Inspection and Repair After Development in Chemical Etching

Once the photoresist has been exposed and developed, the patterned metal sheet undergoes inspection and repair to ensure accuracy before moving to the etching stage. This step is essential, as any defect left unchecked will directly transfer into the final etched product.

Inspection
The developed patterns are carefully examined under optical inspection systems or microscopes to verify alignment, feature resolution, and line widths. Particular attention is paid to fine details such as narrow slots, micro-holes, and sharp corners. Common issues include incomplete development, pinholes in the resist, or misalignment of double-sided patterns.

Repair
If minor defects are detected, repair is carried out to restore the integrity of the resist layer. Techniques include manual touch-up with UV-curable resist, applying micro-dots of coating to close pinholes, or reworking specific areas with precision tools. This ensures that all non-etched areas are fully protected during the upcoming etching process.

By performing careful inspection and timely repair, manufacturers minimize defects, improve yield, and maintain high consistency across both prototype and volume production. This quality assurance step is critical to achieving the precision and reliability that chemical etching is known for.