What etchant does GE recommend for titanium?

Hydrofluoric-acid-based chemistry — typically 5–10% HF combined with HNO₃ to keep the surface passive-free. The exact blend depends on the alloy: CP-Ti takes ~5% HF, Ti-6Al-4V needs more HNO₃ to dissolve the vanadium-rich intermetallic phases. We never use HCl on titanium — the chloride pitting is unacceptable. All wetted parts are PFA or PTFE.

Is HF really safe to operate?

Yes — with the right hardware. GE titanium etching machines have PFA-lined tanks, full enclosure, closed-loop exhaust, a calcium-gluconate neutralisation station, HF-specific respirators and a low-level HF sensor that interlocks the line if a leak is detected. Operators only ever interact with the cabinet, never with the bulk chemistry. Training is part of every installation.

What about hydrogen pickup — is there a risk of embrittlement?

Ti-Fe couples release hydrogen during the etch, and α-phase titanium can absorb hydrogen and become brittle. GE's titanium lines include an H₂-detector in the cabinet exhaust plus a downstream vacuum-dehydrogenation module (option). For aerospace heat-shield shims where hydrogen embrittlement is a Tier-1 concern, the dehydro step is mandatory.

What's the tolerance?

±0.02 mm land width on horizontal precision; ±0.01 mm positional on vertical precision. Sidewall is straight — chemistry is isotropic but with the addition of nitric acid stays vertical to within 3°. For FCEV BPPs we recommend the land-width tolerance plus a flatness scan; GE etching lines ship with optional optical flatness measurement inline.

What's the smallest feature you can etch in titanium?

On a 0.05 mm CP-Ti foil, GE super thin-plate etching machines deliver features down to ~0.04 mm with ±0.005 mm positional. For Ti-6Al-4V at 0.10 mm, the smallest reliable feature is about 0.06 mm. Below those limits the etch slugs and lateral etch consumes the feature.

Home/Etching Machines/Titanium

Titanium etching machine

Photochemical etching for CP-Ti, Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) & titanium alloys. Hydrofluoric-acid-based chemistry, PFA-lined cabinets, closed-loop exhaust and full neutralisation loop — ±0.02 mm, burr-free, 0.02–1.0 mm. Aerospace heat shields, FCEV bipolar plates, medical implants.

Titanium is the most demanding metal on an etching line. The chemistry is HF-based (with HNO₃ to release the passivation layer); every wetted surface must be PFA or PTFE; hydrogen pickup needs to be controlled; spent acid must go through a calcium-gluconate neutralisation loop. GE has shipped titanium etching lines since 2011, originally for FCEV bipolar plates and aerospace heat shields.

By grade

Titanium grades & their machines

🔹 CP-Ti (Grade 1–4)

Pure Ti. ~5% HF + HNO₃. Heat shields, foil gaskets. Super thin-plate

🔹 Ti-6Al-4V (TC4 / Grade 5)

Workhorse alloy. ~8% HF + HNO₃ + activator. BPPs, ortho. BPP line

🔹 Ti-3Al-2.5V (Grade 9)

Tubing alloy. Acid blend tuned for tubing. Hydraulic & aerospace.

🔹 Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-6Mo

High-temperature alloy. Aerospace line

🔹 Ti-Nb / Ti-Mo (β-alloys)

Biomedical / aerospace. Special chemistry on request.

🔹 Titanium foil 0.02–0.10 mm

Sensor mesh & acoustic webs. Super thin-plate

Recommended configuration

Titanium etching machines

Production Precision horizontal etching machine for titanium

Precision Horizontal Etching Machine (PFA-lined)

Etch area650 × 2000 mm
Sheet thickness0.10–1.0 mm
Tolerance±0.02 mm
EtchantHF 5–10% + HNO₃
SafetyPFA cabinet, HF sensor, Ca-gluconate neutraliser

Workhorse for aerospace shims, medical implants, BPPs.

