Abstract: Grinding a surface of a workpieces is accomplished with a grinding machine having at least two grinding units. First, a target structure of the surface to be achieved is provided. Then, using predetermined grinding parameters, a first of the two grinding units is used to grind the surface of the structure. Then, the surface of the actual structure is captured and compared to the target structure. Based on the comparison, the grinding parameters are adjusted and the surface is then ground, using the adjusted parameters, with the second of the two grinding units.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method of fabricating sandpaper for grinding industrial parts and sandpaper fabricated by the method. The method includes: a cutting step of cutting sandpaper to a set length; a cutoff hole formation step of forming a plurality of cutoff holes in one side periphery of the sandpaper in a lengthwise direction; a winding step of forming a roll of sandpaper by winding the sandpaper around one side of a spindle; a taping step of temporarily fastening the roll of sandpaper by winding tape; a bonding step of securely fastening the one side of the roll of sandpaper by applying bond to a side surface of the roll of sandpaper; and a drying step of drying the bond for a set time. In the sandpaper, a plurality of cutoff holes is formed in one side periphery of the sandpaper in a lengthwise direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technology being implemented in an apparatus for coating a substrate with swarf particles. The apparatus facilitates depositing metal coating onto metal surfaces, polymers, and ceramics. In this apparatus, the grinding process is retrofitted to deposit coatings onto substrates that range from soft (e.g., polymers and aluminium) to hard (e.g., glass-ceramic) materials. The apparatus comprises a sample holder, an infeed, and a grinding wheel. The sample holder holds a substrate to be coated with swarf particles. The infeed holding a work piece. The grinding wheel is mounted at a predefined height over the infeed. The apparatus is used to perform metal coating by depositing the swarf materials on surface of the substrate. It may be noted that the swarf materials are generated by grinding the work piece with the grinding wheel.

Abstract: A lubricated mechanical polishing (LMP) process is provided that uses hard nanoparticles of less than 5 nm diameter dispersed in a fluid lubricant as a polishing slurry to produce an ultra-smooth surface on a hard metallic or non-metallic substrate with a sub-nanometer surface roughness substantially less than that produced by silica chemical mechanical polishing.

Abstract: A device for finishing a workpiece includes two pressing elements and a holding apparatus for holding the pressing elements. A finishing band is pressable against a workpiece surface to be finished. A flexurally resilient intermediate element is disposed so as to transmit a pressing force to the finishing band by means of a force-receiving surface and by means of a force-transmitting surface. The intermediate element or a plurality of them is configured to transmit pressing forces, which are offset relative to one another in a circumferential direction of the workpiece surface, to the finishing band. The force-transmitting surfaces of the intermediate element or the plurality of them are oriented in a substantially V-shaped manner relative to one another, and are substantially planar in an undeformed initial state and have a curvature in a same direction as the workpiece surface when there is a pressing force.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening cutting tools. In accordance with some embodiments, an abrasive medium is presented adjacent a guide housing. The guide housing includes a guide slot to facilitate presentation of a magnetically permeable tool against the abrasive medium. A magnet positioned adjacent the guide slot exerts a biasing force upon the tool that both draws the first tool against a guide surface of the guide slot and draws the tool into the guide slot along the guide surface to hold the tool at a neutral position at which a cutting edge of the first tool applies a contacting force against the abrasive medium.

Abstract: An abrading device for abrading a floor structure comprises a first abrading assembly and a second abrading assembly. The first and second abrading assemblies each have a rotationally driven contact roll provided with a sleeve having a plurality of cutouts formed in a pattern thereon. An abrading belt is trained over the sleeve. A first oscillation assembly is connected to the first abrading assembly and oscillates the contact roll of the first abrading assembly in a first direction via a linear reciprocating motion. A second oscillation assembly is connected to the second abrading assembly and oscillates the contact roll of the second abrading assembly in a second direction via a linear reciprocating motion. The first and second abrading assemblies consecutively abrade a top surface of the floor structure with the pattern formed by the cutouts on the respective sleeves to form a distressed visible pattern thereon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for sanding a predetermined impression into a workpiece. The device has a pattern belt positioned inside the area formed by a sanding belt. A pad is positioned inside the area formed by the pattern belt. A raised pattern is formed on the outer surface of the pattern belt. In use, the pad contacts the pattern belt, urging the raised pattern of the pattern belt to contact the sanding belt. The portion of the sanding belt contacted by the pattern belt is urged toward the workpiece so that the predetermined impression is sanded into the workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus for machining a planar metal workpiece, having at least one machining unit, with which a machining belt, which is driven in circulation, can be guided in an at least approximately linear manner past the region of the workpiece to be machined in an oblique or transverse manner with respect to a feed direction of the workpiece. A movable carrier element having pressure means acts on a rear side of the machining belt in order to influence contact, necessary for machining, between the working side of the machining belt and the workpiece. A drive arrangement, by way of which the carrier element can be motor-driven, is provided such that the carrier element moves substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the machining belt, at least in the working region of the machining belt.

Abstract: A belt sander includes a housing and an endless sanding belt supported by the housing. A first shaft is connected to the housing, and the housing is pivotable about the first shaft. A second shaft is connected to the housing and offset from the first shaft. The sander is mounted to the rotating portion of a rotary machining clam shell trackway and revolved around a pipe surface to be sanded while biasing the sander against the surface. The sander may also be pivotable to sand a tapered surface.

