. Typical tolerances for the
different masks are as follows:
– Cut-and-peel masks ±0.179 mm
– Silk-screen resist ±0.077 mm
– Photoresist ±0.013 mm

19. Etchants:
Etchants (see Table 3.1) are acid or alkaline solutions
maintained within a controlled range of chemical
composition and temperature.
Their main technical goals are to achieve the following:
1. Good surface finish
2. Uniformity of metal removal
3. Control of selective and intergranular attack
4. Control of hydrogen absorption in the case of titanium
alloys
5. Maintenance of personal safety
6. Best price and reliability for the materials to be used in
the construction of the process tank

20. 7. Maintenance of air quality and avoidance of possible
environmental Problems.
8. Low cost per unit weight dissolved
9. Ability to regenerate the etchant solution and/or readily
neutralize and dispose of its waste products

21. Scribing templates
 Scribing templates are used to define the areas for
exposure to the chemical machining action.
 The most common workpiece scribing method is to cut
the mask with a sharp knife followed by careful peeling of
the mask from the selected areas. Layout lines or simple
templates of metal or fiberglass guide the scribing
process. The etch factor allowance must be included in
any method used for the scribing operation.
 The negative (used in PCM) or its layout and the template
or the silk screen must allow for the degree of
undercutting expected during etching.
 Figure 3.5 shows numerical control (NC) laser scribing of
masks for CHM of a large surface area.

22. Figure 3.5 Laser cutting of masks for CHM of large surfaces (Tlusty, 1999).

23. Accessories
 Accessories include tanks, hooks, brackets, racks, and
fixtures.
 These are used for single- or-multiple-piece handling into
and out of the etchants and rinses.

24. Process parameters
CHM process parameters include:
 the reagent solution type,
 concentration,
 properties,
 mixing,
 operating temperature, and
 circulation.

25. The process is also affected by the maskant and its
application. These parameters will have direct impacts on
the workpiece regarding the following:
1. Etch factor (d/T )
2. Etching and machining rate
3. Production tolerance
4. Surface finish

26. To machine high-quality and low-cost parts using CHM, one must
consider:
 the heat treatment state of the workpiece,
 the grain size and range of the workpiece material,
 the size and finish control prior to CHM,
 the direction of rolling and
 weld joints, and the degree of cold work.

27. Material removal rate
 The material removal or etch rate depends upon the
chemical and metallurgical uniformity of the workpiece
and the uniformity of the solution temperature.
 As shown in Figs. 3.6 and 3.7, castings, having the largest
grain size, show the roughest surface together with the
lowest machining rate.
 Rolled metal sheets have the highest machining rate
accompanied by the best surface quality. Etching rates
were high for hard metals and were low for softer ones.
 Generally, the high etch rate is accompanied by a low
surface roughness and, hence, narrow machining
tolerances.

28. Figure 3.6 CHM average roughness of some alloys after removing 0.25 to 0.4
mm (El-Hofy, 1995 ).

29. Figure 3.7 Surface roughness and etch rate of some alloys after
removing 0.25 to 0.4 mm (El-Hofy, 1995).

30. Accuracy and surface finish
 In CHM, the metal is dissolved by the CD action. This
machining phase takes place both at the individual grain
surfaces as well as at the grain boundaries.
 Fine grain size and homogenous metallurgical structure are,
therefore, necessary, for fine surface quality of uniform
appearance.
 Surfaces machined by CHM do not have a regular lay
pattern.
 Based on the grain size, orientation, heat treatment, and
previously induced stresses,

31.  every material has a basic surface finish that results from
CHM for a certain period of time.
 While surface imperfections will not be eliminated by CHM,
any prior surface irregularities, waviness, dents, or scratches
will be slightly altered and reproduced in the machined
surface.

