Borofloat 33 Machining Services: Borofloat 33 (CTE 3.25 x 10^-6 /K, 350 nm – 2.0 um). Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
When a drawing calls out Borofloat 33, three numbers matter before any machining starts: CTE of 3.25 x 10^-6 /K, service temperature to 450 C continuous, and a transmission window of 350 nm – 2.0 um. borofloat 33 machining services here begin with those numbers and end with dimensional reports.
Specifications at a glance
| Material | Borofloat 33 (SCHOTT float production, wafer grade) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 3.25 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 450 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 350 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.23 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 480 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.471 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.70 – 25.4 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 500 x 500 mm |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
What the process holds
Beyond this page, Borofloat 33 routinely runs through double-side polishing, edge grinding, etching, coring in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
DFM notes from the shop floor
Three items decide most of the cost and lead time on this work:
- Material note: float tin side must be tracked when parts see coating or bonding steps.
- 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.
Typical applications
borofloat 33 machining services shows up across machine vision (camera windows, ring-light diffusers, calibration plates); mems devices (cap wafers, TGV substrates, motion-sensor lids); microfluidic devices (chips, manifolds, via plates, bonded stacks). Background reading on the underlying material science: SCHOTT BOROFLOAT product page.
The fastest route to a quote is geometry: use the 3D builder below, draw a dimensioned 2D drawing from it, or open the site-wide custom glass machining 3D + 2D builder for fully custom parts.
Engineers scoping this work usually also review wafer dicing process, Borofloat 33 selection guide, high-temperature quartz windows.
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 Borofloat 33 parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Float tin side must be tracked when parts see coating or bonding steps.
What thickness range do you stock for Borofloat 33?
Standard stock spans 0.70 – 25.4 mm, with blanks up to 500 x 500 mm. Other formats are sourced per order.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in August 2026.