Manufacturer of highly precise photo-etched parts via metal etching, reel-to-reel strip etching and etch-laser technology
Ätztechnik Herz GmbH & Co. KG
Epfendorf am Neckar (headquarters, production) · Epfendorf am Neckar ÄH2 (reel-to-reel/strip production, 8400 m²) · Epfendorf am Neckar ÄH3 (warehouse and logistics) · Epfendorf am NeckarNew on Amplifa
About Ätztechnik Herz
Ätztechnik Herz GmbH & Co. KG has been manufacturing highly precise photo-etched metal parts since 1974. The photochemical etching process (metal etching) enables burr-free, filigree components with precision down to the hundredth-of-a-millimetre range at material thicknesses of 0.01 to 1.0 mm. The company offers production from blanks (panel lengths up to 725 mm), as reel-to-reel strip etching for medium and large series, and as combined etch-laser technology (tolerance ±0.05 mm) for metal thicknesses up to 3 mm. With Speedline, prototypes and sample parts are available within 24 or 48 hours or 5 working days. Around 700 material grades are held in stock, including tin bronze, brass, nickel silver, pure nickel, Mu-Metall and Nicrofer. The etched parts are used in the automotive, electronics, medical, aerospace, optics/sensor technology and design industries. At the main site in Epfendorf am Neckar, around 8400 m² of production, warehouse and logistics space is available; around 2000 new parts are produced each year. The company collaborates with KIT, Steinbeis and Fraunhofer on research and development projects.
- Site
- Epfendorf am Neckar
- Processes
- Metal etching (photochemical etching, blanks), Reel-to-reel (strip etching), Etch-laser technology (combined etching and laser cutting), Laser cutting (Lasertechnik Herz, subsidiary), Manufacture of ceramic substrates, Speedline (fast production in 24h / 48h / 5 working days), Surface treatment (gold plating, silver plating, tin plating, chrome plating, oxidising, coatings), Bending (with etched bending edges)
- Materials
- Tin bronze (CuSn8 H230), Tin bronze (CuSn6 H160/H180), Wieland L49 (CuNi9Sn2 R500), Pure nickel 99.6 (Ni 99.6 / AiSi302), Nicrofer, Nickel silver (CuNi18Zn20), Mu-Metall (NiFe16CuMo), Brass (CuZn37 R550 / R410)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, ISO 14001, AEO certificate of the European Community, AEO certificate, Cleanliness according to VDA 19 (in adaptation)
- Founded
- 1974
- Industries
- Automotive, Electronics, Medical, Aerospace, Optics/Sensor technology, Design
- 01
Tooling development from CAD data (optical tool)
- 02
Pre-treatment of the metal blanks
- 03
Double-sided laminating with UV film
- 04
Exposure and development
- 05
Double-sided metal etching (burr-free)
- 06
Stripping, blanking out, bending if required
- 07
Surface treatment (e.g. gold plating, silver plating, tin plating)
- 08
100% AOI inspection, final inspection and packaging (returnable packaging/KLT)
Materials & Processes
Tin bronze CuSn6
Spring bronze in many thicknesses from 0.030 mm, standard material for contact and spring etched parts.
Tin bronze CuSn8 H230
Higher-strength tin bronze with HV >230 for stressed spring components.
Wieland L49 (CuNi9Sn2)
High-strength copper-nickel-tin material (R500) for demanding contacts.
Nickel silver CuNi18Zn20
Nickel silver with good spring properties and an elegant look, frequently used in design and electronics.
Brass CuZn37
Machining and etching material in thicknesses from 0.025 mm for electronics and design.
Pure nickel 99.6
Pure nickel for applications with high demands on corrosion resistance and magnetic properties.
Nicrofer (Invar/nickel-chromium-iron)
Material for applications with extreme temperature fluctuations, e.g. aerospace.
Mu-Metall (NiFe16CuMo)
Soft-magnetic nickel-iron alloy material for shielding applications in sensor technology.