32.  The machining rate affects the surface
roughness and hence the tolerance produced.
 Generally, slow etching will produce a surface
finish similar to the original one. Figure 3.7
shows typical surface roughnesses for different
materials.
 The orientation of the areas being etched with
respect to the rolling direction or the direction
of the grain in the workpiece is also important
for good CHM surfaces. The depth of cut
tolerance increases when machining larger
depths at high machining rates.

33.  Aluminum and magnesium alloys can be controlled more
closely than steel, nickel, or titanium alloys. An etching rate
of 0.025 mm/mm with tolerances of ±10 percent of the cut
width can be achieved depending on the workpiece material
and depth of cut.
 The surface roughness is also influenced by the initial
workpiece roughness. It increases as the metal ion
concentration rises in the etchant.
 For low machining depths, <200 μm, the roughness sharply
increases with the depth of cut, while at higher depths a
slight change in the roughness is evident.

34.  Figure 3.7 shows the dependence of the surface roughness
and etch rate on the workpiece material.
 Typically, surface roughness of 0.1 to 0.8 μm, depending on
the initial roughness, can be obtained.
 However, under special conditions, roughness of 0.025 to
0.05 μm become possible (Machining Data Handbook,
1997).

35. Advantages
 The process has the following advantages:
 Weight reduction is possible on complex contours that
are difficult to machine using conventional methods.
 Simultaneous material removal, from all surfaces,
improves productivity and reduces wrapping.
 No burrs are formed.
 No stress is introduced to the workpiece, which
minimizes the part distortion and makes machining of
delicate parts possible.

36.  A continuous taper on contoured sections is achievable.
 The capital cost of equipment, used for machining large
components, is relatively low.
 Design changes can be implemented quickly.
 A less skilled operator is needed.

37.  Tooling costs are minor.
 The good surface quality in addition to the absence of burrs
eliminates the need for finishing operations.
 Multiple parts having fine details can be machined by the
gang method.
 Decorative finishes and extensive thin-web areas are
possible.
 There are low scrap rates (3 percent).

38. Limitations
CHM does have limitations and areas of disadvantage:
 Only shallow cuts are practical: up to 12.27 mm for sheets and
plates, 3.83 mm on extrusions, and 6.39 mm on forgings.
 Handling and disposal of chemicals can be troublesome.
 Hand masking, scribing, and stripping can be time-consuming,
repetitive, and tedious.
 Surface imperfections are reproduced in the machined parts.
 Metallurgical homogeneous surfaces are required for best results.
 Deep narrow cuts are difficult to produce.
 Fillet radii are fixed by the depth of cut.
 Porous castings yield uneven etched surfaces.

39.  Welded areas frequently etch at rates that differ from the
base metal.
 Material removal from one side of residually stressed
material can result in a considerable distortion.
 The absence of residual stresses on the chemically
machined surfaces can produce unfavourable fatigue
strength compared with the processes that induce
compressive residual stresses.
 Hydrogen pickup and intergranular attack are a problem
with some
 materials.

40.  The straightness of the walls is subject to fillet and
undercutting limitations.
 Scribing accuracy is limited and complex designs become
expensive.
 Steep tapers are not practical.

41. Applications
 All the common metals including aluminum, copper,
zinc, steel, lead, and
 nickel can be chemically machined. Many exotic
metals such as titanium,
 molybdenum, and zirconium, as well as nonmetallic
materials including
 glass, ceramics, and some plastics, can also be used
with the process.
 CHM applications range from large aluminum
airplane wing parts to
 minute integrated circuit chips.

42.  The practical depth of cut ranges between 2.54 to 12.27
mm.
 Shallow cuts in large thin sheets are of the most popular
application especially for weight reduction of aerospace
components.
 Multiple designs can be machined from the same sheet at
the same time.
 CHM is used to thin out walls, webs, and ribs of parts that
have been produced by forging, casting, or sheet metal
forming, as shown in Fig. 3.8

43. Figure 3.8 Thinning of parts by CHM (Tlusty, 1999).