Quick answer: Black Printing Glass covers OD > 4 masking, windows to +/-0.1 mm. Prototypes ship in 5-10 working days.
black printing glass is screen-printed ceramic ink applied by screen print + 620 C firing. On the substrate you specify it opaque bezels, icons and IR windows on covers – the specification we run to is OD > 4 masking, windows to +/-0.1 mm.
Specification envelope
| Treatment | Black Printing – screen-printed ceramic ink |
|---|---|
| Specification | OD > 4 masking, windows to +/-0.1 mm |
| Deposition / method | screen print + 620 C firing |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Specification advice
Three items decide most of the cost and lead time on this work:
- Sequence matters: all machining happens before black printing; post-coating rework is not economical.
- 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.
For the complete framework, see the tolerance design guide and the holes and edges design guide.
Application context
black printing glass shows up across aerospace optics (sensor windows, star-tracker flats, radiation-tolerant ports); microfluidic devices (chips, manifolds, via plates, bonded stacks); laboratory instruments (cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows). Background reading on the underlying material science: ASTM C1036 flat glass.
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.
For adjacent specifications, see microfluidic glass applications, glass in laser systems, custom microfluidic chip.
Common questions
Do parts ship with inspection data?
Dimensional reports, surface certificates and material certs per melt are available; specify the level on the RFQ.
What does black printing add?
Opaque bezels, icons and IR windows on covers. Applied by screen print + 620 C firing to OD > 4 masking, windows to +/-0.1 mm.
Is there a minimum order for black printing glass?
No. Single prototypes are accepted, and pricing steps down at 10, 100 and 1,000 pieces.
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.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in September 2026.