Sites
Ätztechnik Herz, Epfendorf am Neckar
DEHeadquarters and production (blanks, etch-laser technology)
- Lot size
- Prototype to series
- Materials
- around 700 material grades, including tin bronze, nickel silver, brass, pure nickel
- Etching systems
- Direct exposure units (since 2021)
- AOI inspection machine
- Laser cutting machine (Lasertechnik Herz)
- Cleanroom
ÄH2, Epfendorf am Neckar
DEReel-to-reel production (strip etching) and strip production
- Lot size
- Medium and large series
- Materials
- Metal strips
- Reel-to-reel strip etching system
- AOI inspection machine
- Machine-based final inspection
- Finished goods warehouse
ÄH3, Epfendorf am Neckar
DEWarehouse and logistics (Hetzel site)
- Storage of customer material
- Returnable packaging/KLT container cleaning
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal etching (photochemical etching, blanks)Etching/Chemical cutting | down to the hundredth-of-a-millimetre range | 725 mm (panel length) | – | – | around 700 material grades, incl. tin bronze, nickel silver, |
| Reel-to-reel (strip etching)Etching/Chemical cutting | – | – | – | medium and large quantities / series | Metal strips |
| Etch-laser technology (combined etching and laser cutting)Etching/Chemical cutting | ± 0.05 mm | – | – | – | Metal |
| Laser cutting (Lasertechnik Herz, subsidiary)Laser processing | – | – | – | – | Metal |
| Manufacture of ceramic substratesEtching/Chemical cutting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Speedline (fast production in 24h / 48h / 5 working days)Etching/Chemical cutting | – | – | – | max. 5 panels (24h), max. 15 panels | Stocked materials |
| Surface treatment (gold plating, silver plating, tin plating, chrome plating, oxidising, coatings)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bending (with etched bending edges)Forming | – | – | – | – | – |
| Degating/punching out of reel-to-reel parts (by AOI inspection machine)Machining/Punching technology | – | – | – | – | – |
| Blanking out of etched parts (from etch panels)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| 100% fully automatic optical inspection (AOI)Inspection | – | – | – | – | – |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reel-to-reel strip etching system (ÄH2 reel-to-reel) | – | – | – | – | Ätztechnik Herz, Epfendorf (ÄH2) |
| Direct exposure unit | – | – | – | 2021 | Ätztechnik Herz |
| AOI inspection machine (fully automatic optical inspection) | – | – | – | – | Ätztechnik Herz |
| Laser cutting machine (Lasertechnik Herz) | – | – | – | erster Las | Lasertechnik Herz (subsidiary) |
| Machine-based final inspection | – | – | – | – | Ätztechnik Herz (ÄH2) |
Additional services
Quality
Reel-to-reel strips are 100% fully automatically visually inspected by an AOI inspection machine; defective parts are marked or punched out. Machine-based final inspection takes place at the ÄH2 site; cleanliness requirements are met in accordance with VDA 19.
| Evidence | Epfendorf am Neckar |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | |
| IATF 16949:2016 | |
| ISO 14001 | |
| AEO certificate | |
| Cleanliness according to VDA 19 (in adaptation) |
History
- 1974
Founding of Ätztechnik Herz in Bochingen on 01.04.1974
- 1980
Move to the first own buildings in Epfendorf
- 1985
Expansion with a second hall providing additional production space
- 1994
Introduction of ISO 9001 and purchase of the first laser
- 1995
Construction of the new etching hall and quality assurance facilities
- 1998
Introduction of EMAS
- 1999
First production of reel-to-reel products
- 2002
Construction of the blue warehouse hall
- 2003
EMAS replaced by ISO 14001
- 2005
Start of series production of reel-to-reel products
- 2007
Split into three businesses: ÄH, Lasertechnik Herz and ÄH Substrate
- 2008
Purchase and conversion of the Stehle company into today's Lasertechnik Herz building
- 2009
Introduction of ISO TS 16949
- 2012
Additional storey added to the production hall, construction of the new cleanroom
- 2013
Sale and relocation of ÄH Substrate to Manila
- 2016
Acquisition of the Hetzel site for warehouse & logistics; completion of the new ÄH2 building
- 2017
Commissioning of ÄH2 (reel-to-reel, strip production) and ÄH3; new facilities on 8400 m²
- 2021
Commissioning of the direct exposure unit
- 2024
50 years of Ätztechnik Herz – anniversary year