Quick answer: Black Printing Soda-Lime Glass covers Soda-Lime Glass (CTE 9.0 x 10^-6 /K, 360 nm – 2.0 um); OD > 4 masking, windows to +/-0.1 mm. Prototypes ship in 5-10 working days.
Specify black printing soda-lime glass when the bare substrate falls short: screen-printed ceramic ink, processed by screen print + 620 C firing, brings Soda-Lime Glass to OD > 4 masking, windows to +/-0.1 mm.
The numbers
| Material | Soda-Lime Glass (Float per ASTM C1036, low-iron option) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 9.0 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 350 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 360 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.50 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 585 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.52 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.40 – 19 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 1,000 x 800 mm |
| 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 |
Getting the drawing right
Three items decide most of the cost and lead time on this work:
- Material note: higher CTE means edge chips propagate under thermal load, so edge finishing quality drives reliability.
- 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.
What the process holds
Beyond this page, Soda-Lime Glass routinely runs through ultrasonic machining, sandblasting, dicing, polishing in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Who orders this
black printing soda-lime glass shows up across led packaging (groove covers, phosphor carriers, package windows); industrial displays (touch covers, gauge windows, printed bezels). Background reading on the underlying material science: ASTM C1036 flat glass standard.
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 tolerance design guide, CNC machining capability, AR optical windows.
Buyer questions, answered
How does Soda-Lime Glass behave under heat?
CTE is 9.0 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 350 C continuous, which is what drives its use where lowest cost per square meter matters.
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 soda-lime 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.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in August 2026.