Photo Etching Vs. Other Cutting Techniques
| Photo Etching* | Stamping | Electroforming | Wire EDM | Laser Cut | Water Jet | |
| Test Samples < 100 | Low cost | High cost | Low cost | Low cost | Low cost | Medium cost |
| Burrs | Zero burrs | Partial burring | Zero burrs | Micro burring | Micro burring | Micro burring |
| Metals | All base metals & alloys | Metal alloys | Mainly Gold, Copper & Nickel | Metal alloys | Metal alloys | All base metals & alloys |
| Stress | No stress | Stress at the cutting edge | Low stress | Structural changes may occur | Thermal stress | Stress at the cutting edge |
| Design Changes | Fast & cost effective | Very costly & time consuming | Fast & cost effective | Fast & cost effective | Fast & cost effective | Fast & cost effective |
| Lead Time | < 24-48 hours | Several weeks | Several days | 48 hours | 48 hours | 48 hours |
| Hardness | No limits | Issues with soft & brittle metals | Limited | Limited hardness | No limits | Limited hardness |
| Tolerances (% of material thickness) | ± 10% | ± 10% | ± 5% | ± 10% | ± 5% | ± 15% |
