PEI manufactures precision tungsten components using advanced photochemical etching technology. Known for its exceptional density, thermal stability, and resistance to extreme environments, tungsten is widely used in aerospace, semiconductor, medical, and energy systems where reliability is critical.
Traditional fabrication methods often struggle with tungsten’s hardness and brittleness. PEI’s proven etching process enables intricate tungsten parts with tight tolerances, fine features, and minimal material stress, making complex designs achievable without compromising performance.
Tungsten is one of the most capable engineering materials available for demanding applications. Its unique physical properties allow components to perform reliably under extreme temperatures, radiation exposure, and vacuum conditions.
Key material advantages include:
These characteristics make tungsten essential for applications where conventional metals cannot perform.
While tungsten offers unmatched performance benefits and unique properties that set it apart from several other specialty metals, it presents significant manufacturing challenges. As an extremely dense and inherently brittle material, tungsten requires careful handling during fabrication.
Because of these limitations, engineers often seek alternative manufacturing methods capable of producing precision parts without mechanical or thermal damage.
Photochemical etching provides a fundamentally different approach to manufacturing tungsten components. Instead of cutting with force or heat, the process removes material chemically, preserving the integrity of the base metal.
Photochemical etching allows engineers to fully leverage tungsten’s performance without the manufacturing limitations imposed by conventional processes.
We specialize in high-performance tungsten etching, from prototypes to full-scale production runs. Please see our Design Guide or Contact Us for more information about our additional manufacturing capabilities.
Our proprietary Eco-Chem™ photochemical etching process is engineered for precision, safety, and sustainability.
Unlike mechanical or laser cutting, our process does not introduce stress or heat distortion.
We use proprietary, RoHS-compliant etchants (including hydrofluoric acid) designed to minimize environmental impact.
Our proven process means no heat-affected zones or micro-cracks, maintaining the full strength of titanium.
Rapid Turnaround:
We offer short lead times for prototypes and scalable production capacity.
Our engineers collaborate closely with you to optimize designs for manufacturability and cost efficiency.
Extensive Safety Precautions:
Our facilities adhere to rigorous handling protocols and employ advanced containment systems to ensure maximum safety during chemical etching operations.
Tungsten components are critical across industries where extreme conditions demand exceptional material performance. As one of the most important specialty metals, tungsten offers exceptional hardness, remarkable thermal stability, and high density, making it indispensable in advanced engineering environments.
PEI supports customers with precision tungsten parts engineered for reliability, repeatability, and long-term material integrity across demanding sectors.
Tungsten’s density and thermal stability make it ideal for high-performance aerospace components operating in extreme conditions. Because tungsten retains its strength at elevated temperatures, it is widely used for radiation shielding, satellite systems, guidance hardware, and RF shielding in mission-critical aerospace and defense applications.
See how we’re supporting the Aerospace and Defense industries.
In semiconductor manufacturing, tungsten supports high-precision processing where dimensional control is critical. It is used in wafer masks, precision apertures, EMI/RFI shielding, and heating elements for vacuum or high-temperature systems. PEI’s photo chemical etching enables intricate geometries while preserving full material integrity in thin-gauge parts.
Learn more about our work in the Electronics industry.
Tungsten plays a vital role in advanced medical applications, particularly where radiation management is required. Its high density makes it ideal for X-ray collimators, shielding inserts, radiation targeting components, and certain implanted medical devices where dimensional accuracy and stability are critical for patient safety and imaging clarity.
Explore how our etching capabilities support the high standards required in Medical applications.
Energy and nuclear environments require materials capable of withstanding extreme heat and radiation exposure. Tungsten’s resistance to thermal degradation makes it suitable for reactor shielding, thermal protection systems, and high-temperature precision components. In applications where longevity and safety are paramount, tungsten’s physical properties support reliable performance under stress.
See how we’re driving Energy industries.
Tungsten Parts We Produce
PEI manufactures a wide range of etched tungsten components, including:
Each part is produced with strict process control to ensure dimensional accuracy, repeatable performance, and consistent quality across every order.
We work with our partners to introduce new ideas and enhanced manufacturing solutions. Our engineers leverage the power of technology and decades of experience to ensure each design and plan will deliver the expected results, whether for the latest in renewable energy or a new life-saving medical technology.
PEI’s commitment to delivering thin metal parts and components utilizing precision photochemical etching dates back decades. We are the world’s leading etcher of titanium and can handle aluminum, beryllium copper, molybdenum, and many other metals. PCE is an ideal manufacturing process for rapid prototyping and high-production runs.
Our precision operators turn thin metal parts into reliable components with meticulous machine and manual forming techniques. PEI’s forming expertise starts at the first step, enabling us to develop highly accurate parts that our team forms to exact standards and specifications.
Protecting precision metal parts from corrosion, wear, and environmental hazards is job number one when applying coatings, finishes, plating, or paint. Finishing applications also offer antibiotic and aesthetic benefits to the parts we produce via photochemical etching.
PEI delivers durable and reliable assembled components found in power-generating, life-saving, and high-technology applications worldwide. Our expert team of engineers and operators will ensure our partners receive ready-to-implement solutions that will last.
The PEI Quality Assurance team analyzes every thin metal part and component to ensure its precision, accuracy, and durability. Our team uses a combination of technological and manual inspection techniques to check for imperfections before any part or component leaves our facility.
Industries and technologies evolve when people work together to push boundaries and uncover new solutions. For over 50 years, we’ve stood shoulder to shoulder as leading companies across every market sector push forward with revolutionary changes that change the world. We are ready to share and leverage knowledge and expertise to collaborate with our customers for mutual success.
Tungsten components demand specialized manufacturing expertise. Its unique properties, including exceptional hardness and brittleness, require fabrication methods capable of delivering complex geometries without introducing stress or distortion or compromising material integrity.
PEI delivers that expertise through decades of experience in photochemical etching, providing high-precision tungsten components for aerospace, semiconductor, medical, and energy applications.
Partner with PEI to develop high-performance tungsten components engineered for the most demanding applications.
PEI’s long history of meeting and exceeding industry standards and customer expectations began in 1968. For over 50 years, we’ve kept quality assurance at the forefront of our work by training our manufacturing teams, maintaining our equipment, and establishing rigorous internal controls. PEI holds several certifications, including ISO9001:2015, AS9100:2016, and ITAR. We adhere to MIL-STD-45662, MIL-STD-105, and ANSI/ASQC Z1.4 quality standards.
