Edge Grinding Fused Silica: Fused Silica (CTE 0.55 x 10^-6 /K, 185 nm – 2.5 um); Edge Grinding to chamfer +/-0.05 mm. Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
edge grinding fused silica is a materials problem before it is a machining problem. Fused Silica has near-zero thermal expansion and a Knoop hardness of 500 kg/mm2, so the edge grinding recipe – feeds, coolant, tooling – differs from what works on ordinary float glass. The line runs CNC edge grinders with profiled diamond wheels and holds chamfer +/-0.05 mm.
Key parameters
| Material | Fused Silica (JGS1 (UV), JGS2 (standard), JGS3 (IR)) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 0.55 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 1,100 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 185 nm – 2.5 um |
| Density | 2.20 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 500 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.458 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.10 – 50 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 450 x 450 mm |
| Process | Edge Grinding |
| Working tolerance | chamfer +/-0.05 mm |
| Minimum feature | 0.1 mm chamfer leg |
| Surface finish | ground C or R profile, polish option |
| Thickness window | 0.1 – 25 mm |
| Edge condition | C-chamfer, R-round, pencil or OG profile |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
DFM notes from the shop floor
Before sending the RFQ, check these against your drawing:
- Material note: its hardness and brittleness demand diamond tooling and controlled feeds.
- Process boundary: profiles below 0.1 mm leg length are lapped by hand and priced per edge.
- 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.
Capabilities and limits
The core strength of Edge Grinding is edge strength – a finished chamfer roughly doubles the bend strength of a cut edge. The honest limit: profiles below 0.1 mm leg length are lapped by hand and priced per edge. Both belong on the drawing before quoting, not after.
One material, many routes: on Fused Silica we also quote sandblasting, etching, grinding, cnc machining, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Typical applications
The recurring buyers of edge grinding fused silica: scientific instruments (reference flats, cells, prism mounts, stage inserts); semiconductor equipment (view ports, wafer carriers, plasma rings, chamber windows); microfluidic devices (chips, manifolds, via plates, bonded stacks). Background reading on the underlying material science: RP Photonics: fused silica.
Dimensions still moving? Configure this part live in the 3D builder below, or open the full custom glass machining 3D builder to start from a blank canvas.
Useful companion pages: fused silica wafers 2-12 inch, fused silica wafer applications, FTO conductive glass.
Frequently asked questions
What tolerances are achievable on Fused Silica parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Its hardness and brittleness demand diamond tooling and controlled feeds.
What thickness range do you stock for Fused Silica?
Standard stock spans 0.10 – 50 mm, with blanks up to 450 x 450 mm. Other formats are sourced per order.
How does Fused Silica behave under heat?
CTE is 0.55 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 1,100 C continuous, which is what drives its use where near-zero thermal expansion matters.
What accuracy does edge grinding hold?
Chamfer +/-0.05 mm with minimum features of 0.1 mm chamfer leg. Profiles below 0.1 mm leg length are lapped by hand and priced per edge.
What equipment runs the edge grinding work?
CNC edge grinders with profiled diamond wheels.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in July 2026.