Abstract: The specification discloses an automated chemical milling process for metal articles. The metal article is first coated with an etchant resist coating. In one embodiment the area to be etched is digitized to define the x,y coordinate values for the perimeter line around the area. A CPU is used to control a flat bed drafting table with a tangially controlled scribing tool to cut through the resist coating along the perimeter line. If plural etching steps are used, each perimeter line is digitized and scribed or cut in a similar manner. All but one of the perimeter lines are recoated and marked and the resist coating within the remaining perimeter line is removed. The metal part is then etched as desired. If plural etching steps are used the resist coating for each separate area is removed between sequential etching baths.