Abstract: Pad conditioning brushes are described. In particular, pad conditioning brushes including a carrier layer and a plurality of abrasive particle-free brush bristles extending from the carrier layer are described. The carrier layer and the plurality of brush bristles form a unitary body. Such brushes may provide excellent performance compared to traditional conditioning disks.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of making an abrasive layer on a backing is disclosed. The method can comprise: providing a distribution tool having a dispensing surface with cavities, providing a backing having a first major surface, supplying magnetizable abrasive particles to the dispensing surface such that at least one of the magnetizable abrasive particles is disposed in a respective one of the cavities, applying a magnetic field to retain the magnetizable abrasive particles disposed in the cavities, aligning the backing with the dispensing surface with the first major surface facing the dispensing surface, transferring the magnetizable abrasive particles from the cavities to the backing, sequent to or simultaneous with transferring the abrasive particles, removing or changing a magnetic field so the magnetic field no longer retains the magnetizable abrasive particles in the cavities.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides abrasive articles that include an abrasive layer having a contact surface, a first layer coupled to the abrasive layer, and a second layer coupled to the first layer. The first layer is configured to provide contact pressure to the abrasive layer, such as through a higher hardness than the second layer. The second layer is configured to provide conformability to the abrasive layer, such as through a higher compressibility than the first layer. The resulting abrasive articles may exert a consistent contact pressure against a substrate with increased conformability around the substrate, reduced hysteresis, improved removal rate consistency, and/or improved lifetime over abrasive articles that do not use the multiple layer construction described above.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides abrasive articles that include an abrasive layer having a contact surface, a first layer coupled to the abrasive layer, and a second layer coupled to the first layer. The first layer is configured to provide contact pressure to the abrasive layer, such as through a higher hardness than the second layer. The second layer is configured to provide conformability to the abrasive layer, such as through a higher compressibility than the first layer. The resulting abrasive articles may exert a consistent contact pressure against a substrate with increased conformability around the substrate, reduced hysteresis, improved removal rate consistency, and/or improved lifetime over abrasive articles that do not use the multiple layer construction described above.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for roll coating are provided. The roll coating system (100) includes a coating roll (110) having a deformable inner layer (12) with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer (14), the inner layer being softer than the outer layer. A substrate (3) is conveyed to the nip (12) between the coating roll and a back-up roll (120). A metered coating material is transferred from the coating roll to a patterned surface structure (40) of the substrate at the nip to form a conformal coating on the patterned structure of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of tuning the contact pressure across an abrasive disc is presented. The method includes coupling the abrasive disc to a backup pad comprising a pressure tuning feature that causes an experienced pressure by a worksurface, across a radius of the abrasive disc, to be uniform. The method also includes abrading a worksurface by contacting the abrasive disc to the worksurface. The backup pad causes the abrasive disc to have a cut rate that is substantially uniform across the surface of the abrasive disc when compared to the abrasive disc on a backup pad with no pressure tuning feature.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings on a moving web are provided. A coating die and a back-up roll engage with each other. The back-up roll includes a shell rotatably supported by a pressurized air layer. When a coating material is dispensed from the coating die onto the web to form a liquid coating, the pressure of the air layer is controlled such that the shell translates in space to balance forces from the air layer and the coating bead, while the web is being translated to drive the shell.

Abstract: A printing system (200) including a printing roll (220) is provided. The printing roll (220) includes an elastically deformable and compressible inner layer (224) and a thin outer shell (222) to cover the inner layer (224). The thin outer shell (222) includes a pattern of raised print features (223) to receive ink material thereon. The inner layer (224) is softer and thicker than the thin outer shell (222), and optionally, the thin outer shell (222) is removable from the inner layer (224). The inner layer (224) of the printing roll (220) has a thickness, a compression force deflection value and an elastically-deformable compressibility such that the raised print features (223) of the printing roll (220) do not slide or deform with respect to the printed web (2) in an amount to generate a substantially visible dot gain.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings (9) on a moving web (3) are provided. A slot die (20) and a back-up roll (11) engage with each other. The back-up roll has a deformable inner layer (12) with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer (14). The slot die and the flexible web at a contacting area are impressed into the back-up roll with an engagement depth D, which enables formation of a coating having a substantially uniform thickness.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings on a moving web are provided. A slot die including a concave die lip coating surface and a back-up roll engage with each other. The back-up roll has a deformable inner layer with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer. The slot die and the flexible web at a contacting area are impressed into the back-up roll with an engagement depth D, which enables formation of a coating having a substantially uniform thickness.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings on a moving web are provided. A coating die and a back-up roll engage with each other. The back-up roll includes a shell rotatably supported by a pressurized air layer. When a coating material is dispensed from the coating die onto the web to form a liquid coating, the pressure of the air layer is controlled such that the shell translates in space to balance forces from the air layer and the coating bead, while the web is being translated to drive the shell.

Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to a method of manufacturing an abrasive rotary tool using a molded elastic layer. A mold includes a cavity with a peripheral surface. An abrasive sheet is positioned so that a working surface of the abrasive sheet is positioned along at least a portion of the peripheral surface. A spindle is positioned within the mold to create a region between the spindle and the abrasive sheet. An elastomeric precursor material is injected into the region and solidified to form an elastic layer. As a result, the elastic layer is in direct contact with at least a portion of the opposed surface of the abrasive sheet and at least a portion of the exterior surface of the spindle. In this way, an abrasive rotary tool may be manufactured without using adhesive layers and/or fastening means.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings on a baggy web are provided. A Mayer rod and a back-up roll engage with each other to form a nip. The back-up roll has a deformable inner layer with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer. The Mayer rod and the flexible web at a contacting area are impressed into the back-up roll with a machine-direction nip width W and a nip engagement depth D, which enables formation of a coating having a substantially uniform thickness.

Abstract: A printing system (200) including a printing roll (220) is provided. The printing roll (220) includes an elastically deformable and compressible inner layer (224) and a thin outer shell (222) to cover the inner layer (224). The thin outer shell (222) includes a pattern of raised print features (223) to receive ink material thereon. The inner layer (224) is softer and thicker than the thin outer shell (222), and optionally, the thin outer shell (222) is removable from the inner layer (224). The inner layer (224) of the printing roll (220) has a thickness, a compression force deflection value and an elastically-deformable compressibility such that the raised print features (223) of the printing roll (220) do not slide or deform with respect to the printed web (2) in an amount to generate a substantially visible dot gain.

Abstract: Described herein is decorative article having a coefficient of friction less than 0.3 wherein the decorative articles comprises: (i) a microsphere layer comprising a plurality of microspheres, wherein the microsphere layer comprises a monolayer of microspheres and wherein the plurality of microspheres are in a microscopic periodic pattern; and (ii) a bead bonding layer disposed on the microsphere layer, wherein the plurality of microspheres are partially embedded in the bead bonding layer. Also disclosed herein are transfer articles and methods of making the decorative articles and transfer articles.

Abstract: A powder deagglomerator includes a vertical flow chamber, a powder inlet tube, and an ultrasonic horn vibrationally coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. The vertical flow chamber includes an outer wall, powder outlet port, and a mounting port sealably engaging an ultrasonic horn. The powder inlet tube extends through the outer wall and is aligned to dispense agglomerated powder in a gaseous stream downward onto a distal end of the ultrasonic horn. A method of using the powder deagglomerator to deagglomerate a powder is also disclosed.

Abstract: A polishing pad includes a polishing layer having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface. The polishing pad further includes a subpad, which is coupled to the polishing layer, and has a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface. At least 50% of the subpad, based on the total surface area of the first major surface of the subpad, is optically transparent.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings (9) on a moving web (3) are provided. A slot die (20) and a back-up roll (11) engage with each other. The back-up roll has a deformable inner layer (12) with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer (14). The slot die and the flexible web at a contacting area are impressed into the back-up roll with an engagement depth D, which enables formation of a coating having a substantially uniform thickness.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of making an abrasive article is disclosed. The method can comprise: disposing a layer of a curable composition into a mold having a circular mold cavity with a central hub, wherein the circular mold cavity has an outer circumference and a rotational axis extending through the central hub, and wherein the curable composition is comprised of at least some magnetizable abrasive particles dispersed therein; and varying a magnetic field relative to the curable composition such that a majority of the magnetizable abrasive particles are at least one of oriented and aligned in a non-random manner relative to a surface of the mold; and at least partially curing the curable composition to provide the bonded abrasive article.

Abstract: A printing system is provided. The printing system (300) includes a printing roll (310) having a rigid printing pattern (312) on a surface thereof configured to receive an ink material (330); and an inking roll (320) positioned adjacent to the printing roll. The inking roll includes an elastically deformable surface and a number of cells (324) disposed on the elastically deformable surface. A method of printing is also provided. The method includes (a) inking at least a portion of a rigid printing pattern (312) on a surface of a printing roll (310) by contacting the rigid printing pattern with an inking roll (320); and (b) contacting the rigid printing pattern with a substrate (350), transferring the ink material from the rigid printing pattern to a surface of the substrate. Printing systems and methods can achieve higher printing feature resolutions than typically achievable via flexographic printing.