Advanced manufacturing sits at the center of many lifesaving medical technologies. The industry depends on niche, hard-to-replicate capabilities to build products that ultimately protect and improve patient lives. The demand is massive: Statista puts the global medical technology market at more than $631 billion in 2025, and a significant portion of that relies on specialized manufacturing processes.

Photochemical etching is one of those specialty processes. By using photoresist and chemical etchants to selectively remove metal, OEMs can produce highly precise components used in cranial implants, electrosurgical instruments, pacemakers, defibrillators, surgical blades, and other critical devices.

But etching alone doesn’t deliver a medical device. These precision parts are just one element of a much larger ecosystem. In reality, the medical market depends on advanced manufacturers across the country working together—combining strengths, coordinating development timelines, and partnering with customers, suppliers, universities, and trade groups—to deliver reliable products that protect patient safety.

When that collaboration is done well, manufacturers can accelerate development, reduce cost, and de-risk programs for major medical OEMs.

About the Process

Photochemical etching is a high-volume, high-precision manufacturing method that produces burr-free, stress-free metal parts with tight tolerances and complex geometries. For medical devices, those attributes matter: burrs can damage tissue, and mechanical stress can compromise part integrity.

Etched components show up across oncology, orthopedics, sports medicine, and more—everything from orthopedic bone plates and surgical blades to critical components inside MRI and CT systems. The process works well with implantable metals, too. Titanium, for example, offers excellent biocompatibility and corrosion resistance, making it ideal for next-generation implantable devices. Tungsten, commonly used in electrodes and heating elements, is another material we etch regularly for electrosurgical applications.

Etched parts on their own are valuable, but their real impact comes when paired with the capabilities and innovations of other specialty manufacturers.

The Value of Cross-Collaboration in Advanced Manufacturing

Every advanced manufacturer has its “secret sauce”—unique processes, proprietary knowledge, and technical strengths. Over the years, I’ve repeatedly seen that when customers engage early and manufacturers collaborate instead of operating in silos, project outcomes improve dramatically.

Working with partner companies allows manufacturers to combine complementary strengths and deliver complete solutions rather than isolated parts. When manufacturers collaborate effectively, they can:

1. Increase the probability of a successful customer solution

Early engagement is critical. When brought in at the design stage, a manufacturing partner can help shape the component or assembly so it meets all performance and manufacturability requirements. This includes working only with approved vendors and auditing key suppliers to ensure compliance with stringent medical (e.g., ISO13485, ISO9000) and customer requirements.

2. Strengthen the supply chain and reduce tariff exposure

Given reshoring efforts and ongoing tariff changes, partnering with other advanced manufacturers adds resilience. It allows a company to serve global customers more effectively while reducing risk.

Ideal partners regularly collaborate with manufacturers who specialize in areas outside their core (e.g., bringing together photochemical etching with precision machining, injection molding, optics, and assembly. For example, on electrosurgical tools, we etch the heating element, a sister company molds the plastic housing, and a third supports assembly and collation. The customer gets a streamlined supply chain, shorter lead times, and a more integrated solution.

3. Maintain quality and control costs

Medical applications demand materials and processes that meet strict standards. Strong relationships with suppliers help ensure consistent quality, proper certifications, and compliance with inspection requirements—while keeping costs under control.

For instance, new ceramic suppliers undergo multiple validation steps, including inspection, dye penetrant analysis, metallization and sintering trials, and adhesion testing before we approve them.

As devices become more complex and regulatory requirements continue to tighten, the manufacturers who succeed will be the ones who build real collaborative ecosystems—not just transactional vendor relationships.

In advanced manufacturing, the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.