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 sandblasting, laser cutting, grinding, ultrasonic machining, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Typical applications
The recurring buyers of polishing soda-lime glass: 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 + 2D builder below, or open the full custom glass machining 3D + 2D builder to start from a blank canvas.
Useful companion pages: optical polishing capability, CNC machining capability, tolerance design guide.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment runs the polishing work?
Pitch and polyurethane pad polishers with cerium oxide slurry.
Is there a minimum order for polishing soda-lime 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.