CNC Glass Machining, Polishing, Lapping, Dicing, Grinding & Shaping Services

Valley Design offers state-of-the-art glass CNC machining services.

Our custom glass CNC machining capabilities are combined with the highest level of CAD/CTM software and programming tools with nearly 50 years of machining experience and diamond tooling knowledge.  This combination along with our other extensive Glass Fabrication expertise enables us to meet the most demanding challenges in the Precision Glass Machining Industry.  Our dedication to complying with ISO9001: 2015 and AS9100D (Aerospace) standards invokes confidence in our many hundreds of customers worldwide.

Valley Design’s CNC Machining Department

• 3 Axis CNC Milling Centers
• 4 Axis CNC Milling Centers
• 5 Axis CNC Milling Centers

With this variety of machining centers, Valley Design offers incredible fabrication flexibility when complex shapes, geometries and accuracy are required.

Glass machining services can produce features such as:

• Steps
• Slots
• Step Holes
• Blind Holes
• Countersink Holes
• Pockets
• Domes
• Thru-holes
• Chamfers
• Radii
• Grooves
• Notches
• Tapered Holes
• Threader Holes
• Internal Edge Profiles
• Light Weighting
• Deep Hole Drilling
• Core Drilling
• 3D Contouring
• Engraving

Advantages of CNC Glass Machining

CNC machining offers unmatched precision and repeatability over conventional grinding, hole drilling and milling techniques, especially when complex features and shapes are required.

• Programming provides repeatability.
• Technicians can operate multiple machines simultaneously and still ensure repeatability and accuracy.
• 24/7 operation including lights out glass machining services can reduce costs.
• Minimal maintenance required on newer CNC machining centers.

Are Disadvantage of CNC Glass Machining?

The upfront price of purchasing glass and CNC machines is the primary disadvantage. Making long-term commitments to the Glass Machining Industry offsets this disadvantage.

Glass CNC Machining Capabilities and Limits

• Minimum thickness: 10um – 15um
• Maximum thickness:  10”
• Maximum Size: 30” x 19”
• Minimum Size: .127mm (.005”)
• Tolerances: (micron level)
• Minimum Hole Diameter: .55mm (.022” diameter)

Glass Machining of Small Diameter Optical Windows

Valley Design provides precision glass machining and manufacturing of flat plano/plano optical and technical glass windows and discs as small as 1mm in diameter which can be thinned and polished to as thin as 1. These may be optically machined and polished to 10-15 microns thick with no edge drop off. Other geometries such as squares and rectangles with similar dimensions are also available. Valley provides CNC glass machining and glass machining services on all types of glass.

Precision Glass Machining of Optical Wafers, Substrates and Blanks

Small optical blanks from Filter Glass, Fused Silica, Zerodur, Pyrex and all other optical glasses are precision fabricated by 4 & 5 Axis CNC precision glass machining, diamond core drilling, ultrasonic drilling, impact grinding, diamond sawing, dicing, grinding, lapping and polishing. Silicon wafers with features may also be produced by silicon machining and polishing.

Machined Parts from Hard and Brittle Materials

Valley’s over 50 years of experience enables us to produce precision diamond machined parts by CNC machining, grinding, dicing, drilling, lapping, ultrasonic shaping, polishing and optical machining. Our expertise in hard and brittle materials is unique in the industry. Other hard materials processed include Silicon Carbide machining, and Sapphire machining.

These hard and brittle materials can be machined into small heat sinks, washers, precision shims and spacers, cubes, wafers, seals, diode mounts and other intricate shapes. Valley Design is your resource for all your CNC glass fabrication and hard material machining requirements.

CNC Glass Material Types

• B270
• Schott Borofloat
• D263
• Borofloat 33
• Schott Supermax
• Soda Lime Glass
• Corning Eagle XG
• Fused Silica 7980
• Fused Quartz GE 124
• AF 45
• Gorilla Glass
• Schott Filter Glass
• Hoya Filter Glass
• Hebo Filter Glass
• Xensation
• Dragon Trail
• Patterned Glass
• AR Coated Glass

Get a Custom Quote for Glass CNC Machining Services

Valley Design is a worldwide leader in providing high quality, custom CNC machining on glass as well as many other materials. Come to Valley Design for all your glass CNC machining requirements.

Please call or e-mail for a quotation to meet your specifications.