Armortek

Hi Guys

I have just received some bad news from my photo-etch company, they are ceasing business on December 31, 2013. This leaves me with a major problem, I have to find a new company to produce parts. The problem is, not all photo-etch companies use the parts drop out system employed by my current company. I have to find one that does or redraw all my artwork and reproduce new film, as I have 99 sheets of artwork the cost would be over $10,000.00 not to mention the time to redraw the artwork.

I have until October 31 to submit my last order with the current company, so I have to pull out all the stops to complete the new artwork I am currently working on for the SD222 Grill, Panther IR Scope and Tiger 2 Rear Mudguards. This may effect my current order deliveries by a couple of weeks.

I do not know how long it will take to find a new company that can produce or is willing to make my parts. With this in mind I am going to try to figure out how many parts I need to supply the hobby for the next two years and have the current company make them before they close shop. This is a easy task for the common parts, but things like the Tiger 1 Stowage Bin, Panther sets, Tiger Mudguards and many others will not be easy, these are large parts that I cannot afford to stock in quantity. If you are planning on needing any photo-etch parts or sets that have photo-etch parts in you need to contact me now so I can order them before the deadline.

Regards
Mike

Hi Guys

I figured I need to explain my photo-etch problem in more detail as many of you may not know the procedure for making photo-etched parts.

Stages
1. Produce black and white artwork, black areas of artwork are not etched, white areas are etched by acid. Most of my parts are half etched to produce bend lines or thin areas of parts. To produce a sheet of parts which have half etching requires two sheets of artwork, a obverse and reverse, white areas on both sides of the artwork will etch out the metal completely leaving just the part, white areas on one side of the artwork will only half etch the part leaving a bend line or thinner area. Once individual parts are drawn they are then placed in a full sheet, in most cases as multiples, combining several parts to fill a full sheet.

2. Artwork is then converted to film which enables the photo-etch company to place a acid resistant film on the metal to be etched, similar to producing a photograph from film.

3. Metal is then past through a acid bath which etches out the bear metal areas and producers the parts.

There are two basic method to do this.
1. Fret and tab system. This is were the parts are inside a fret (frame) and attached to the fret by fine tabs. When the acid bath is complete the parts are still attached to the fret and main frame. This is what most of you will get from other companies and as you know you have to cut each part from the fret and clean of the tab area.

2 Drop out system, this is what I currently use. No frets or tabs, when metal is past through the acid bath the parts are etch from the frame and fall into a catch tray below. This method means I can maximize the yield of each sheet. There is not cutting or cleaning of parts. The are ready to use. The only draw back from this system is you end up with a bag full of mixed parts which have to be sorted, however this is quicker than cutting and cleaning and I get a higher yield from each sheet.

Most photo-etch companies us the fret and tab system as it is easier from them to produce. Finding a new company that users the drop out system is going to take time, plus I have to find a small company that is willing to produce the parts in small quantities that I need for this rather small hobby. Most companies want large repetition orders of the same sheet and not a few different sheets like my orders.

This is why I need to stock up on parts from my current company before the close shop as I do not know when and if I can find a company to produce my parts.

This is what I am up against if I cannot find a company the uses the drop out system. 95% of my artwork uses the drop out system. If I have to convert all my artwork to the fret and tab system it is going to be very costly and time consuming as new artwork and film will have to be made for all parts. I cannot justify the cost and time to do this, each new film will cost around $150.00 and I have 99 sheets of artwork.

My plan is to have the current company make enough parts for stock for around two years, this is going to cost around the same amount as producing new film, so it makes sense to do it. This will give me a couple of years to find a new company and still be able to offer all my parts over this period.

Here are samples of my artwork and a sheet of artwork converted to the fret and tab system.

This sample is of one of the simple sheets of artwork. Tools clamps.

Original artwork drop out system. Yield 63 small clamps. 52 large clamps.



New artwork with fret and tab system Yield 52 small clamps. 52 large clamps. Not a big drop in yield, but costly to reproduce and time consuming to cut and clean all parts.



Here are three samples of my more complicated artwork. To convert these to the fret and tab system will take lots of time, costly and loss of yield. I will guess that I will lose between 30 to 40% of parts, which will mean having to order more full sheets for the same yield. Which will have a end result of higher prices.

It has taken me ten years to produce all the artwork I have, I do not look forward to converting all this artwork. Maybe it is time for me to consider retirement in the near future.

Panther Round Grills and other small parts.



Tiger 1 Stowage Bin parts and other small parts.



Tiger 2 Over Grills, Pz III Grills and parts.



If there is someone out there that would like their own business contact me.

Regards
Mike