Ultrasonic Machining Borosilicate Glass – Borosilicate Glass (CTE 3.3 x 10^-6 /K, 360 nm – 2.0 um); Ultrasonic Machining to +/-0.02 mm form. No minimum order; DFM review included with every RFQ.
ultrasonic machining borosilicate glass is a materials problem before it is a machining problem. Borosilicate Glass has chemical durability and a Knoop hardness of 480 kg/mm2, so the ultrasonic machining recipe – feeds, coolant, tooling – differs from what works on ordinary float glass. The line runs 20 kHz ultrasonic spindles with shaped diamond form tools and holds +/-0.02 mm form.
Key parameters
| Material | Borosilicate Glass (3.3 expansion group per ISO 3585) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 3.3 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 450 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 360 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.23 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 480 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.473 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.50 – 30 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 600 x 400 mm |
| Process | Ultrasonic Machining |
| Working tolerance | +/-0.02 mm form |
| Minimum feature | 0.3 mm blind features |
| Surface finish | matte machined surface |
| Thickness window | 0.5 – 25 mm |
| Edge condition | crack-free feature edges |
| 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: sheet stock carries more thickness variation than float wafer stock, so lapping is often the first step.
- Process boundary: material removal is slow, so it is reserved for features other processes cannot form.
- 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 Ultrasonic Machining is blind cavities, non-round holes and stepped profiles that rotary tools cannot reach. The honest limit: material removal is slow, so it is reserved for features other processes cannot form. Both belong on the drawing before quoting, not after.
One material, many routes: on Borosilicate Glass we also quote laser cutting, etching, dicing, edge grinding, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Who orders this
Orders for ultrasonic machining borosilicate glass cluster in medical diagnostics (flow cells, slides, microplate bottoms, cuvette windows); scientific instruments (reference flats, cells, prism mounts, stage inserts); laboratory instruments (cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows). Background reading on the underlying material science: ISO 3585 borosilicate glass 3.3.
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.
For adjacent specifications, see glass sandblasting, material selection guide, custom microfluidic chip.
Frequently asked questions
What tolerances are achievable on Borosilicate Glass parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Sheet stock carries more thickness variation than float wafer stock, so lapping is often the first step.
What thickness range do you stock for Borosilicate Glass?
Standard stock spans 0.50 – 30 mm, with blanks up to 600 x 400 mm. Other formats are sourced per order.
How does Borosilicate Glass behave under heat?
CTE is 3.3 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 450 C continuous, which is what drives its use where chemical durability matters.
What accuracy does ultrasonic machining hold?
+/-0.02 mm form with minimum features of 0.3 mm blind features. Material removal is slow, so it is reserved for features other processes cannot form.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in July 2026.