Complete process for stainless steel decoration plate etching: 7-step workflow from substrate prep to color filling. Etching parameters, quality control, throughput and line layout for elevator and architectural panels.
Decoration plate etching is the chemical process used to produce patterned stainless steel sheets for elevator cabins, wall cladding, ceiling panels, kitchen backsplashes and architectural facades. A photoresist is applied to the stainless surface, exposed to UV light through a patterned phototool, then developed to reveal the pattern. The exposed metal is etched away by ferric chloride (FeCl3) spray, leaving a recessed pattern that can be left as-is, color-filled, or texture-brushed for tactile finish.
Compared with mechanical engraving, chemical etching delivers: (1) uniform depth across the entire sheet (no tool wear), (2) repeatable pattern across 10,000+ identical panels, (3) sharp detail down to 0.1 mm line width, (4) no mechanical stress on the stainless surface (preserves corrosion resistance).
1. Substrate preparation: degrease the stainless sheet in alkaline cleaner, then rinse with DI water and dry. Surface must be free of oil, dust and oxide.
2. Photoresist coating: apply UV-sensitive dry film or liquid photoresist to both sides, then pre-bake at 80–90 °C for 10–15 min.
3. Exposure: expose the photoresist to UV light through a phototool film carrying your pattern. Hardened areas will resist etching; unexposed areas will be washed away in the developer.
4. Development: spray the sheet with sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) developer at 30–35 °C, washing away unexposed photoresist and exposing the bare stainless pattern to be etched.
5. Etching: spray ferric chloride (FeCl3) at 40–50 °C, 38–42°Bé. Typical etch rate 0.025 mm/min for 304 stainless. Cycle time 8–15 min depending on desired depth.
6. Resist stripping: strip residual photoresist with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 60–70 °C.
7. Color filling & protective film (optional): apply titanium or chrome-based color into the etched recesses (gold, black, bronze, copper, or custom). Apply PE protective film for scratch protection during shipping and installation.
Wood grain pattern: 0.10–0.20 mm line width, 0.05–0.15 mm depth, etch time 4–8 min.
Marble / stone pattern: 0.30–1.0 mm wide channels, 0.15–0.30 mm depth, etch time 8–12 min.
Linen / fabric pattern: 0.15–0.30 mm crossed lines, 0.08–0.15 mm depth, etch time 5–10 min.
Geometric / custom artwork: 0.10–0.50 mm line width, 0.10–0.50 mm depth, etch time 6–20 min depending on density.
Etch depth: measured with a dial depth gauge at 5 positions per panel; tolerance ±0.02 mm.
Pattern accuracy: visual + 10x microscope inspection; reject panels with pattern shift >0.1 mm.
Color adhesion: cross-hatch tape test per ASTM D3359; rating 5B required for exterior panels.
Surface roughness: Ra 0.4–0.8 µm for visible texture, Ra <0.2 µm for mirror-finish back-plate.
Salt spray test: 500 h neutral salt spray (ASTM B117) for exterior grade 316 stainless.
A standard 9-stage decoration plate etching line has: 1.5 m cleaning, 1.5 m coating, 2.0 m exposure, 1.5 m developing, 4.0 m etching tunnel (with 4 spray headers), 2.0 m rinsing, 1.5 m stripping, 2.0 m drying, 2.0 m color-filling & film applicator. Total line length ~25 m.
Throughput for a 1.2 m conveyor line: 60–120 panels per shift at 1.5 m/min conveyor speed, 4 min cycle per panel. Annual capacity at 3 shifts: 100,000–200,000 panels.
Decoration plate etching is a 7-step chemical process that produces patterned stainless steel sheets for elevator, architectural and interior decoration. Choose a turnkey line with cleaning — coating — exposure — developing — etching — stripping — color-filling — protective film in a single conveyor. Beijing Golden Eagle supplies complete 9-stage decoration plate etching lines from 600 mm to 1500 mm conveyor width, with CE certification, English manual, on-site commissioning and 12-month warranty.
Most 304 / 304L / 316 / 316L stainless steel sheets from 0.4–3.0 mm thickness can be etched. For elevator and architectural panels, 1.0–1.5 mm 304 with 2B or BA finish is the industry standard. We can also etch 201 / 430 stainless for cost-sensitive projects.
Standard precision is ±0.05 mm with minimum line width 0.15 mm. For fine-text decoration panels (wood grain, geometric pattern) we routinely achieve 0.1 mm line width. Etch depth is adjustable in 0.01 mm steps, typically 0.05–0.3 mm for visible texture, deeper for tactile patterns.
Virtually any 2D pattern: wood grain, marble, linen, geometric, floral, custom artwork. We convert your artwork (AI / DXF / PDF) into a phototool film, then mass-produce identical plates. Repeat accuracy is ±0.03 mm across 1,000+ panels.
For a full 7-stage line: cleaning 3 min → coating 2 min → pre-bake 10 min → exposure 2 min → developing 2 min → etching 8–15 min → stripping 3 min. Total cycle: roughly 30–40 min per panel, or 60–120 panels per 8-hour shift on a 1.2 m conveyor line.
Yes. Our turnkey line includes an optional color-filling station (titanium or chrome-based, in gold, black, bronze, copper, or custom color) and a PE protective film applicator. The protective film is applied after etching and color-filling to keep the plate scratch-free during installation.