Custom Shaped Sapphire Parts

Precision custom sapphire components with holes, steps, tapers, flanges, slots, windows and application-specific geometries.

Microwork supplies custom shaped sapphire parts for applications where standard sapphire windows, tubes, rods or wafers cannot meet the required geometry, mounting method or functional design.
Custom sapphire components may include internal holes, micro-holes, slots, tapers, steps, outer flanges, angled surfaces, through features, blind features, polished windows, sapphire plates with holes and complex mechanical or optical geometries.
Sapphire is selected for these parts because of its high hardness, excellent wear resistance, chemical stability, optical transmission and high-temperature performance. However, sapphire is also difficult to machine, so geometry, edge condition, wall thickness, hole size, surface finish and tolerance requirements must be reviewed carefully during design.

Typical Custom Sapphire Components

Custom sapphire components may include:
• Custom shaped sapphire windows
• Sapphire plates with micro holes
• Sapphire plates with slots
• Sapphire blocks and custom mechanical parts
• Stepped sapphire windows
• Wedge sapphire windows
• Sapphire parts with through holes
• Sapphire parts with blind holes
• Sapphire components with tapers
• Sapphire components with outer flanges
• Sapphire parts with angled surfaces
• Sapphire inserts and mounting features
• Custom optical sapphire components
• Custom mechanical sapphire components
Custom geometry can be reviewed according to drawing, tolerance, surface finish, edge condition and application environment.

Typical Applications

Common applications include:
• Optical windows and protective covers
• Semiconductor equipment components
• Medical device components
• Sensor and camera protection parts
• High-temperature observation windows
• Corrosive environment components
• Fluidic and analytical instrument parts
• Insulating sapphire components
• Wear-resistant mechanical parts
• Custom mounting or alignment components
• Sapphire plates with precision holes for special assemblies

Typical Specifications

Material: Single-crystal sapphire / synthetic Al2O3
Product type: Custom shaped sapphire window, plate, insert, block, stepped part, wedge, plate with holes or custom geometry
Geometry: Holes, slots, steps, tapers, flanges, angled surfaces, blind features, through features or special shapes
Size: Custom size available upon drawing review
Thickness: Custom thickness available according to strength, optical and machining requirements
Tolerance: Custom tolerance available depending on geometry and drawing requirement
Hole feature: Through hole, blind hole, micro-hole, counterbore, taper or custom feature
Surface finish: Fine ground, polished or optical polished surfaces available depending on application
Surface quality: 60/40, 40/20 or 20/10 available for selected optical surfaces, depending on requirement
Flatness: Custom flatness available depending on size, thickness and polished surface
Parallelism: Custom parallelism available upon requirement
Edge condition: Fine ground, chamfered, rounded, beveled or polished edges
Orientation: C-plane, A-plane, R-plane or free orientation depending on application
Application: Optical, semiconductor, medical, sensor, fluidic, insulating, high-temperature or wear-resistant use

Sapphire Plates with Micro Holes

Sapphire plates with micro holes are used when a flat sapphire component must include precise openings, flow paths, alignment holes or functional apertures.
When designing sapphire plates with holes, engineers should consider hole diameter, hole spacing, distance from hole to edge, plate thickness, surface finish, edge condition and risk of chipping.
Small holes, tight hole tolerance, thin plates, multiple holes and short edge distances can significantly increase machining difficulty and should be reviewed carefully before production.

Stepped, Slotted and Flanged Sapphire Parts

Stepped sapphire parts, slotted components and flanged sapphire parts are often used when the sapphire component must fit into a housing, support a sealing structure or provide a specific mounting interface.
For these designs, sharp internal corners, thin wall sections, narrow slots, deep steps and tight corner radii should be avoided when possible. Rounded transitions, reasonable chamfers and sufficient wall thickness can improve manufacturability and reduce chipping risk.

Custom Optical and Mechanical Sapphire Components

Custom optical sapphire components usually require attention to surface quality, flatness, clear aperture, coating, orientation and edge condition.
Custom mechanical sapphire components usually require attention to strength, fit tolerance, mounting method, wear surface, edge condition and load direction.
In many projects, the same sapphire part has both optical and mechanical functions. In these cases, optical surfaces and mechanical mounting features should be reviewed together during the design stage.

Engineering Considerations

When designing custom shaped sapphire parts, engineers should consider material orientation, part geometry, minimum wall thickness, hole size, edge distance, internal corner radius, surface finish, flatness, tolerance stack-up, mounting method and operating environment.

Sapphire is extremely hard and wear-resistant, but it is also brittle compared with metals. Sharp corners, deep narrow slots, very thin walls, high aspect-ratio holes, tight tolerances and complex stepped geometries can increase the risk of chipping, cracking, low yield and higher cost.
For parts used in optical systems, surface quality, flatness, coating and clear aperture are critical. For parts used in mechanical, fluidic or high-temperature systems, strength, mounting stress, edge condition, chemical compatibility and thermal cycling should be reviewed carefully.
Design-for-manufacturing review is especially important for custom sapphire parts. Small adjustments to chamfer, radius, wall thickness, hole location or tolerance can often improve yield and reduce cost without changing the function of the part.

Information Needed for Quotation

To review a custom shaped sapphire part, please provide:
• Drawing or 3D model
• Material requirement and orientation, if specified
• Overall dimensions and thickness
• Critical tolerances
• Hole size, hole depth and hole position
• Surface finish and surface quality requirements
• Flatness and parallelism requirements
• Edge condition, chamfer or radius requirements
• Optical surface or clear aperture requirement, if applicable
• Mounting method or assembly condition
• Operating temperature, pressure, chemical environment or load condition
• Quantity and inspection requirements

Need a Custom Shaped Sapphire Part?

Send us your drawing, 3D model, tolerance requirements, surface finish, edge condition and application environment. We can help review manufacturability, material suitability and key technical risks before quotation.