What Microphoto, Inc. does

Microphoto, Inc. is a precision metal fabrication company founded in 1965 in Detroit, Michigan and now headquartered in Roseville, MI in a ~17,000 sq ft facility. The company operates as a for-profit, private manufacturer (acquired by The Partner Companies consortium in 2019) with 11-50 employees, specializing in photochemical machining (PCM) — a chemical etching process that dissolves unprotected areas of photoresist-coated metal to produce burr-free, stress-free, strain-free parts without altering the metal's hardness, grain structure, or ductility. Capabilities span metals from 0.0005 inches to heavy gauge, tolerances from ±0.001 to ±0.010 inches, and sheet sizes up to 30 inches wide, with 48-hour typical lead times for prototypes and 99.9%+ on-time delivery.

Microphoto's product portfolio is anchored in seven core categories: electrical contacts, EMI/RFI shielding (including board-level shielding and finger-stock gaskets), encoders, filters/screens, and flat springs. These are complemented by secondary services including thin metal forming, metal stamping (8-ton press), 3-axis and 5-axis laser cutting, selective/half etching, metal plating and finishing (NADCAP-certified), wire EDM, and non-destructive/destructive testing. The company holds ISO 9001, ITAR (M36597), DFARS, MIL-STD-45208A, NADCAP, and RoHS certifications, qualifying it for defense, aerospace, and medical supply chains.

The business model is a quote-based, project-driven B2B enterprise sales motion targeting aerospace, defense, electronics, medical, automotive, robotics, and energy customers. Named customers include NASA, Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed, L3 Technologies, Eaton Aerospace, Stryker Instruments, Boston Scientific, Pfizer, Caterpillar, Woodward, and General Motors. Distribution is direct from the Roseville facility, with parts shipped globally to nearly every continent. Marketing is engineering-led through the website, phone, email, technical blog content, and LinkedIn, with no public pricing and 48-hour quote turnaround. Revenue is generated one-time per project with optional multi-year contracts for recurring production.

Name

Microphoto, Inc.

Legal name

Microphoto, Inc.

Website

https://microphoto.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Microphoto, Inc. is a 60-year-old, ISO 9001/ITAR-certified precision metal manufacturer in Roseville, MI using photochemical machining to produce burr-free, stress-free components for aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, electronics, and energy OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Metal Fabrication

NAICS

Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (33272), Hardware Manufacturing (33251), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441)

SIC

Printed Circuit Boards (3672), Metal Forgings & Stampings (3460), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial PCB & Substrate Components (Bare PCBs, rigid-flex, ceramic substrates, thick-film) (IMAGAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Surface Treatment & Finishing Equipment (Coating, Plating, Deburring, Shot Blasting) (IMAHADAJ)

Keywords

• Photochemical machining services
• Precision metal fabrication
• Thin metal forming
• Custom photo etching
• Precision metal stamping

Headquarters

HQ city

Roseville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Precision Metal Parts Manufacturing: Custom photochemically etched and formed metal parts manufacturing. Burr-free, stress-free parts with tight tolerances for aerospace, defense, electronics, medical, automotive, and other industries. Production runs from prototype to high-volume.
2. Prototype Services: Rapid prototyping services for metal parts using photochemical etching. Low-cost design iterations with fast turnaround times. Quality and delivery ratings averaging over 99.9%.
3. Metal Plating & Finishing Services: Metal plating services including mirror, matte, and brushed finishes. NADCAP certifications available. Includes plating types: Gold, Nickel, Copper, Tin, Zinc, Passivate, Anodize, and more.
4. Laser Cutting Services: 3-axis and 5-axis laser cutting for metal parts, standalone or combined with photo etching for surface-etched functional details.
5. Wire EDM Services: Wire Electrical Discharge Machine services for intricate, low-volume, extremely tight-tolerance parts. Combined with photo etching for unique part creation.
6. Non-Destructive & Destructive Testing: NDT and DT services including magnetic particle inspection, fluorescent penetrant inspection, and salt spray verification. Certified to NADCAP standards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Microphoto produces prototype, experimental, short-run, and low-volume production precision metal parts through photochemical machining (PCM) — a proprietary photo-etching process that uses photoresist-coated substrates and chemical etchants to dissolve unprotected areas of metal, producing burr-free, stress-free, strain-free parts that preserve original metal properties. The company offers complementary in-house services including thin metal forming, metal stamping, selective/half etching, laser cutting, wire EDM, metal plating and finishing, and non-destructive testing for aerospace, defense, electronics, medical, energy, hardware, and automotive customers.

