Here’s What You Need to Know
As demand grows for ultra-precise glass cutting solutions in smartphones, displays, and electronics, more manufacturers are turning to advanced technologies like the picosecond laser glass cutter. But one question often arises:
Can this laser glass cutter cut tempered glass?
The answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.
What Is a Picosecond Laser Glass Cutter?
A picosecond laser glass cutter uses ultra-short laser pulses measured in trillionths of a second (picoseconds). These high-intensity pulses vaporize material with minimal heat transfer, making them ideal for cutting glass and other brittle materials with extreme precision and virtually no microcracks or thermal damage.
This makes picosecond lasers a major upgrade over traditional mechanical glass cutters or longer-pulse lasers.
The Challenge with Tempered Glass
Tempered glass comes in two main types:
- Physically tempered glass (thermal tempering): Strengthened by rapidly cooling heated glass, creating internal stress between the surface and core.
- Chemically tempered glass: Enhanced through ion exchange, creating surface compression without significantly altering the core.
Physically tempered glass is commonly used in smartphones, automotive windshields, and architectural applications.
However, there’s a major challenge:
Once glass has been physically tempered, it becomes extremely difficult—and often impossible—to cut.
Even a tiny surface disturbance can cause the entire sheet to shatter due to the built-in internal stress. This applies whether you’re using a mechanical glass cutter, a CO₂ laser, or a high-end laser glass cutter.
So, Can a Picosecond Laser Cut Tempered Glass?
It can cut some types of chemically tempered glass.
It cannot cut physically tempered glass.
Despite its precision and low heat generation, a picosecond laser glass cutter still creates enough localized stress to trigger cracking or explosive shattering in thermally tempered glass. Therefore, for best results, the laser cutting must be done before the tempering process.
This “cut first, temper later” workflow is now an industry standard in fields like smartphone cover glass and touch panel production.
Key Benefits of Picosecond Laser Glass Cutting
While it can’t cut glass that has been physically tempered, the picosecond laser glass cutter brings many advantages for other glass types:
- High precision: Clean, chip-free edges with no post-processing required
- No thermal stress: Ideal for thin, brittle, or laminated glass
- Wide material compatibility: Can be used on borosilicate glass, OLED cover glass, Gorilla Glass (before tempering), sapphire, and more
- Automation-ready: Supports vision alignment, curved cutting paths, and inline splitting
Applications
- Smartphone and tablet glass cover manufacturing
- Automotive HUD and dashboard displays
- Wearables and smartwatches
- Optical lenses and precision displays
Conclusion
The picosecond laser glass cutter is revolutionizing how we cut glass in high-tech industries. While it cannot cut thermally tempered glass directly, it is a highly effective solution for cutting raw glass or chemically tempered glass with lower internal stress.
For best results in high-strength glass applications, the recommended workflow is:
Use a laser glass cutter before tempering, not after.
Looking for a high-precision glass cutter that can meet your production standards? Explore our industrial-grade picosecond laser glass cutting machines today!
One Response
Certainly! Here’s a comment in English:
This article provides valuable insights into the types and applications of tempered glass, especially in industries like smartphones and automotive. The explanation of the “cut first, temper later” workflow is particularly interesting and highlights its standardization in the field. It’s great to see the emphasis on high-strength glass applications and the recommended workflow for optimal results. The mention of laser machine technology as a productivity booster is intriguing. How does the latest laser technology specifically enhance the process of working with tempered glass? Given the growing economic instability due to the events in the Middle East, many businesses are looking for guaranteed fast and secure payment solutions.