Borosilicate Glass Machining Services – Borosilicate Glass (CTE 3.3 x 10^-6 /K, 360 nm – 2.0 um). No minimum order; DFM review included with every RFQ.
Buyers come to borosilicate glass machining services with two kinds of parts: catalog-adjacent blanks that need accurate finishing, and genuinely custom geometry. We quote both from the same dataset – 3.3 expansion group per ISO 3585 stock in 0.50 – 30 mm, blanks to 600 x 400 mm.
The numbers
| Material | Borosilicate Glass (3.3 expansion group per ISO 3585) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 3.3 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 450 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 360 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.23 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 480 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.473 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.50 – 30 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 600 x 400 mm |
| 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: sheet stock carries more thickness variation than float wafer stock, so lapping is often the first 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.
For the complete framework, see the tolerance design guide and the holes and edges design guide.
What the process holds
Beyond this page, Borosilicate Glass routinely runs through ultrasonic machining, coring, drilling, double-side polishing in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Who orders this
borosilicate glass machining services shows up across medical diagnostics (flow cells, slides, microplate bottoms, cuvette windows); scientific instruments (reference flats, cells, prism mounts, stage inserts); laboratory instruments (cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows). Background reading on the underlying material science: ISO 3585 borosilicate glass 3.3.
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 glass sandblasting, material selection guide, custom FTO 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 Borosilicate Glass parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Sheet stock carries more thickness variation than float wafer stock, so lapping is often the first step.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in August 2026.