Abstract: In an apparatus for multiple-bearing grinding of workpieces, such as crankshafts, wherein a support element seat occurs at a bearing point at the same time as the grinding of the main bearing, a grinding-supporting unit is used that contains a grinding spindle head having at least one grinding disk and support elements in the form of support jaws or support bodies that can be swiveled in. After the support point seat is ground, the support elements are brought into contact there-with and support the workpiece during the further machining. The simultaneous grinding of the support point seat and several bearing points results in a reduction in the machining time in the grinding of the workpiece compared to the prior art.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemical mechanical planarization includes a spindle assembly structure and at least one substrate carrier, which make a linear lateral movement relative to each other while abrasive surfaces of a plurality of cylindrical spindles in the spindle assembly structure contact, and rotate against, at least one substrate mounted on the at least one substrate carrier. The direction of the linear lateral movement is within the plane that tangentially contacts the plurality of cylindrical spindles, and can be orthogonal to the axes of rotation of the plurality of cylindrical spindles.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemical mechanical planarization includes a spindle assembly structure and at least one substrate carrier, which make a linear lateral movement relative to each other while abrasive surfaces of a plurality of cylindrical spindles in the spindle assembly structure contact, and rotate against, at least one substrate mounted on the at least one substrate carrier. The direction of the linear lateral movement is within the plane that tangentially contacts the plurality of cylindrical spindles, and can be orthogonal to the axes of rotation of the plurality of cylindrical spindles.

Abstract: A buffing head (34) includes a rotary element (36) for retaining an optical disc (20) and causing the disc (20) to rotate at a first speed. A buffing element (38) contacts a work surface (30) of the optical disc (20), and rotation of the disc (20) enables corresponding movement of the buffing element (38). A restrictor (40), in communication with the buffing element (38), restricts movement of the buffing element (38) so that the buffing element (38) moves at a second speed to recondition the work surface (30), the second speed being slower than the first speed. The buffing head (34) further includes a well (86) surrounding the buffing element (38) and containing a fluid (88). Movement of the buffing element (38) causes the buffing element (38) to be immersed into the fluid (88) and to be returned into contact with the work surface (30).

Abstract: In a process for polishing the chamfered peripheral part of a wafer using a polishing cloth while supplying a polishing slurry in order to improve productivity of the process by reducing a polishing time, at least two steps of polishing processes are performed in sequence. The process comprises a first polishing process to polish a particular part, e.g. the part corresponding to the {110} plane of a peripheral part of the wafer and a second polishing process in which the whole part of a peripheral part of the wafer is polished for finishing by means of varying a hardness of the polishing clothes and/or a particle size of abrasives in the slurry such as the hardness of the polishing cloth in the second polishing process being softer than that of in the first polishing process and a particle size of abrasives in the slurry in the second polishing process being finer than that of in the first polishing process.

Abstract: In a method of grinding a component such as a cam, a reduction in the finish grinding time is achieved by rotating the component through only a single revolution during a final grinding step and controlling the depth of cut and the component speed of rotation during that single revolution, so as to maintain a substantially constant specific metal removal rate during the final grinding step. The headstock (12) velocity can vary between 2 and 20 rpm during a single revolution of the cam during the final grinding step, with the lower speed used for grinding the flanks and the higher speed used during the grinding of the nose and base of the cam. Using a grinding machine (10) having 17.5 kw of available power for rotating the wheel, and cutting a grinding wheel in the range 80-120 mm diameter, typically the depth of cut lies in the range of 0.25 to 0.5 mm.

Abstract: A half toroidal CVT disk having an inner surface portion, an outer surface portion and a toroidal surface having a given machining allowance is centered with said inner surface portion worked prior to the heat treatment of said half toroidal CVT disk as the standard thereof, and then is chucked by a chuck mechanism. The toroidal surface of the chucked half toroidal CVT disk is ground by a grinding mechanism with the grinding wheel for grinding the half toroidal CVT disk in a state that one of said half toroidal CVT disk and said tool is inclined at a given angle with respect to the other.

Abstract: An asymmetric double-sided substrate scrubber is provided. The asymmetric double-sided substrate scrubber includes a first roller and a second roller. The first roller is constructed from a first material having a first density and the second roller is constructed from a second material having a second density. The second density is designed to be greater than the first density. The first roller is designed to be applied onto a first side of a substrate with a first force and the second roller is designed to be applied onto a second side of the substrate with a second force. The second force is configured to be substantially equivalent to the first force.

Abstract: Methods for preparing semiconductor wafers are disclosed. A method includes rotating a semiconductor wafer in a vertical orientation, and the wafer having first and second opposing surfaces. The method further includes contacting each of the first and second opposing surfaces of the wafer with a cylindrical wafer preparation member so as to define a substantially linear contact area. The cylindrical wafer preparation members are disposed in an opposing relationship such that the contact areas are defined at corresponding locations on the first and second opposing surfaces. Then, the method includes controlling at least one wafer preparation parameter to obtain a variable wafer material removal rate as the contact areas defined on the first and second opposing surfaces are moved from a first position to a second position. The variable wafer material removal rate being formulated to provide the wafer with a substantially uniform thickness.

