Ultrasonic Machining Soda-Lime Glass – Soda-Lime Glass (CTE 9.0 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.
The combination of Soda-Lime Glass and Ultrasonic Machining comes up constantly in RFQs for a reason – the material offers temperable for 4-5x strength, and Ultrasonic Machining is the right way to get accurate geometry into it. Expect +/-0.02 mm form and matte machined surface.
The numbers
| 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 | 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 |
Specification advice
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: 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.
Capabilities and limits
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 Soda-Lime Glass we also quote sandblasting, edge grinding, coring, etching, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Where these parts end up
ultrasonic machining soda-lime glass shows up across 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.
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.
Engineers scoping this work usually also review glass in laser systems, custom microfluidic chip, special-shaped glass plates.
Buyer questions, answered
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 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.