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
Three items decide most of the cost and lead time on this work:
- 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 polishing, grinding, drilling, 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 + 2D builder below, or open the full custom glass machining 3D + 2D builder to start from a blank canvas.
For adjacent specifications, see glass sandblasting, material selection guide, FTO conductive glass.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment runs the ultrasonic machining work?
20 kHz ultrasonic spindles with shaped diamond form tools.
Is there a minimum order for ultrasonic machining borosilicate 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.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in September 2026.