Soda-Lime · heat-treated state
Soda-Lime Tempered
Properties of the Tempered condition, compared with the other Soda-Lime tempers.
Pick for safety-critical or thermally cycled glazing: ~4× annealed strength and dicing fragmentation, but all cutting/drilling must be done before tempering.
What is Soda-Lime Tempered?
Soda-Lime Tempered is Soda-Lime heat treated to Tempered — pick for safety-critical or thermally cycled glazing: ~4× annealed strength and dicing fragmentation, but all cutting/drilling must be done before tempering. Soda-Lime Tempered has a tensile strength of 150 MPa (21.8 ksi), stronger than 83% of glass grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 72 GPa (10.4 Msi). Soda-Lime Tempered has a density of 2.5 g/cm³ (0.0903 lb/in³), lighter than 74% of glass grades. It melts at 726°C (1,339 °F). Annealed Glass is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Tempered is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 1.3 kg CO₂/kg, better than 96% of glass grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 1/100, worse than 100% of glass grades
- Limited service temperature — 260°C (500 °F), worse than 84% of glass grades
- Poor heat conductor — 1 W/m·K (0.578 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 79% of glass grades
Soda-Lime Tempered properties
Typical room-temperature values for Soda-Lime Tempered — 8 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every Soda-Lime temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the glass grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical5
Soda-Lime Tempered has a density of 2.5 g/cm³ (0.0903 lb/in³), lighter than 74% of glass grades. It melts at 726°C (1,339 °F).
Mechanical13
Soda-Lime Tempered has a tensile strength of 150 MPa (21.8 ksi), stronger than 83% of glass grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 72 GPa (10.4 Msi).
Thermal5
Soda-Lime Tempered is rated for continuous service to 260°C (500 °F). It conducts heat at 1 W/m·K (0.578 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 79% of glass grades. Thermal expansion is 9 µm/m·K (5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
Soda-Lime Tempered is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 13 kV/mm (330.2 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹¹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is very good (80/100), better than 55% of glass grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Soda-Lime Tempered takes about 15 MJ of energy and emits 1.3 kg of CO₂ — less than 99% of glass grades. Typical recycled content is 25%.
Manufacturability3
Soda-Lime Tempered's machinability is not recommended (1/100, worse than 100% of glass grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other Soda-Lime tempers and conditions
Soda-Lime is also supplied in 2 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the Soda-Lime overview.
- Annealed GlassDefaultDefault choice when the part must still be cut, drilled, ground or edge-worked, and strength/safety demands are low.40 MPa tensile
- TemperedPick for safety-critical or thermally cycled glazing: ~4× annealed strength and dicing fragmentation, but all cutting/drilling must be done before tempering.150 MPa tensile
Working with Soda-Lime Tempered
Is Soda-Lime easy to machine?
Score-and-snap or waterjet for cutting; drilling and edge work with diamond tooling and flood coolant only — never machine after tempering.
Can Soda-Lime be welded?
Not weldable in the metal sense; joined by flame/laser fusion sealing, frit sealing or adhesive/structural silicone bonding.
Can Soda-Lime be formed, bent or molded?
Formed from the melt by the float process; secondary shaping by slumping/bending at 600–700 °C, then annealed or tempered.
What surface finishes work on Soda-Lime?
Options include acid-etch or sandblast frosting, cerium-oxide optical polishing, screen-printed ceramic frit, and sputtered low-E/AR or hydrophobic coatings.
Soda-Lime chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Na2Oflux | 12 – 16 | 13.5 |
| CaOstabilizer | 5 – 12 | 8.5 |
| MgOtypical in float glass | 0 – 5 | 4 |
| Al2O3durability | 0 – 3 | 1 |
| K2O | 0 – 1 | 0.3 |
| SO3refining agent residue | 0 – 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Fe2O3iron content sets green tint; low-iron grades <0.02 | 0.02 – 0.15 | 0.1 |
| SiO2network former | ≥ 69 (balance) | — |
Soda-Lime Tempered — frequently asked
What is Soda-Lime Tempered used for?
Soda-Lime Tempered is typically used for window panes, bottles and mirrors. In short: standard architectural glass.
What is the tensile strength of Soda-Lime Tempered?
Soda-Lime Tempered has a typical tensile strength of 150 MPa (21.8 ksi) — stronger than 83% of glass grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Soda-Lime Tempered easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (1/100, worse than 100% of glass grades). Score-and-snap or waterjet for cutting; drilling and edge work with diamond tooling and flood coolant only — never machine after tempering.
Can Soda-Lime Tempered be welded?
Not weldable in the metal sense; joined by flame/laser fusion sealing, frit sealing or adhesive/structural silicone bonding.
What surface finishes work on Soda-Lime Tempered?
Options include acid-etch or sandblast frosting, cerium-oxide optical polishing, screen-printed ceramic frit, and sputtered low-E/AR or hydrophobic coatings.
Can Soda-Lime Tempered be formed, bent or molded?
Formed from the melt by the float process; secondary shaping by slumping/bending at 600–700 °C, then annealed or tempered.
What is the maximum service temperature of Soda-Lime Tempered?
Soda-Lime Tempered is rated for continuous use to about 260°C (500 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in Soda-Lime Tempered?
Yes — Soda-Lime Tempered is available for CNC machining and sheet metal with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- EN 572-1 Glass in building — Basic soda lime silicate glass products: definitions and general properties — CEN (2016)
- ASTM C1036 Standard Specification for Flat Glass — ASTM (2021)
- EN 12150-1 Thermally toughened soda lime silicate safety glass — CEN (2019)
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook Vol.4 — Ceramics and Glasses — ASM International (1991)
- Float glass / soda-lime substrate property sheets — Schott, Corning, Saint-Gobain (2023)
- Float glass EPD (embodied energy and carbon) — Glass for Europe (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.