less. Unlike "hard" tools, such as stamping and punching dies, phototools are exposed only to light and therefore do not suffer wear. Due to the cost of hard tooling for stamping and fine blanking, significant volume is required to justify the expense. Some parts, such as semiconductor leadframes, are so complex and fragile that, despite volumes in the millions of pieces, they can only be produced by photo etching.

In PCM, the unit of labor is the sheet. Therefore, it is most economical