Quick answer: Sandblasting Borofloat 33 covers Borofloat 33 (CTE 3.25 x 10^-6 /K, 350 nm – 2.0 um); Sandblasting to mask registration +/-0.1 mm. Prototypes ship in 5-10 working days.
sandblasting borofloat 33 is a materials problem before it is a machining problem. Borofloat 33 has float-glass flatness off the line and a Knoop hardness of 480 kg/mm2, so the sandblasting recipe – feeds, coolant, tooling – differs from what works on ordinary float glass. The line runs automated cabinets with alumina media and photoresist masks and holds mask registration +/-0.1 mm.
Key parameters
| Material | Borofloat 33 (SCHOTT float production, wafer grade) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 3.25 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 450 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 350 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.23 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 480 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.471 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.70 – 25.4 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 500 x 500 mm |
| Process | Sandblasting |
| Working tolerance | mask registration +/-0.1 mm |
| Minimum feature | 1 mm masked window |
| Surface finish | uniform matte, gloss 4 – 8 GU |
| Thickness window | 0.7 – 25 mm |
| Edge condition | not applicable |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Specification advice
Before sending the RFQ, check these against your drawing:
- Material note: float tin side must be tracked when parts see coating or bonding steps.
- Process boundary: blasted faces lose roughly 30% bend strength; safety-critical faces get a post-etch.
- 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
Sandblasting earns its place through uniform diffusing texture and masked logos or windows at panel scale. Its boundary condition – blasted faces lose roughly 30% bend strength; safety-critical faces get a post-etch – is the first thing our DFM review checks.
Beyond this page, Borofloat 33 routinely runs through cnc machining, etching, dicing, ultrasonic machining in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Typical applications
The recurring buyers of sandblasting borofloat 33: led packaging (groove covers, phosphor carriers, package windows); mems devices (cap wafers, TGV substrates, motion-sensor lids); optical sensors (sensor windows, filter caps, lens covers). Background reading on the underlying material science: SCHOTT BOROFLOAT product page.
The fastest route to a quote is geometry: use the 3D configurator below, or the site-wide custom glass machining 3D builder for fully custom parts.
Related reading on this site: Borofloat 33 selection guide, wafer dicing process, AR coated glass materials.
Frequently asked questions
What tolerances are achievable on Borofloat 33 parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Float tin side must be tracked when parts see coating or bonding steps.
What thickness range do you stock for Borofloat 33?
Standard stock spans 0.70 – 25.4 mm, with blanks up to 500 x 500 mm. Other formats are sourced per order.
How does Borofloat 33 behave under heat?
CTE is 3.25 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 450 C continuous, which is what drives its use where float-glass flatness off the line matters.
What accuracy does sandblasting hold?
Mask registration +/-0.1 mm with minimum features of 1 mm masked window. Blasted faces lose roughly 30% bend strength; safety-critical faces get a post-etch.
What equipment runs the sandblasting work?
Automated cabinets with alumina media and photoresist masks.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in July 2026.