Abstract: A hydrodynamically optimized mixer module, to be coupled to a deterministic hydrodynamic tool that allows pulsed polishing of optical surfaces is described. This module allows the supply of abrasive foam or fluid that enters the tool to be interrupted without impairing the operational stability of the polishing process and of said hydrodynamic tool. The mixer module includes at least one interrupter element for switching high-velocity fluids; a first inlet through which air is injected under pressure and in a controlled manner; a second inlet through which a polishing fluid is injected in a controlled manner, said polishing fluid filling a predetermined volume with a hydrodynamically optimized shape and being transferred to a mixing zone where, together with the pressure-injected air, an abrasive foam is produced that is injected into at least one rotational acceleration chamber of the hydrodynamic tool to which the mixer module is coupled.

Abstract: The disclosed technology includes an abrasive cutting tool having a plurality of segments arranged around a periphery of the cutting tool. The plurality of segments can include a first segment having a first portion having a first concentration of abrasive material, and a second portion having a second concentration of abrasive material. The second concentration can be less than the first concentration. The cutting tool can have a second segment having a third portion having a concentration of abrasive material that can be similar to the concentration of the first portion, and a fourth portion having a concentration of abrasive material that can be similar to the concentration of the second portion. The first portion and the second portion can be reciprocally arranged in relation to the third portion and the fourth portion around the periphery of the cutting tool.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a carrier head. The carrier head includes a housing configured to enclose a wafer, wherein the housing includes a retaining ring recess configured to circumferentially surround the wafer. A retaining ring, which includes a first ring-shaped layer and a second ring-shaped layer, is disposed in the retaining ring recess. The second ring-shaped layer is disposed deeper in the retaining ring recess than the first ring-shaped layer and separates the first ring-shaped layer from a bottom of the retaining ring recess. A hardness of the second ring-shaped layer is less than a hardness of the first ring-shaped layer.

Abstract: Provided is a method of lapping a semiconductor wafer, which can suppress the formation of a ring-shaped pattern in a nanotopography map. The method of lapping a semiconductor wafer includes: a stopping step of stopping lapping of a semiconductor wafer; a reversing step of reversing surfaces of the semiconductor wafer facing a upper plate and a lower plate after the stopping step; and a resuming step of resuming lapping of the semiconductor wafer after the reversing step while maintaining the reversal of the surfaces facing the plates.

Abstract: Some implementations of a retaining ring has an inner surface having a first portion formed of multiple planar facets and a second portion that adjoins the first portion along a boundary and includes a frustoconical surface that is sloped downwardly from outside in. Some implementations of the retaining ring have a crenellated or serpentine inner surface, and/or an inner surface with alternating region of different surface properties or different tilt angles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus for polishing a workpiece, such as a metal body, to a mirror finish. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes: a polishing pad (2) having an annular polishing surface (2a) which has a curved vertical cross-section; a workpiece holder (11) for holding a workpiece (W) having a polygonal shape; a rotating device (15) configured to rotate the workpiece holder (11) about an axis of the workpiece (W); a pressing device (14) configured to press a periphery of the workpiece (W) against the annular polishing surface (2a); and an operation controller (25) configured to change a speed at which the rotating device (15) rotates the workpiece (W) according to a rotation angle of the workpiece (W). The pressing device (14) is disposed more inwardly than the workpiece holder (11) in a radial direction of the polishing table (3).

Abstract: A material loading apparatus includes a movable material support surface that is pivotally mounted to the frame. The loading apparatus also includes a first link that extends between the support surface and the frame and is pivotally connected to the support surface at a first end of the first link and pivotally connected to the frame at a second end of the first link. The loading apparatus also includes a second link that extends between the support surface and the frame and is pivotally connected to the support surface at a first end of the second link and pivotally connected to the frame at a second end of the second link. The loading apparatus also includes an actuator that is pivotally connected to the frame and configured to move the support surface between a generally horizontal position and a generally vertical position.

Abstract: Coated compressive subpads for polishing pad stacks and methods of fabricating coated compressive subpads for polishing pad stacks are described. In an example, a polishing pad stack for polishing a substrate includes a polishing pad having a polishing surface and a back surface. The polishing pad stack also includes a compressive subpad with a first surface having a first pressure sensitive adhesive layer coated thereon. The first surface of the compressive subpad is coupled directly to the back surface of the polishing pad by the first pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a floor grinding machine for grinding floor surfaces of stone or stone-like material. Such a machine comprises a machine frame, a grinding head 2, supported by and being rotatable relative to the machine frame, a grinding head hood 2, which defines a space in which the grinding head 1 is rotatable, a hollow and resilient member 4, arranged in the space, and a pressurized fluid source, operatively connected to the hollow member 4 to supply said pressurized fluid, whereby the hollow member 4 is resiliently expandable upon supply of said fluid.

Abstract: A system for magnetic abrasive finishing of a workpiece may include a magnetic abrasive brush that may include a plurality of magnetic/abrasive particles and an electromagnet configured to apply a magnetic field on the plurality of magnetic abrasive particles. The system may further include a first actuating mechanism that may be configured to actuate a rotational movement of the workpiece about a longitudinal axis of the workpiece, a second actuating mechanism that may be configured to actuate a linear movement of the magnetic abrasive brush along a first direction relative to the workpiece, the first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the workpiece, a sensor coupled to the magnetic abrasive brush that may be configured to measure a working gap between the magnetic abrasive brush and an outer surface of the workpiece at any given instant.

