12 STEPS ZINC ETCHING PROCEDURE

1. STORAGE 9. PLATE PROTECTOR

Store zinc photoplates in a cool, dry place. An application of Express Guard Plate Protector is
recommended prior to etching to enhance
2. ARTWORK performance of etching bath by preventing
Inspect negative carefully and opaque pinholes oxidation which can cause pimples.
in the black areas. Pinholes result in pimply
etching if not opaqued. 10. ETCH
Etch plates according to recommendations of
3. EXPOSURE etching machine manufacturers and additive
Expose using a Stouffer 21-Step Sensitivity technical data sheets.
Guide to a solid step 8-10. Overexposure causes
excessive shadow-dot plugging and does not 11. REPLENISH BATH
increase etching resistance of coating. Record plate weight after etching to determine
Underexposure causes wash-off in development proper acid replenishment. Refer to acid addition
and etching failure. chart on last page. Use the following formula to
calculate replenishment (where 1:1 represents 30
4. DEVELOPING milliliters of acid per ounce of zinc dissolved into
Mix one part of Heated or Cold Hydro-Coat bath):
Developer with five parts water. Heated Hydro-
Coat Developer should be used at 105°-115°F Initial plate weight - Post etching plate weight =
(41°-46°C). Cold Hydro-Coat Developer can be amount of zinc dissolved
used at room temperature 70°-85°F (21°-29°C).
In case of evaporation loss when using Hydro- Rate of replenishment (1:1 or 1.5:1) will depend
Coat Developer, water alone should be added upon how much zinc is in the bath. Refer to
back to developer solution. DO NOT add back recommendations of equipment manufacturer.
concentrate Hydro-Coat Developer to
compensate for evaporation loss. Heated Hydro- Example: 38.2 - 31.7 = 6.5 ozs. of zinc dissolved at
Coat Developer should be changed when a rate of 1:1 replenishment, 195 mls of acid are
developing times exceed 90 seconds. Cold added to bath at a rate of 1.5:1 replenishment,
Hydro-Coat Developer used in trays should be 292,5 mls of acid are added to bath.
changed daily.
Check dip gauge and restore proper level in bath
5. TOUCH UP by adding water or draining excess.
Examine plate for flaws in the image areas
retained on the plate and touch up as needed 12. TOP REMOVAL (optional)
with Retouch Solution. Use Hydro-Coat Top Remover II according to
directions on label.
6. WEIGH
Record initial plate weight on your etching log
prior to etching. Scale must be capable of
weighing to the nearest 1/4 ounce.

7. DESCUM
Descum Hydro-Coat zinc plates using a solution
of sulfuric and nitric acid. Refer to descum
formulas on next page. Wipe the descum
solution across the plate both horizontally and
vertically. For best results apply solution n°1
followed by solution n°2, with a final repeat
application of solution n°1. Use separate descum
pads for each solution. Rinse between solution
applications.

8. RINSE
Rinse plates thoroughly with water after
descumming.

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 BASIC ZINC ETCHING BATH FORMULA ZINC DESCUM

FORMULA SOLUTION N°1: H2SO4 / HNO3

NITRIC ACID (42 Bé) ......................................... 12% • 3.42 L WATER
SUPER ETCH or VELV-ETCH ........................... 3% • 350 ML CONCENTRATE SULFURIC ACID*
WATER ............................................................... 85% • 30 ML NITRIC ACID* (42 Bé)
(FORMULA MAKES 3.8 L OR 1 GAL. OF DESCUM
STANDARD ZINC ETCHING BATH SHOULD BE SOLUTION).
MAINTAINED AT 78° - 82°F (26° - 28°C). IDEAL
TEMPERATURE MAY VARY BASED ON SOLUTION N°2: HNO3
APPLICATIONS. • 3.04 L WATER
• 760 ML NITRIC ACID* (42 Bé) 20% HNO3
(FORMULA MAKES 3.8 L OR 1 GAL. OF DESCUM
SOLUTION).

* CAUTION: DO NOT ADD WATER TO ACID.

ALWAYS ADD ACID SLOWLY TO WATER TO AVOID
A HAZARDOUS EXPLOSION.

RECOMMENDED BATH MAKEUP for SELECTED STANDARD INDUSTRY ETCHING MACHINES

SUPER ETCH or
MACHINE CAPACITY ACID 42 Bé STARTING RPM
VELV-ETCH
ULTRAMATIC 40 40 LITERS about 5 LITERS about 1,5 LITERS 500 - 550
ULTRAMATIC 90 90 LITERS about 10 LITERS about 3,0 LITERS 500 - 550
ULTRAMATIC 200 200 LITERS about 25 LITERS about 6,0 LITERS 500 - 550
BATH REPLENISHMENT VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY BY EQUIPMENT.
REFER TO MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDATIONS.

