Method and system for forming shaped glass articles

A system for forming a shaped glass article, comprising:

• a mold comprising a first mold surface area and a second mold surface area, the first mold surface area comprising a substantially flat area, the second mold surface area comprising at least one bend and at least one opening;
• a cooling device coupled to the mold and configured for active cooling of the first mold surface area;
• a vacuum plenum coupled to the mold and in communication with the second mold surface area through the at least one opening;
• and
• a heater assembly arranged opposite to the second mold surface area to provide localized heat to the second mold surface area.

A shaped glass article having an optical quality surface area suitable for an electronic device cover glass formed by a method comprising:

• placing a glass sheet on a mold having a mold surface with a profile of the shaped glass article, the placing being such that a first glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a first mold surface area of the mold surface and a second glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a second mold surface area of the mold surface;
• heating the first glass area and the second glass area to a glass viscosity at or above 1010.1 poise;
• locally heating the second glass area to a glass viscosity at or below 109.9 poise;
• applying a force to the glass sheet to conform the glass sheet to the mold surface when the second glass area is at a glass viscosity at or below 109.9 poise;
• and
• locally cooling the first mold surface area to induce a thermal gradient on the mold surface that results in the glass viscosity in the first glass area remaining above 109.9 poise during the local heating of the second glass area.