Method for manufacturing glass plates of any contour from flat glass

A method for manufacturing a glass plate having a circular shape, comprising:

• scribing a separation line along a circular contour in at least one side of a flat glass using a laser beam;
• positioning the flat glass on a base pad having a predetermined hardness and positioning the base pad on a rotatable work table;
• while rotating the base pad and glass plate by means of the rotatable work table, locally applying a defined adjustable force onto the glass plate over the scribed separation line by means of a ball or wheel, the defined force applied to the glass plate by the ball or wheel causing the scribed line to be driven through the entire thickness of the glass, the distance from the wheel or ball to the work table having the ability to vary depending on the position of the scribed separation line to thereby exert an adjustable force onto the glass plate over the scribed separation line;
• the hardness of the base pad correlating to the defined force applied to the glass, wherein the defined force and the hardness of the base pad are chosen such that, when the scribed line is driven through the entire thickness of the flat glass, the border of the glass plate is substantially prevented from breaking off under transverse stresses.