An 18-sample glass-melting furnace was newly developed and glass-forming compositional regions were found in lead-free B2O3-TeO2-[xBaF(2)/(100-x)BaO] ternary systems. The softening temperatures were measured in the systems to screen out low-melting compositions. The softening temperature ranges from 450 to 470 degrees C and the thermal expansion coefficient ranges (115-140) x 10(-7) degrees C-1. These values were comparable to those of typical lead-containing glasses. It was also found that substitution of BaF2 for BaO effectively lowers the melting temperatures without changing the thermal expansion coefficient. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.