Forming and bonding of glass components for portable electronic devices

A method for making a glass component for an electronic device, the method comprising:

• installing a glass workpiece to an open frame comprising an upper frame component and a lower frame component, the glass workpiece defining a sheet and having a second portion positioned between the upper and the lower frame components and retained in the open frame, a first portion of the glass workpiece having an exposed first surface and an exposed second surface opposite to the exposed first surface;
• transferring the glass workpiece retained within the open frame to a heating station;
• at the heating station, heating the glass workpiece to a temperature greater than or equal to a softening point and less than or equal to a working point of the glass workpiece;
• transferring the glass workpiece retained within the open frame to a molding station;
• at the molding station, thermoforming the first portion of the glass workpiece between a cavity mold contacting the exposed first surface and a core mold contacting the exposed second surface to produce a molded glass workpiece, each of the cavity mold and the core mold heated to a temperature less than the temperature of the glass workpiece;
• cooling the molded glass workpiece to a temperature less than a glass transition temperature of the glass workpiece;
• removing the molded glass workpiece from the open frame;
• and
• removing a peripheral portion of the molded glass workpiece to form the glass component, the peripheral portion including at least some of the second portion of the glass workpiece.