Abstract: A support for supporting a work piece to be machined is provided. The support is for use in a machine adapted to receive fluid from a fluid source. The machine includes a tool for removing material from the work piece. The support includes a body defining a chamber therein and an inlet operably associated with said body. The inlet is in communication with the chamber. The inlet is adapted for communication with the fluid source. The support also includes an outlet operably associated with the body and in communication with the chamber. The outlet is adapted to provide a stream of fluid for supporting the work piece.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The apparatus includes a wafer drive assembly having a pair of wafer drive rollers for rotating a semiconductor wafer in a vertical orientation. The wafer drive assembly is configured such that the wafer drive rollers are controllably movable from a first position to a second position. Also provided as part of the apparatus is a pair of wafer preparation assemblies movably disposed in an opposing relationship above the wafer drive assembly. Each of the wafer preparation assemblies has a first wafer preparation member and a second wafer preparation member. The wafer preparation assemblies being movable into a first position in which each of the first wafer preparation members is position to perform a first wafer preparation operation on the wafer and into a second position in which each of the second wafer preparation members is positioned to perform a second wafer preparation operation on the wafer.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus comprises a rotating table intermittently rotating through 120°0 increments; three polishing drums and three work-holding means 12 provided on the rotating table; a handling means for unloading a processed work from the work-holding means at a handling position and supplying an unprocessed work to the work-holding means at the same position; and a work-inverting means for inverting a work, the front-plane-side edge of which has been polished, at a front-plane edge polishing position.

Abstract: An eyeglass lens grinding apparatus is used for processing an eyeglass lens based on processing data obtained from target lens configuration data indicative of an eyeglass frame shape. In the eyeglass lens grinding apparatus, a lens is rotated while being subjected to processing by a grinding wheel group. The grinding wheel group has intermediate and accurate finishing processing wheels respectively formed with a plurality of beveling groove each for forming a bevel on a periphery of a lens. The intermediate and accurate finishing processing wheels are controlled to finish the lens by selectively and consecutively using the beveling grooves.

Abstract: An assembly for holding a cylindrical workpiece for grinding, including a support frame having at least one support arm extending to initially hold the workpiece and operable to disengage from the workpiece during grinding, a tailstock slidably mounted on the support frame and operable to engage the proximal end of the workpiece, and a collet assembly mounted on the support frame and configured to receive and engage the distal end of the workpiece. The collet assembly includes a housing having an open proximal end, an open distal end, and an internal channel with an inner diameter. The internal channel extends along the length of the housing from the open proximal end to the open distal end and is adapted to slidingly receive a spindle. The spindle has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion includes a holding portion and the distal end extends from the distal end of the housing and is engagable with a drive mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for grinding a disc brake disc having opposite surfaces, the apparatus comprising: a free-standing support; a pair of rotors, at least one of which is a grinding rotor, the rotors attached to the support to extend in spaced relation at opposite sides of a disc for grinding at least one face of the disc, wherein at least one rotor is pivotally attached to the support and can be moved toward and away from the disc independent of the other rotors; adjustment means attached to the support to allow adjustment of the angle of at least one rotor in relation to a face of the disc; and drive means to rotate at least one of the rotors.

Abstract: In the texturing unit of this invention a data storage disk is gripped between a pair of opposed, counter-rotating cylindrical abrasive mandrels, which are covered with soft, porous pads. The frictional force between the disk and the pads raises the edge of the disk against a pair of driven rollers which impart a rotational motion to the disk. A texture pattern of uniform grooves, having controlled peak heights and valley depths, is formed simultaneously on both sides of the disk. A system for delivering an abrasive slurry to the pads includes a closed loop in which the slurry is recirculated and a dispense section of that loop, from which a blast of pressurized air periodically expels the slurry through applicators and onto the pads. The continuous recirculation of the slurry prevents settling.A unique feature is that the groove length may be controlled by adjusting the ratio between the rotational speeds of the disk and mandrels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for grinding a workpiece which is supported for rotation about a first axis with a first grinding wheel supported for rotation about a second axis and a second grinding wheel supported for rotation about a third axis. The first grinding wheel engages with the workpiece in a location which is substantially diametrically opposed to the location at which the second grinding wheel engages with the workpiece. Control means are disclosed for controlling the radial grinding force imparted to the workpiece by the first and second grinding wheels so that the force imparted to the workpiece from the first grinding wheel is substantially equal and opposed to the force imparted to the workpiece by the second grinding wheel to prevent distortion of the workpiece.