ACID ADDITION CHART

ZINC DISSOLVED ACID ADDITIONS ZINC DISSOLVED ACID ADDITIONS

1 TO 1* 1.5 TO 1* 1 TO 1* 1.5 TO 1*
OZS. GRAMS OZS. GRAMS
MLS MLS MLS MLS
1 28 30 45 31 879 930 1395
2 57 60 90 32 907 960 1440
3 85 90 135 33 936 990 1485
4 113 120 180 34 964 1020 1530
5 142 150 225 35 992 1050 1575
6 170 180 270 36 1021 1080 1620
7 198 210 315 37 1049 1110 1665
8 227 240 360 38 1077 1140 1710
9 255 270 405 39 1106 1170 1755
10 284 300 450 40 1134 1200 1800
11 312 330 495 41 1162 1230 1845
12 340 360 540 42 1191 1260 1890
13 369 390 585 43 1219 1290 1935
14 397 420 630 44 1247 1320 1980
15 425 450 675 45 1276 1350 2025
16 454 480 720 46 1304 1380 2070
17 482 510 765 47 1332 1410 2115
18 510 540 810 48 1361 1440 2160
19 539 570 855 49 1389 1470 2205
20 567 600 900 50 1418 1500 2250
21 595 630 945 51 1446 1530 2295
22 624 660 990 52 1474 1560 2340
23 652 690 1035 53 1503 1590 2385
24 680 720 1080 54 1531 1630 2430
25 709 750 1125 55 1559 1650 2475
26 737 780 1170 56 1588 1680 2520
27 765 810 1215 57 1616 1710 2565
28 794 840 1260 58 1644 1740 2610
29 822 870 1305 59 1673 1770 2655
30 851 900 1350 60 1701 1800 2700
 TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSES PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSES

• PINHOLES IN NEGATIVES • PADDLE SPEED TOO HIGH
• IMPROPER DESCUMMING • TOO MUCH PADDLE DIP
• POOR BATH CIRCULATION • LOW BATH TEMPERATURE
• DIRTY EQUIPMENT UNDERCUTTING • FROZEN OR SEPARATED
PIMPLES • HIGH BATH TEMPERATURE OR TIGHT ADDITIVE
• CONTAMINATED ACID SHOULDERS • ACID CONTENT TOO HIGH
• PADDLE SPEED TOO LOW • CONTAMINATED ACID
• EXPRESS GUARD PLATE • NOT ENOUGH ADDITIVE
• PROTECTOR NOT USED (REV-FLEX, X-FLEX, X5K)
• MACHINE NOT LEVEL
UNEVEN • TOO MUCH ACID LOOSE HEAD • IMPROPER ADDITIVE ADDITIONS
SHORT
SHOULDERS MOTION • IMPROPER ACID ADDITIONS
BATH LIFE
& DEPTH ROTATION OF THE TURNTABLE • EXCESSIVE EXHAUST
NOT IN ORDER
• BATH TEMPERATURE TOO LOW
• TOO MUCH ACID DIRTY BOTTOM • SPENT ETCHING BATH
ROUGH
• EXCESSIVE EXHAUST AROUND • CONTAMINATED ETCHING BATH
SHOULDERS
• CONTAMINATED ACID SHOULDERS • CONTAMINATED ACID
• LOW ADDITIVE CONCENTRATION
• EXCESSIVE DESCUMMING
• LOW PADDLE SPEED
• NOT DESCUMMED AS
WIDE • HIGH BATH TEMPERATURE EXCESSIVE
PRESCRIBED
SHOULDERS • TOO MUCH ADDITIVE COLOR LOSS
• SPENT ETCHING BATH
• LOW ACID CONCENTRATION
• HIGH BATH TEMPERATURE
• EXPOSURE TOO LOW
• OVERDEVELOPED STEPS IN • SLOW ROTATION OF THE
PINHOLES
• PLATE PINHOLES IN NEGATIVE SIDEWALL PLATEHOLDER
• DIRTY GLASS IN VACUUM FRAME
VARIABLES IN BATH OPERATION
TEMPERATURE
INCREASED BATH TEMPERATURE INCREASES ETCH RATE AND TENDS TO WIDEN SHOULDER AND DECREASE
TONE DEPTH. REDUCED BATH TEMPERATURE HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT.
PADDLE SPEED
INCREASED PADDLE SPEED INCREASES ETCH RATE AND TENDS TO TIGHTEN SHOULDERS INCREASING TONE
DEPTH. DECREASED PADDLE SPEED HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT.
ACID CONCENTRATION
INCREASED ACID CONCENTRATION INCREASES ETCH RATE AND TENDS TO TIGHTEN SHOULDERS. DECREASING
ACID CONCENTRATION HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT.

Srl – Via Zuccoli 18, 20125 MILANO – tel. +39–02-67072112 Fax +39-02-6691270
e-mail: [email protected] web: www.cofomegra.it