Custom Etched Bipolar Plate Service Stainless Steel 316L Titanium Flow Field Plates For PEM Electrolyzer

Custom Etched Bipolar Plate Service Stainless Steel 316L Titanium Flow Field Plates For PEM Electrolyzer

Xinhaisen etches bipolar plates and flow field plates to customer drawing, as a contract service. The flow channels, manifold ports and sealing land are formed in one photochemical operation, so the plate leaves the line with open channels, a flat surface and no machining burr on the channel edge.

Because the pattern sits on a phototool and not in a die, a change of channel layout, channel width or plate outline is handled by updating the artwork. That suits a stack programme where the flow field is still being tuned and the plate design moves with the test results.

Flow Field Patterns We Etch

• Serpentine and multi-pass serpentine fields
• Parallel and straight channel fields
• Pin-type and pillar fields
• Manifold ports, locating holes and sealing grooves
• Single-sided and double-sided channel layouts
• Half-etched alignment marks and plate identification areas

Service Capability

Plate Points Reviewed With You

Channel width is reviewed against material thickness, since a channel that etches cleanly in 0.1mm foil needs a different approach in 0.5mm sheet. The sealing land is kept as a solid band around the active area so the gasket has a flat mating face, and manifold ports are checked against the gasket drawing before the phototool is made. Sharp internal corners at channel turns are replaced by a small radius, which keeps the flow path open and avoids a trapped corner during etching. Where the plate is thin, connecting tabs and a carrier frame keep it flat until it is placed in the stack.

From Drawing To Delivery

1. Drawing review. We check channel geometry against thickness and tolerance, review the sealing land and manifold layout, and reply with feasibility comments and a quotation.

2. Phototool and first article. Artwork is converted to a phototool and a first article plate is etched for your fit and flow test, with material certificate and inspection data.

3. Approval and production. After the first article is approved the process parameters are fixed for the run and etching values are held under process control.

4. Inspection and packing. Plates are checked against the drawing, inspected visually, and packed interleaved with protection against transit damage.

Quality System

Incoming material is inspected before production and finished plates are inspected before shipment, so the quality of each batch is assured.

Applications

PEM water electrolyzers and PEM fuel cells, portable power units, hydrogen production and storage systems, and lightweight plate assemblies for aviation programmes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which material suits a bipolar plate?
316L stainless steel is the usual starting point for corrosion resistance and cost, and titanium is chosen where the plate needs a higher strength-to-weight ratio. The final choice follows the medium, temperature and coating plan of your stack.

How does etching compare with stamping for a flow field?
Stamping needs a die per layout and leaves a shear burr on the channel edge, while etching uses a phototool, keeps the channel edge open and lets the layout change without a die. Etching is also applied where the plate is too thin to form without distortion.

Can a plate carry channels on both sides?
Yes. Double-side etching is used for plates with a channel field on each face, and step features are defined on the drawing.

Are coatings and welded assemblies possible?
Plating and diffusion welding are available in house, so a plated plate or a welded plate assembly can be supplied against the same drawing set.

How is the schedule agreed?
Each plate is custom, so the schedule depends on material, channel complexity, quantity and the first article approval step. Timing is confirmed with the quotation and again when the first article is approved.

Send your plate drawing and our engineering team will review it and reply with a quotation as soon as possible.