Description
Etch designs, lettering, patterns, or circuitry onto metal, glass, plastic, or other materials using chemical, photoresist, or abrasive processes. Set up masks and equipment, prepare etchants, run exposures and etch cycles, and inspect results to meet specifications.
- • Adjust etch depth and image size by setting exposure time, solution concentration, temperature, agitation, or blast pressure.
- • Etch patterns, designs, trademarks, or lettering on flat or curved metal, glass, plastic, or ceramic surfaces.
- • Position and secure workpieces, plates, or rollers in fixtures, tanks, or cabinets.
- • Set up and operate etching, exposure, and sandblasting equipment to reproduce designs on workpieces, plates, or rollers.
- • Inspect etched surfaces for depth, uniformity, undercutting, pinholes, and other defects; rework as needed.
- • Measure and calculate dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be etched.
- • Start equipment and align workpieces to starting positions; monitor process parameters.
- • Clean and polish etched areas to required finish.
- • Review sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photos to plan masking and etching steps.
- • Prepare etching solutions to specified concentrations, safely diluting acids and mixing additives.
- • Sandblast masked areas to cut designs using spray guns or blasting cabinets.
- • Set reduction scales or digital settings to achieve specified image size and target etch depth.
- • Rinse and neutralize workpieces to remove acid, resist, or enamel using water, solvents, or specialized equipment.
- • Inspect etch depth and feature quality using microscopes, gauges, or magnifiers.
- • Prepare workpieces by cutting, sanding, degreasing, polishing, and applying wax, acid resist, photoresist, or light-sensitive coatings.
- • Produce proofs or test panels to verify artwork accuracy and process settings.
- • Transfer images to workpieces using contact printers, photoresist exposure, silkscreen, or stamp pads.
- • Lay out or scribe guide lines and designs using pencils, scribers, or resist pens.
- • Remove completed workpieces from equipment and place them in trays or racks.
- • Strip wax, tape, or resist from etched parts by scraping or hot-water or solvent baths.
- • Fill etched characters with opaque paste, paint, or ink to improve readability or contrast.
- • Apply etchants or patinas by brushing, wiping, or dipping to develop or darken designs.
- • Expose workpieces to etchants to develop patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures, following safety procedures.
- • Use computer software to design artwork, masks, or stencils for etching.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
