Fraunhofer IPT: 3D thin glass by laser instead of etching

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With this alternative, the flat glass blanks are structured using a USP laser with pulse durations of less than ten picoseconds. The low heat input means that the material is processed particularly gently. Optically and haptically effective micro- and nanostructures can also be created on the glass, say the researchers. The project team has now tested two complementary processing concepts. In one, the laser beam is directed via two motorized mirrors. The mirror movement is constantly accelerated and decelerated, which limits the processing speed. In the second method, the laser beam is deflected by a very fast rotating mirror with many small facets. Due to the rotation of the mirror, the reflected laser beam can then process large areas in a very short time. However, anti-glare, anti-reflective and anti-fingerprint structures could be produced with both methods.

A Comparison of Forming Methods for Thin Glass:

In order to finally form the structured glass blanks into 3D parts, the researchers again compared two variants of hot forming: isothermal and non-isothermal forming. In isothermal process control, the tool is heated together with the glass. This process achieves particularly high shaping accuracy, but is quite time-consuming in terms of cycle times. Non-isothermal process control, which was developed at the IPT, as they emphasize, separates the heating, forming and cooling steps. The glass blank is first placed on a preheated forming tool and then enters the furnace. Due to its lower mass, however, the glass heats up faster than the forming tool and is formed. The still-warm glass is then removed from the mold and allowed to cool. The mold is then immediately available for the next cycle. In this way, cycle times of less than 100 seconds per component can be achieved.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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