Quick answer: Alkali-Free Glass Machining Services covers Alkali-Free Glass (CTE 3.2 x 10^-6 /K, 350 nm – 2.0 um). Prototypes ship in 5-10 working days.
Our alkali-free glass machining services cover the full route from blank to inspected part: sawing, CNC profiling, drilling, grinding, polishing and edge finishing under one roof. Alkali-Free Glass stands out for no alkali ion migration into TFT or sensor layers and display-grade surface quality, and both properties survive our processing because every step is tuned to the material.
Key parameters
| Material | Alkali-Free Glass (AF32 / EAGLE-class display glass) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 3.2 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 600 C (Tg 717 C) |
| Transmission range | 350 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.43 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 590 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.51 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.10 – 1.1 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 400 x 300 mm |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
DFM notes from the shop floor
Three items decide most of the cost and lead time on this work:
- Material note: thin sheets below 0.3 mm demand carrier-supported handling through every step.
- Over-specification is the quiet budget killer: a 20/10 scratch-dig face costs roughly three times an 80/50 face, so grade each surface individually.
The full rules live in our tolerance design guide and holes and edges design guide.
Process window
Beyond this page, Alkali-Free Glass routinely runs through edge grinding, lapping, laser cutting, dicing in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Where these parts end up
alkali-free glass machining services shows up across mems devices (cap wafers, TGV substrates, motion-sensor lids); industrial displays (touch covers, gauge windows, printed bezels). Background reading on the underlying material science: SCHOTT AF 32 eco.
Dimensions still moving? Configure this part live in the 3D + 2D builder below, or open the full custom glass machining 3D + 2D builder to start from a blank canvas.
Useful companion pages: alkali-free display glass, alkali-free glass wafers, beam splitter glass.
Common questions
How fast can prototypes ship?
Machined prototypes ship in 5 – 10 working days. Coated or bonded parts add 1 – 2 weeks depending on queue slots.
What files do you need for a quote?
A dimensioned PDF plus DXF or STEP geometry. If only a sketch exists, our drawing review service formalizes it before quoting.
Do parts ship with inspection data?
Dimensional reports, surface certificates and material certs per melt are available; specify the level on the RFQ.
What tolerances are achievable on Alkali-Free Glass parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Thin sheets below 0.3 mm demand carrier-supported handling through every step.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in August 2026.