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 drilling, polishing, coring, lapping, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Typical applications
The recurring buyers of edge grinding fused silica: medical diagnostics (flow cells, slides, microplate bottoms, cuvette windows); ccd inspection equipment (CCD cover plates, reference grids, stage glass); laboratory instruments (cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows). Background reading on the underlying material science: RP Photonics: fused silica.
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.
Useful companion pages: edge grinding overview, wafer dicing process, 4 inch Borofloat wafers.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment runs the edge grinding work?
CNC edge grinders with profiled diamond wheels.
Is there a minimum order for edge grinding fused silica?
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.
Do parts ship with inspection data?
Dimensional reports, surface certificates and material certs per melt are available; specify the level on the RFQ.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in September 2026.