Abstract: An inner-periphery-side cutoff part where a polishing surface of an upper plate inclines upward toward an inner periphery part of the upper plate and an inner-periphery-side cutoff part where a polishing surface of a lower plate inclines downward toward an inner periphery part of the lower plate are respectively formed on the respective inner periphery parts of the upper plate and the lower plate, or an outer-periphery-side cutoff part where the polishing surface of the upper plate inclines upward toward an outer periphery part of the upper plate and an outer-periphery-side cutoff part where the polishing surface of the lower plate inclines downward toward an outer periphery part of the lower plate are respectively formed on the respective outer periphery parts of the upper plate and the lower plate, or all of them are formed thereon.

Abstract: A wheel brush (1) includes a grinding element bundle holder (3) having an annular grinding element bundle-holding surface (12) that faces the outer circumferential side and a plurality of grinding element bundles (4) that are formed by gathering a plurality of wire-shaped grinding elements (5). The grinding element bundle-holding surface (12) has a plurality of holding holes (16) arrayed in a circumferential direction (R), the grinding element bundles (4) protrude to the outer circumferential side from the grinding element bundle-holding surface (12) while one end portions are inserted into the holding holes (16). First protrusions (18) protruding to the outer circumferential direction are provided on first opening edge portions (17a) adjacent to the holding holes 16 at a first direction (L1) side in the rotational center line direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction R (R) in opening edges of the holding holes (16) in the grinding element bundle-holding surface (12).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for improving the performance of a fluid jet cutting system by testing and adjusting characteristics of the system based on the effect of the characteristics on forces imparted by the system to a workpiece being cut. Also disclosed are systems and methods for monitoring and validating the performance of fluid jet cutting systems, and for diagnosing such systems. In some cases, the technologies described herein can be used to determine whether components of a fluid jet system require maintenance, or that characteristics of the system require adjustment.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vibration polishing device, comprising: a vibration drive for generating an oscillating vibration for polishing samples; a polishing disc which is connected to and can be driven by the vibration drive; and a polishing bowl which is designed to receive a polishing medium and the samples to be polished and is coupled to the polishing disc for being entrained therewith; wherein the vibration drive comprises a base part, a counter-oscillating part, a vibration plate, and drive parts, for driving in an oscillating manner the counter-oscillating part and the vibration plate against the force of leaf springs.

Abstract: This document provides a method of operating a floor grinding machine 100. The method comprises providing a grinding machine 100 comprising a frame 101, a motor 102 and at least one grinding element 1, causing the motor to drive the grinding element so as to rotate at a rotational speed, while in contact with a floor surface to grind, polish or mill the floor surface, determining an actual value of a motor operating parameter, determining a nominal value of the motor operating parameter, comparing the actual value of the motor operating parameter with the nominal value of the motor operating parameter, if a difference between the actual value of the motor operating parameter and the nominal value of the motor operating parameter exceeds a predetermined difference threshold, determining at least one grinding parameter to be adjusted, and causing the at least one grinding parameter to be adjusted.

Abstract: A platen for a metallographic grinder has an outer peripheral rim with an upper surface having a lower height. Also, fingers engaging a specimen are allowed to move laterally (i.e., wobble) to minimize the tipping forces on the specimen during the grinding process. Either one or both of these structures can be employed and results in a much flatter specimen surface for use in subsequent analysis.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide a mechanism for computing a thickness of a scanned wafer shape to determine a profile, and computing a delta correction value and a polishing end point time by using a computed PV value by the profile and a set predicted PV value and reflecting the same on the polishing time of each wafer which is under polishing. Accordingly, excellent flatness of a wafer surface can be achieved and simultaneously, a plurality of controllers can be controlled simultaneously to reduce equipment cost.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus is provided with a cutting unit. The cutting unit includes a spindle on which a cutting blade is mounted for rotation, a spindle housing that rotatably supports the spindle, a blade cover that is attached to the spindle housing and covers the cutting blade, a cutting water supply nozzle that supplies cutting water to the cutting blade, and a blade monitor that has an end face configured to monitor a cutting edge of the cutting blade. The end face of the blade monitor has a recessed portion to which rinsing water is supplied to rinse the end face.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for removing burrs from an aluminum alloy hub. The device includes a workbench, columns, a brush, a spindle, a spindle box, a cross beam, a spindle motor, a controller, a parallel robot, and a displacement sensor. Columns are fixedly connected to the workbench, and the cross beam is connected to the columns and a position of the cross beam can be adjusted along the columns; the spindle box is connected to the cross beam, and moves horizontally on the cross beam; the spindle, the spindle motor and the controller are mounted on the spindle box, and the brush is mounted at the end of the spindle; the brush is driven to rotate by the spindle motor and controlled by the controller; and the displacement sensor is mounted in the brush. The parallel robot can implement precise adjustment, and can perform real-time posture adjustment according to the instruction of the controller to ensure that the brush is always in close contact with the back cavity of the hub.

Abstract: A polishing pad including a damping layer made of a resilient material including expanded semi-rigid polyurethane having a microcell structure, an adhesive layer including a layer of a hook-and-loop fastener adapted to interact and connect to a corresponding layer of the hook-and-loop fastener located at a bottom surface of the working element of the machine tool and a polishing layer including microfiber adapted for polishing a surface of a work piece. The polishing layer includes a fabric having a woven mesh of microfibers that define a back side of the polishing layer. The fabric serves as a barrier to the resilient material of the damping layer such that the resilient material does not reach an active side of the polishing layer comprising the microfibers when the damping layer, adhesive layer and polishing layer are combined, and such that the active side of the polishing layer is free of resilient material of the damping layer.