Quick answer: Polishing Soda-Lime Glass covers Soda-Lime Glass (CTE 9.0 x 10^-6 /K, 360 nm – 2.0 um); Polishing to flatness to lambda/4 per 25 mm. Prototypes ship in 5-10 working days.
polishing soda-lime glass is a materials problem before it is a machining problem. Soda-Lime Glass has lowest cost per square meter and a Knoop hardness of 585 kg/mm2, so the polishing recipe – feeds, coolant, tooling – differs from what works on ordinary float glass. The line runs pitch and polyurethane pad polishers with cerium oxide slurry and holds flatness to lambda/4 per 25 mm.
Key parameters
| Material | Soda-Lime Glass (Float per ASTM C1036, low-iron option) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 9.0 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 350 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 360 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.50 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 585 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.52 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.40 – 19 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 1,000 x 800 mm |
| Process | Polishing |
| Working tolerance | flatness to lambda/4 per 25 mm |
| Minimum feature | Ra below 1 nm |
| Surface finish | scratch-dig 40/20 to 20/10 |
| Thickness window | 0.2 – 50 mm |
| Edge condition | polished bevels available |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Getting the drawing right
Before sending the RFQ, check these against your drawing:
- Material note: higher CTE means edge chips propagate under thermal load, so edge finishing quality drives reliability.
- Process boundary: steep aspect parts and deep pockets polish unevenly; those faces are specified as fine-ground.
- 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.
Manufacturing capability
The core strength of Polishing is optical-grade faces with certified scratch-dig and interferometer-verified flatness. The honest limit: steep aspect parts and deep pockets polish unevenly; those faces are specified as fine-ground. Both belong on the drawing before quoting, not after.
One material, many routes: on Soda-Lime Glass we also quote edge grinding, cnc machining, grinding, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Typical applications
Orders for polishing soda-lime glass cluster in led packaging (groove covers, phosphor carriers, package windows); industrial displays (touch covers, gauge windows, printed bezels). Background reading on the underlying material science: ASTM C1036 flat glass standard.
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: optical polishing capability, AR coated glass materials.
Frequently asked questions
What tolerances are achievable on Soda-Lime Glass parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Higher CTE means edge chips propagate under thermal load, so edge finishing quality drives reliability.
What thickness range do you stock for Soda-Lime Glass?
Standard stock spans 0.40 – 19 mm, with blanks up to 1,000 x 800 mm. Other formats are sourced per order.
How does Soda-Lime Glass behave under heat?
CTE is 9.0 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 350 C continuous, which is what drives its use where lowest cost per square meter matters.
What accuracy does polishing hold?
Flatness to lambda/4 per 25 mm with minimum features of Ra below 1 nm. Steep aspect parts and deep pockets polish unevenly; those faces are specified as fine-ground.
What equipment runs the polishing work?
Pitch and polyurethane pad polishers with cerium oxide slurry.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in July 2026.