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Precision Metal Etching in Newark, NY

Newcut by Fathom provides precision metal etching using photochemical machining in Newark, NY. It produces complex, ultra-thin flat metal parts with fine features and tight tolerances, delivered fast and free of burrs or mechanical stress.
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Our Customers
Ametek
Microflex Technologies
SunPower Corporation
Corning
Moog

Flat Metal Parts, Faster Than Machining

Photochemical machining changes how complex flat parts get made. Because the process needs no hard tooling, parts ship in days rather than the weeks or months that machining and stamping often require, and design changes are easy to accommodate along the way.

The process is also burr-free and stress-free, which means it produces the intricate, ultra-thin features that other methods struggle with or cannot make at all. That opens the door to geometries that would be difficult or impossible to machine.

Photochemical machining scales cleanly, too. The same process moves a part seamlessly from prototype through small-to-mid production volumes, with no heavy tooling investment and no compromises as production quantities grow.

For more than 50 years, the Newark team has been an early innovator and leader in this technology, with a reputation for exceptional quality, accuracy, ad service. It is a capability that very few companies in the country offer.

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What We Build in Newark, NY

Precision metal etching suits a wide range of fine-feature flat parts, including the following.

  • Micro brackets, shims, and washers
  • Encoder disks
  • Fine mesh screens and filters
  • EMI and RF shielding
  • Precision springs and flat springs
  • Connectors and electrical contacts
  • Medical device components
  • Signage and diffusion-bonded parts
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How Precision Metal Etching Works

The photochemical machining process begins with film production. Films are created from a part’s design in a matter of hours, far faster than the hard tooling or workholding fixtures other manufacturing processes require.

From there, the design is printed onto photoresist that is transferred onto a thin sheet of metal. The unprinted photoresist is washed away with a developing solution, leaving a precisely masked piece of metal. That masked metal is sprayed with an acidic etching solution, which removes any unmasked metal, leaving behind a precise, burr-free part.

Because the whole process is chemical rather than mechanical, it holds fine features and tight tolerances in ultra-thin materials without introducing the stress or distortion that mechanical methods can.

See If Etching Fits Your Part
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Burr-Free Finishing and Precision Forming

The etched surface comes out clean and smooth. With no burrs to remove, there is far less post-production, and the manual finishing steps that other processes depend on are largely eliminated.

The facility offers post-processing for customer orders that require it. Plating is outsourced to a local supplier, and heat treatment can enhance the metal’s physical characteristics. Parts that need to be formed are shipped to the nearby Incodema by Fathom facility, which turns etched blanks into complex formed components.

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Metals We Etch in Newark

The facility etches a range of metals, including the following.

  • Stainless steel
  • Nickel alloys
  • Copper alloys
  • Aluminum
  • Specialty metals
Quote a Part in These Metals
Industrial metal sheet manufacturing line with conveyor rollers and heavy machinery in a large factory setting for steel production processes

Industries We Serve from Newark

The facility is built for work where features are small, tolerances are tight, and materials are thin, and its focus reflects that. Aerospace and defense, medical, and electronics sit at the core of the work, each a natural fit for the fine-feature etching niche.

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Photochemical Machining From Fathom – At a Glance

ISO 9001
We build our parts to the highest quality standards
ITAR
We’re registered to build parts for military and government projects
AS 9100
We produce parts for the aerospace industry that meet its exacting standards.
0.001″
We produce precise part features as small as 25 microns

See What Newcut by Fathom Can Build For You

Download our linecard for an overview of our advanced photochemical etching capabilities and the engineering expertise that sets the team apart.

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Why Choose Newcut by Fathom

An Early Innovator in Photo Etching

Newcut was one of the early innovators of photochemical machining and has produced flat precision parts across a wide range of customers, industries, and applications for over 50 years.

A Reputation for Quality and Accuracy

Across five decades, the team has built a reputation for exceptional quality, accuracy, and service that keeps customers coming back.

Short Lead Times

Because photochemical etching needs no hard tooling, the facility delivers short lead times, getting parts to customers in days rather than weeks or months.

A Rare U.S. Capability

Precision photo etching at this level is a capability only a handful of companies in the country offer, which makes the facility a high-value partner for its customers.

The Leader Behind Newark’s Precision

The Newark operation is led by Chelsey Friend, a strategic operations leader dedicated to building high-performing teams and driving continuous improvement across manufacturing operations. With experience spanning production leadership, continuous improvement, production planning, quality, and material coordination, she brings a systems-focused approach that strengthens operational performance while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.

As a servant leader, Chelsey believes the strongest organizations are built by empowering people, fostering collaboration, and creating an environment where employees have the tools, support, and accountability to succeed. She is passionate about developing sustainable processes, eliminating waste, and aligning people, processes, and strategy to deliver lasting results. Check out Chelsey Friend’s LinkedIn profile to see her full career background.

Chelsey Friend

Inside Our Newark Etching Facility

Take a step-by-step tour of precision metal etching at work. This short video walks through the process at the Newark facility in upstate New York, from film production to the finished, burr-free part, so you can see exactly how complex flat metal components come together at Newcut by Fathom.

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Visit Our Newark Facility

While the team partners with companies nationwide, the Newark facility proudly supports customers across upstate New York and beyond, including Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, and communities throughout the wider state.

  • 401 W Shore Blvd, Newark, NY 14513 
  • Phone: 315-331-7680
Contact the Newark Team

Start Your Next Precision Metal Etching Project in Newark

Bring your ultra-thin, fine-feature flat part to a facility built for it. Whether the challenge is a tiny feature, a tight tolerance, or a detail that machining cannot hold, the Newark team delivers precision metal etching fast and free of burrs.

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Common Questions About Precision Metal Etching in Newark

Q.
What is photochemical machining and how does it work?

A.

Precision metal etching, also called photochemical machining, prints a part design onto photoresist on a thin sheet of metal, develops it to mask the metal, and then applies an acidic etching solution that removes the exposed areas. The result is a precise, burr-free flat part, produced without hard tooling.

Q.
Why choose etching over machining or stamping for fine features?

A.

Etching is a chemical process, so it produces fine features and tight tolerances in thin materials without the burrs, deformation, or mechanical stress that machining and stamping can introduce. It also avoids the tooling costs and long lead times that those methods often require for small or intricate parts.

Q.
How fast can you turn around etched parts?

A.

Because the process doesn’t require hard tooling, parts ship in days rather than the weeks or months other manufacturing methods can take. Films are produced from a design in hours, and design changes are easy to accommodate.

Q.
What metals can you etch?

A.

The facility etches stainless steel, nickel alloys, copper alloys, aluminum, and specialty metals, and it specializes in ultra-thin metal components where fine detail and tight tolerances are critical.

Q.
What tolerances and feature sizes can you hold?

A.

The facility produces precise part features as small as 25 microns, or 0.001 inch, holding fine detail that mechanical processes struggle to match.

Q.
Where is the facility located and what regions does it serve?

A.

The facility is located at 401 W Shore Blvd, Newark, NY 14513, and supports customers across upstate New York, including Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, and Albany, as well as companies nationwide.