Product overview

Microphoto, Inc. is a precision metal fabrication company specializing in photochemical machining (photo etching) and thin metal forming services since 1965. The company operates as a single unified manufacturing platform producing precision metal parts that are burr-free, stress-free, and strain-free. Their core product portfolio centers on photochemical machining services as the primary manufacturing process, complemented by secondary services including thin metal forming, metal stamping, laser cutting, metal plating and finishing, non-destructive and destructive testing, and wire EDM. The company produces seven main product categories: Electrical Contacts, EMI/RFI Shielding (including Board Level Shielding and Finger-Stock Gaskets), Encoders, Filters & Screens, and Flat Springs. They work with various metal materials including aluminum, beryllium copper, brass, copper, nickel, phosphor bronze, stainless steel, and spring steel. Microphoto serves industries including aerospace, military/defense, electronics, energy, hardware, medical, and robotics/automotive, with all manufacturing performed in the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electrical Contacts Photo chemically etched electrical contacts and connectors used in applications ranging from home appliances and motors to medical devices and telecommunications hardware.
• EMI & RFI Shielding Electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference shielding products that limit electromagnetic waves to prevent interference with other devices, used in helicopters, aircraft, drones, satellites, and commercial electronics.
• Board Level Shielding Metal cages designed to isolate board-level components, minimize crosstalk, and curb EMI susceptibility without hindering performance, available in one-piece or multiple-piece configurations.
• Finger-Stock Gaskets Conductive protective components with protruding fingers that provide high shielding effectiveness with broad deflection range and low closure force properties for EMI shielding.
• Encoders Photo etched encoder discs for rotary, shaft, mechanical, optical, magnetic, and electromagnetic encoders that convert rotational mechanical displacements into electrical signals for automation systems.
• Filters & Screens Custom photo etched metal filters and screens with evenly distributed openings to catch or remove impurities as liquids or gases pass through, used in medical, aerospace, defense, and industrial equipment.
• Flat Spring Precision photo etched flat strips of material that store and release energy when deflected by an external load, used in electrical contacts, leaf springs, cantilever springs, and automotive applications.
• Photochemical Machining Services Primary manufacturing process using chemical etchants to dissolve designated areas of metal to create precision parts with tight tolerances, burr-free, stress-free, and strain-free finishes.
• Selective & Half Etching Partial etching process that leaves a thinner portion of metal thickness (half etching) or creates step/depth variations, commonly used for part numbers, logos, and electronic panel plates.
• Thin Metal Forming Services Precision bending and shaping of thin metal parts using in-house tooling dies, producing precision formed metal gaskets, contacts, and shields with quick lead times.
• Small Metal Stamping Cold-forming fabrication method using stamping dies to create precision metal parts from flat sheets with eight-ton press capacity processing metal from 0.001 to 0.375 inch thickness.
• Precision Prototyping Services Rapid prototyping using photochemical etching for design validation, fit/function testing, and design iteration improvement before full-scale production.
• Metal Laser Cutting 3-axis and 5-axis laser cutting services for metal parts up to 4000 watts (3-axis) and 2000 watts (5-axis), with Nitrogen assist gas available for stainless steel and aluminum.
• Metal Plating & Finishing Services Metal surface coating services including mirror, matte, and brushed finishes; plating options include gold, nickel, copper, zinc, tin, cadmium, and electroless nickel with NADCAP certification available.
• Non-Destructive & Destructive Testing Quality assurance testing including magnetic particle inspection, fluorescent penetrant inspection, and salt spray verification, with NADCAP certification available.
• Wire EDM Services Wire Electrical Discharge Machining for intricate, low-volume, extremely tight-tolerance parts using electric discharges to remove designated metal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Quality and delivery ratings averaging over 99.9%
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• E-Fab, LLCminorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Member of consortium of specialty manufacturers sharing commitment to excellence, precision, and innovation.
• Elcon Precision, LLCminorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Part of specialty manufacturers consortium serving defense, aerospace, medical, and semiconductor industries.
• Fotofab, LLCminorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Member of specialty manufacturing consortium with shared quality and customer service values.
• L&T Precision, LLCminorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Member of consortium of capabilities serving defense, aerospace, medical, telecommunications, semiconductor, and renewable energy industries.
• Lattice Materials, LLCminorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Specialty manufacturer in the consortium focused on precision manufacturing capabilities.
• Optiforms, Inc.minorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Member of specialty manufacturers consortium serving defense, aerospace, medical, and semiconductor industries.
• Photofabrication Engineering, Inc. (PEI)minorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Photo fabrication engineering specialist in the manufacturing consortium.
• Pinnacle Precision Sheet MetalminorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Precision sheet metal manufacturer in the consortium.
• UPGminorOthersAffiliate company under The Partner Companies (TPC) group. Member of specialty manufacturers consortium.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fotofab, LLC: TPC affiliate and one of the largest North American photochemical machining shops, producing thin metal parts via the same acid-etch process Microphoto uses. Direct competitor for the same aerospace, defense, and electronics RFQs.
• Photofabrication Engineering, Inc. (PEI): TPC affiliate specializing in photochemical machining of precision metal components for electronics, medical, semiconductor, and aerospace customers. Overlaps substantially with Microphoto's product mix and customer base.
• Tech-Etch: Privately held photochemical machining and precision metal parts manufacturer serving aerospace, medical, and electronics with EMI/RFI shielding, contacts, and flat springs — a near-identical product portfolio to Microphoto.
• Optiforms, Inc. TPC affiliate providing photochemical machining and precision thin-metal components for aerospace, defense, medical, and semiconductor industries. Direct overlap in process, materials, and customer verticals.
• Precision Micro Ltd: UK-based photochemical etching specialist serving aerospace, medical, automotive, and electronics with burr-free, stress-free thin metal parts. Closest international analog to Microphoto's core capability.
• Elcon Precision, LLC: TPC affiliate offering precision sheet metal fabrication and machining for semiconductor, aerospace, medical, and defense customers. Adjacent process overlap and shared sales motion through the TPC consortium.
• L&T Precision, LLC: TPC affiliate providing precision manufacturing for defense, aerospace, medical, telecommunications, and semiconductor industries. Competes for thin-metal and formed-part RFQs that Microphoto also targets.
• Great Lakes Engineering, Inc. US photochemical machining shop producing thin metal parts for aerospace, defense, and electronics customers. Direct peer in process technology and target verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Protolabs: Public digital manufacturing platform offering CNC machining, injection molding, sheet metal, and rapid prototyping at scale. Competes for low-volume, fast-turnaround precision metal work where Microphoto's prototype service competes.
• Xometry: Public on-demand manufacturing marketplace aggregating thousands of CNC, sheet metal, and finishing suppliers. Competes on the same enterprise RFQ flow that Microphoto's field-sales motion targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/microphoto

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Microphoto, Inc.