View specs →

Foil

Super Thin-Plate Etching Machine (PFA-lined)

Etch area400 × 1000 mm
Foil thickness0.02–0.10 mm
Tolerance±0.005 mm
EtchantDilute HF + HNO₃, low-flow
Best forFuel-cell webs, RFI mesh

Built for ultra-thin Ti foil that ordinary lines can't handle.

View specs →

By application

Titanium parts on GE lines

FCEV bipolar plates

316L & Ti BPPs for hydrogen stacks. ±0.02 mm land. →

Aerospace heat shields

0.02–0.10 mm Ti shims & honeycomb webs. →

Medical implants

Bone plates, orthodontic brackets, biopsy meshes. →

EV battery / exhaust

FCEV BPPs in passenger vehicles, exhaust shims. →

GE-JM Series — the lineup

Titanium etching: pick the right machine

Titanium is etched in HF chemistry — every wetted part must be PFA or PTFE, and the cabinet must be HF-grade.

GE-JM650-T GE-JM650-T titanium etching machine

GE-JM650-T — Conveyorised Acid-Spray

Conveyorised acid-based etching for titanium aerospace, medical, BPP work.

Etching process	Acid-based (HF + HNO₃) for titanium
Power	45 kW / 380 V / 50 Hz
Working width	650 mm
Working height	850 mm (+/-50 mm adjust)
Min / Max board	120 × 80 mm / 650 × 650 mm (custom)
Develop type	Double-spray + oscillate
Workpiece thickness	0.2–8.0 mm
Working temperature	35–55 °C
Conveyor speed	0.5–6 m/min
Cabinet	High-temp German PP, ≤100 °C
Machine dimension	8000 × 1700 × 1850 mm

Process flow: Load → HF/HNO₃ chemical etch → cascade water wash → Inspection → Strip → Cold & hot dry → Unload.

GE-TS650-T GE-TS650-T vertical precision titanium etching machine

GE-TS650-T — Vertical Precision

For stents, scalpels, orthodontic parts — bench-top titanium precision.

Etch area	650 × 650 mm
Thickness	0.05–5.0 mm
Tolerance	±0.02 mm
Spray	Top & bottom oscillating, 4 kW
Tank volume	400 L PFA-lined
Cabinet	PP, ≤100 °C
Safety	HF sensor, Ca-gluconate neutraliser
Dimension	1850 × 1650 × 1550 mm

GE-JM400-T GE-JM400-T titanium foil etching

GE-JM400-T — Thin-Foil Module

For thin titanium foil — heat-shield webs and acoustic panels down to 0.02 mm.

Working width	400 mm
Foil thickness	0.02–0.10 mm
Tolerance	±0.005 mm
Spray	Low-flow double-side oscillating
Cabinet	PFA-lined, ≤100 °C
Dimension	Approx. 6500 × 1500 × 1700 mm

Titanium — why the line is more expensive

A titanium etching line costs 30–50% more than the same line in stainless because every wetted part (cabinet, piping, pump heads, nozzle blocks) must be PFA or PTFE-lined — the HF chemistry dissolves stainless and PP within weeks. The control system also has to integrate an HF-specific sensor and a calcium-gluconate neutraliser, plus the H₂-dehydro module if hydrogen embrittlement is in scope (common for aerospace heat-shield shims).

The GE-JM650-T is the workhorse — a 45 kW conveyorised line producing ≈ 120 m² of etched titanium per shift. When we ship a JM650-T we also send a chemistry trainer and a 1-day on-site safety module — HF burns require calcium gluconate gel, not water, and every operator has to know that.

Related etching lines & guides

Six things to read next — same chemistry, similar tolerances, or the next step in your process.

Planning a titanium etching line?

Tell us your alloy (CP-Ti / TC4 / Grade 9), thickness and volume. We'll spec the PFA-lined cabinet, the HF chemistry loop and the neutralisation station.

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