Edge Grinding Optical Glass: Optical Glass (CTE 7.1 x 10^-6 /K, 350 nm – 2.0 um); Edge Grinding to chamfer +/-0.05 mm. Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
Ask any process engineer what makes optical glass difficult and the answer is specific: index-certified blanks must be oriented and serialized through the shop to keep melt traceability. Our edge grinding line is tooled around exactly that – CNC edge grinders with profiled diamond wheels – holding chamfer +/-0.05 mm on parts from 0.1 – 25 mm thick.
Specification envelope
| Material | Optical Glass (N-BK7, H-K9L and filter glass sets) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 7.1 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 400 C (Tg 557 C) |
| Transmission range | 350 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.51 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 610 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.5168 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.30 – 50 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 300 mm diameter |
| 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 |
Process window
Edge Grinding earns its place through edge strength – a finished chamfer roughly doubles the bend strength of a cut edge. Its boundary condition – profiles below 0.1 mm leg length are lapped by hand and priced per edge – is the first thing our DFM review checks.
Beyond this page, Optical Glass routinely runs through double-side polishing, drilling, laser cutting, lapping in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Design guidance
The shop-floor rules that matter here:
- Material note: index-certified blanks must be oriented and serialized through the shop to keep melt traceability.
- 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.
Where these parts end up
The recurring buyers of edge grinding optical glass: machine vision (camera windows, ring-light diffusers, calibration plates); laser systems (windows, beam splitters, debris shields); scientific instruments (reference flats, cells, prism mounts, stage inserts). Background reading on the underlying material science: RP Photonics: optical glass.
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.
Related reading on this site: AR optical windows, precision glass grinding, laser glass cutting.
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 optical 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.
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.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in September 2026.