Corning innovates its nanoPerforation glass cutting technology optimizing for 3D cutting applications

Corning Laser Technologies (CLT) announced that they have further enhanced their unique nanoPerforation glass cutting technology to better suit 3D cutting applications. There is a worldwide trend towards curved surfaces, in particular cover glasses and glass dashboards. These new designs have high requirements for freeform and 3D cutting, which are difficult to meet with traditional mechanical scribe and break (MS&B) or grinding processes.

CLT’s enhanced technology uses ultrashort pulsed lasers, which cuts glass through localized perforation rather than material ablation. As successfully shown in multiple 2D glass applications, this results in smooth, very high-quality cuts at high processing speeds and accuracy. CLT is proud to announce this development in nanoPerforation which now enables the cutting of 3D shaped glass.

In order to achieve perpendicular cuts, an especially fast and highly precise CLT 5-axis beam delivery system has been developed. It combines 2 high-speed rotating axes with a fast X-, Y- and Z-motion system. The new system CLT 43D joins CLT’s extensive glass-cutting platforms and is set up to accurately cut 3D shaped glasses of up to 1200 x 700 x 300 mm size. The CLT solution enables freeform, accurate cutting, which allows for optimized processing steps with reduced complexity. Thanks to the high edge quality of the nanoPerforation process, there is little, or no post processing required. CLT nanoPerforation is not only more flexible, but furthermore allows new innovative part design.

“The CLT 43D, with its 3D glass cutting capability, provides industrial designers an additional degree of freedom in a variety of applications and they will use it”, said Michael Mueller, CLT Business Director.

For more information, please visit http://www.corning.com.