Glass Polishing & Lapping

Glass Polishing and Lapping Services


UQG Optics can accommodate a range of specialist precision glass polishing and lapping requirements, large or small. We offer the latest technologies in double-sided planetary polishing, using 3-way drive machines producing high volume rates. If a laser-quality finish is required, our single-sided machines can polish up to lambda 10 flatness. 

We can also polish the edges of windows and squares. Windows, plates and substrates are routinely processed in batch runs at competitive rates.

A large proportion of our contract polishing and lapping work is carried out to customer-supplied materials. 

Typical polishing examples includes:

  • Re-polishing of damaged surfaces
  • Polishing of edges round or square
  • Flame polishing rods and tubes
  • Optical polishing of light guides
  • Glass to metal assemblies


Materials

Materials suitable for polishing include optical glass, fused quartz, fused silica, borosilicate, float glass, filter glass, silicon, germanium and more.

Specifications

Double-sided planetary polishing
Dimensions3mm dia to 300mm dia
Thickness0.5mm to 25mm (tolerance to ± 0.01)
FlatnessTo 1 lambda
ParallelismTo <10 arc seconds
Surface quality40/20, 60/40, 80/50

For sizes over 300mm dia we use our range of single-sided machines, polishing up to 500mm dia. 

Precision Lapping

Our lapping services include all optical materials and glasses, as well as metals, alloys, alumina and ferrites. Using double-sided planetary machines, we focus on components when both sides need lapping to precision tolerances.

Surfaces are lapped simultaneously whilst held in carriers, removing the need for fixing or clamping, and ensuring a stress free lapping process for the components without thermal distortion. Our lapping department handles 1 off to 1,000’s of components a day.

In many optical applications where surfaces need diffusing, we can lap one or both sides to a stated finish from 5 microns to 100 microns. Find out more on our diffusers page.

Materials

Material suitable for precision lapping include optical glasses, sodalime glass, borosilicate, fused silica, fused quartz, silicon, germanium, alumina, ceramics, ferrites, steel, brass, carbon and more.

Specifications

DimensionsOptical glasses up to 300mm dia
Metals/alloys up to 50mm dia
Ceramics/alumina up to 100mm dia
Ferrites up to 100mm dia
Thickness0.5mm to 25mm
FlatnessSubject to material
Parallelism 0.01
Surface finish Subject to material

For further information please contact us to day to discuss your requirements.

Other optical services we supply: