Glass is a versatile, popular material with many applications. Cutting the glass is key to obtaining high-quality products. In the conventional process used to cut flat glass, a small cutter wheel scores a line into the glass. Pressure is then applied along this line so that it breaks. Unfortunately, glass splinters may come off in the process, producing defects known as micro-cracks. The glass consequently needs to be reworked by grinding & polishing, which costs time & money. Nonetheless, damage may remain in the glass that reduce its strength. A great deal of time & money, limited design options reason enough to develop a better, more effective process for separating glass. In a project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education & Research (BMBF), Dr. Rainer Kübler has been working with his 5-strong team on a laser-induced stress separation process for flat glass. that causes minimal damage. Dr. Rainer Kübler has been awarded the Joseph-von-Fraunhofer Prize 2008 for his work.
