Semiconductor Micro-Drilling of Soda-Lime Glass

🕜 Efficiency enhanced 9x | 📈 Quality - hole quality enhanced 10x (size of edge-crack is greatly reduced to 22µm |
  • Difficulties in Machining
  • HIT Achievements
  • Industry Application
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What makes Soda-Lime Glass difficult to machine?


Soda-lime glass is the most prevalent type of glass.  It is a combination of three basic components: silica, soda, and lime.  It has a variety of useful properties for applications across various industries.

Soda-lime glass is not as expensive as other glass materials, and has a nice material attribute of being good for recycling.

Though soda-lime glass is rated 6-7 on the Mohs hardness scale, it is vulnerable to thermal shocks.  Sudden changes in temperature could shatter soda-lime glass, which gives it certain difficulties during the machining process.  Especially for drilling micro-holes on soda-lime glass, it might suffer from massive edge-cracks or subsurface damage if the thrust force and torque are not well-controlled.
 

 

☑️ Soda-Lime Glass Machining Information

 
   Soda-Lime Glass Machining Information          
  Material   Soda-lime glass
  Feature   Φ0.3 x 1mm (through holes)
   *aspect ratio 3x
  Process   Micro-drilling  
  Ultrasonic Tool Holder        HSKE40-R01-06
  Rotating Speed   11,000 ~ 13,000 rpm
  Tool Selection   Φ0.3mm - CVD diamond coating drill



 
HSK-E40 ultrasonic toolholder was used on soda-lime glass micro-drilling
(Figure 1. HSK-E40 ultrasonic toolholder was used on soda-lime glass micro-drilling)



ultrasonic-assisted micro-drilling on soda-lime glass workpiece
(Figure 2. ultrasonic-assisted micro-drilling on soda-lime glass workpiece)



 

HIT's Goal in Machining Soda-Lime Glass


The goal is to raise the machining efficiency, while reducing the size of edge-cracks on micro-drilling of soda-lime glass.




 

Ultrasonic-Assisted Machining Soda-Lime Glass Results

 

Soda-Lime Glass Micro-Drilling : Machining Efficiency

the machining efficiency was enhanced 9x with HIT Ultrasonic on micro-drilling soda-lime glass
(Figure 3. the machining efficiency was enhanced 9x with HIT Ultrasonic on micro-drilling soda-lime glass)


The overall machining efficiency was enhanced 9 times faster than that without ultrasonic.
 
  • With HIT's ultrasonic-assisted machining technology, the pilot drilling process could be eliminated, and the conventional peck drilling cycle was replaced with direct drilling.
with HIT Ultrasonic, the size of edge-crack remained small even without pilot drill
(Figure 4. with HIT Ultrasonic, the size of edge-crack remained small even without pilot drill)
 
  • The high-frequency micro-vibration of HIT's ultrasonic-assisted machining technology helps reduce the thrust force and torque, the feed rate was enhanced 3x while maintaining small edge-cracks under the same rotation speed (12,000rpm).
 

 

Soda-Lime Glass Micro-Drilling : Hole Quality

the size of edge-crack around entry holes was reduced 3.7x with HIT Ultrasonic on micro-drilling soda-lime glass
(Figure 5. the size of edge-crack around entry holes was reduced 3.7x with HIT Ultrasonic on micro-drilling soda-lime glass)



the size of edge-crack around exit holes was reduced 10x with HIT Ultrasonic on micro-drilling soda-lime glass
(Figure 6. the size of edge-crack around exit holes was reduced 10x with HIT Ultrasonic on micro-drilling soda-lime glass)


The overall hole quality was greatly enhanced with the size of edge-cracks around entry holes reduced 3.7x and the size of edge-cracks around exit holes reduced 10x.


comparison of the size of edge-cracks around entry holes between HIT Ultrasonic and Non Ultrasonic
(Figure 7. comparison of the size of edge-cracks around entry holes between HIT Ultrasonic and Non Ultrasonic)


comparison of the size of edge-cracks around exit holes between HIT Ultrasonic and Non Ultrasonic
(Figure 8. comparison of the size of edge-cracks around exit holes between HIT Ultrasonic and Non Ultrasonic)




 

HIT Ultrasonic Machining Technology Achievements


🕜 Efficiency - 9x faster than that without ultrasonic
📈 Quality - hole quality enhanced 10x better than that without ultrasonic (size of edge-crack is greatly reduced to 22µm)



 

Soda-Lime Glass Machining in Industry Application


Micro-drilling Soda-Lime Glass is often applied in the Semiconductor industry and Automotive indsutry, especially for RF-MEMS switches and image sensors with TGV technology, and for the pressure/acceleration sensors and gyroscopes of automobiles.


Soda-lime glass has multiple kinds of applications in various industries.  It is not as expensive as other glass materials but with specialized properties, such as borosilicate or optical glass.

The soda and lime in soda lime glass give it a nice material property that it can be softened and resoftened many times without losing its quality.  This makes it good for recycling.

Though soda-lime glass is rated 6-7 on the Mohs hardness scale, it is vulnerable to thermal shocks.  Sudden changes in temperature could shatter soda-lime glass, which gives it certain difficulties during the machining process.  Especially for drilling micro-holes on soda-lime glass, it might suffer from massive edge-cracks or subsurface damage if the thrust force and torque are not well-controlled.

That was when HIT's Ultrasonic Machining Module came to help!  HIT offers a comprehensive solution in machining these hard and brittle materials.  With the assistance of HIT's Ultrasonic Machining Technology, clients stopped worrying about the poor hole quality while trying to speeding up the processing time.  The machining efficiency can be greatly enhanced while receiving a huge reduction in the size of edge-cracks.  HIT assures its clients of not only matching up with their requirements, but also achieving even better outcomes!



💡 Learn more about other HIT Ultrasonic Glass Machining cases

💡 Introduction on HIT Ultrasonic Machining on advanced materials