Etching Alkali-Free Glass: Alkali-Free Glass (CTE 3.2 x 10^-6 /K, 350 nm – 2.0 um); Etching to depth control +/-1 um. Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
The combination of Alkali-Free Glass and Etching comes up constantly in RFQs for a reason – the material offers display-grade surface quality, and Etching is the right way to get accurate geometry into it. Expect depth control +/-1 um and isotropic smooth walls.
The numbers
| Material | Alkali-Free Glass (AF32 / EAGLE-class display glass) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 3.2 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 600 C (Tg 717 C) |
| Transmission range | 350 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.43 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 590 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.51 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.10 – 1.1 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 400 x 300 mm |
| Process | Etching |
| Working tolerance | depth control +/-1 um |
| Minimum feature | 10 um channel width (masked HF) |
| Surface finish | isotropic smooth walls |
| Thickness window | 0.1 – 5 mm |
| Edge condition | stress-relief etch available |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Specification advice
The shop-floor rules that matter here:
- Material note: thin sheets below 0.3 mm demand carrier-supported handling through every step.
- Process boundary: isotropic undercut roughly equals depth, so masks are compensated at layout time.
- 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
Etching earns its place through microchannels, cavities and frosted textures without mechanical stress. Its boundary condition – isotropic undercut roughly equals depth, so masks are compensated at layout time – is the first thing our DFM review checks.
Beyond this page, Alkali-Free Glass routinely runs through grinding, double-side polishing, cnc machining, drilling in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Application context
etching alkali-free glass shows up across industrial displays (touch covers, gauge windows, printed bezels); mems devices (cap wafers, TGV substrates, motion-sensor lids); ccd inspection equipment (CCD cover plates, reference grids, stage glass). Background reading on the underlying material science: SCHOTT AF 32 eco.
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: alkali-free display glass, alkali-free glass wafers, holes and edges design guide.
Buyer questions, answered
What equipment runs the etching work?
Buffered HF wet benches and masked lithography line.
Is there a minimum order for etching alkali-free 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.
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.