Glass molding system and related apparatus and method

A method of making glass articles, comprising:

• placing a two-dimensional (2D) glass sheet on a mold having a mold surface with a three-dimensional (3D) shape;
• placing the 2D glass sheet and mold in a radiative environment and heating the 2D glass sheet to a first glass temperature between an annealing point and softening point of the glass and heating the mold to a first mold temperature;
• while in the radiative environment and at the first glass temperature, applying a first vacuum between the glass and the mold thereby conforming the 2D glass sheet to the mold surface by a force to form a 3D glass article;
• maintaining the first vacuum between the glass and the mold and maintaining the glass at a temperature above the elastic transition of the glass for a time sufficient to allow relaxation of a majority of bending stresses generated in the glass by the conforming step;
• reducing the force by decreasing the first vacuum to thereby reduce a contact pressure between the 3D glass article and the mold surface
• holding the 3D glass article against the mold surface by the second vacuum while cooling the 3D glass article to a second glass temperature and the mold to a second mold temperature wherein the second glass temperature and the second mold temperature are above the annealing point of the glass and about the same temperature;
• releasing the second vacuum holding the 3D glass article against the mold surface;
• and
• rapidly cooling the 3D glass article to a third glass temperature below a strain point of the glass.