Laser Glass Drilling — any hole, any shape, no tooling
Drilling, shape cutting, countersinking and chamfering in one machine — dry, in seconds, without micro-cracks. You change the software, not the tool.
Request drilled parts → View the technology →What the laser drills
One laser beam replaces a rack of dedicated tools.
Holes Ø 0.5–85 mm
From fine sensor holes to large cut-outs — without mechanical stress.
Blind holes & countersinks
Blind holes and sinkholes from 0.5 × 0.5 mm — programmed, not tooled.
Chamfer in the same pass
Chamfering during the drilling process — no second operation, no edge rework.
Free shapes & contours
Slots, cut-outs and any contour with radii from r ≥ 0.06 mm.
In-glass marking
Permanent data-matrix codes and logos inside the glass — line widths down to 20 µm.
No tool changes
A new hole or contour? Adjust the software instead of buying tooling — first parts in hours.
Process window
Laser or waterjet?
Contactless and dry instead of water, sand and slurry.
- Dry and clean — no water, no abrasive, no washing afterwards. Cleanroom-capable.
- Stronger edges than waterjet — contactless process, fewer losses in tempering and assembly.
- The core simply falls out — ablation starts from the bottom, no breaking parts out of the mother glass.
- No consumables — only 6.5 kVA at peak, no nozzle or tool wear.
| Technology | Cost per hour | Annual at 24/7 | After 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laser | $5.00 | $40,230 | $120,960 |
| Waterjet | $21.00 | $169,344 | $508,032 |
| Savings | $129,024 | $387,072 |
Which glass can be laser-drilled?
Well suited ✓
Clear glass (float, soda-lime), borosilicate, fused silica and many coated glasses — from 0.3 to 50 mm thickness, in the job shop from 0.05 mm.
Not suited — we tell you honestly
Toughened safety glass (TSG) shatters due to its internal stresses — the right way is to drill first, then temper. Strongly red-tinted glass absorbs the green laser light and cannot be drilled with it. If in doubt, we test your glass type on a sample.
Have it drilled, or drill it yourself?
Have your parts drilled
Send a drawing, get parts back: prototypes, small batches and recurring series on MDI’s own machines in Mainz — no investment.
Go to the job shopYour own machine — LD series
The LD machine series with green laser: table sizes from 500×500 to 1500×1000 mm, stand-alone or integrated into your line.
View the green laserFrequently asked questions about laser drilling
What hole sizes are possible?
Holes from Ø 0.5 to 85 mm, plus blind holes and countersinks from 0.5 × 0.5 mm. Inside and outside contours are possible with radii from r ≥ 0.06 mm.
How fast is laser drilling?
A Ø 11 mm hole in 4 mm glass takes about 4 seconds — including the chamfer in the same pass. That is fast enough for white-goods production takt times.
Can toughened safety glass (TSG) be laser-drilled?
No. Tempering creates internal stresses; removing material makes the pane shatter. The right approach is to drill first, then temper — which is exactly how we produce parts that are toughened afterwards.
Which glass types are suitable?
Clear glass, borosilicate, fused silica and many coated glasses. Strongly red-tinted glass absorbs the green laser light (532 nm) and is not suitable. If in doubt, we test your glass type on a sample.
Do micro-cracks or chipping occur?
No — the process is contactless, so no mechanical force acts on the glass. The drilled core simply falls out. The edges are stronger than waterjet-cut edges, which reduces losses in tempering.
What does laser drilling cost compared to waterjet?
Around $5 per operating hour versus $21 for waterjet — over three years at 24/7 that is a saving of roughly $387,000, since there is no water, no abrasive and no wear parts.
Can I have parts drilled without buying a machine?
Yes. In our job shop in Mainz we produce your parts on our own machines — from a single piece to recurring series. Just send us your drawing for a free quote.
A part that needs holes? Send us the drawing.