Abstract: A robotic machining tool employing an endless machining belt is disclosed. The tool includes a front pulley and a rear pulley which guide the machining belt, a drive unit which turns the rear pulley, a spindle about which the front pulley is free to rotate, and two wheels which flank the front pulley and are mounted idly on the spindle of the front pulley. The two wheels have an outside diameter greater than that of the front pulley in order to roll over a surface to be machined and in order to define a machining distance between the machining belt guided around the front pulley and the surface to be machined.

Abstract: A multi-head centerless belt grinder for removing material from a workpiece includes a common base and a plurality of grinding heads spaced apart from one another and mounted to the common base. Each grinding head includes a moveable work rest blade, a moveable regulating wheel and a moveable grinding belt positioned by servomotors to centerless grind the workpiece along a common axis of rotation. The grinder is programmable for rapid machine changeover and set-up typically within 2-5 minutes to accommodate a large range of workpiece diameters. This feature results in improved productivity and output as well as greater flexibility for scheduling numerous workpiece diameters within a normal eight-hour work shift. A trough may extend beneath and between each of the grinding heads to more efficiently collect and transfer grinding swarf generated during the grinding process to a filter operable to separate solids within the swarf from coolant.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for machining a strip or plate-shaped metal workpiece, which comprises at least one conveying device which is provided with machining elements. The conveying device guides the machining elements at an angle and/or in a transversal manner in relation to the direction of advancement of the workpiece in the region of the workpiece which is to be machined in an at least approximately linear manner. The machining elements are embodied as abrasive paper and support elements are arranged between said abrasive paper.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing apparatus and a polishing method capable of calculating outside diameters of rolls of a polishing tape on a polishing-tape supply reel and a polishing-tape recovery reel and capable of calculating a remaining amount of the polishing tape and a consumption of the polishing tape from the outside diameters of the rolls. This polishing apparatus includes a polishing-tape supply reel (46), a polishing head (44), a polishing-tape drawing-out mechanism G1, and a polishing-tape supply and recovery mechanism (45) configured to recover the polishing tape (43) from the polishing-tape supply reel (46) via the polishing head (44).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a polishing method for polishing the end surface of a wafer by using a polishing tape, wherein the end surface of the wafer is polished in the condition where a polishing liquid containing an oxidizing agent is supplied to the end surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A burnishing apparatus is presented. The burnishing apparatus includes a tape dispensing assembly. The tape dispensing assembly includes a tape supply module for dispensing a tape. A plurality of tape guide rollers is provided for guiding the tape. The burnishing apparatus includes a contact roller mount unit which has a plurality of contact guide rollers and a contact roller. The contact roller contacts the tape against a surface of a media during burnishing. The tape guide rollers and the contact guide rollers are arranged to provide a zero contact force against the media to be burnished.

Abstract: A wiresaw beam for use in an apparatus for slicing wafers from an ingot, such as semiconductor wafers from a single crystal ingot or a polycrystalline silicon ingot. The wiresaw beam may be made from a polymer composite material comprising a thermoset polymer resin and carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: A slider body characterized by rounded corners and edges and smooth surfaces, formed by polishing with a polymeric fiber and a free abrasive slurry of submicron particles.

Abstract: To provide a plating removing apparatus for 2-piece wheels, which can easily and beautifully remove plating at the welding planned portion on the rim inner circumferential surface and achieves 2-piece wheels with rims plated without requiring any troublesome operation, said apparatus comprising a pair of support rollers 13 horizontally arranged, a positioning member 15 that positions the rim 2 in the axial direction of the support roller 13, a pair of holding rollers 19 that hold the rim 2 between the support rollers 13 and the holding rollers 19, a rotation drive means that rotates and drives the rim 2 held between the support rollers 13 and holding rollers 19, and a grinding means that extends to an inside of the rim 2 for grinding the welding planned portion RW of the rim 2 with respect to the disk, and for removing plating of the relevant welding planned portion.

Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing automotive accessory drive belts or other workpieces of pliant material which have a grooved operative face, a tool having an abrasive ramp configuration for performing said improved method and a method of manufacturing said tool with the abrasive ramp configuration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a grinding machine comprising oscillating driving means (3, 4) for setting grinding means (1) into an oscillating grinding motion and an actuation device (7) that is provided with a plurality of actuation areas (8) which can be triggered such that different zones of the grinding means (1) are alternately actuated independently of the oscillating grinding motion.

Abstract: Systems and methods control abrading operations of an abrading machine by sensing characteristics of an abrading article installed on the abrading machine. When a problem is discovered by sensing the article, appropriate actions may be taken. As one example, the abrading article may be sensed to determine whether the abrading article has been installed with an abrasive side facing the wrong direction. An alert allows an operator to reinstall the article. As another example, the abrading article may be sensed to determine whether splicing tape is present to hold two pieces of abrading tape together. The article may be advanced until the splicing tape is beyond an abrading zone. As another example, the abrading article may be sensed to determine whether the abrading article has stopped moving while the article drive is advancing because the article has broken. An alert allows an operator to repair the break.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated, non-continuous polishing pad oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal to allow planarizing liquids and materials removed from the microelectronic substrate to flow off the polishing pad under the force of gravity. Two such polishing pads can be positioned opposite each other in a vertical orientation and can share either a common platen or a common substrate carrier. The polishing pads can be pre-attached to both a supply roll and a take-up roll to form a cartridge which can be easily removed from the apparatus and replaced with another cartridge.

Abstract: A sanding station for a belt sanding machine includes at least an endless sanding belt guided over deflection rollers and a pressure segment belt circulating within the sanding belt for pressing the sanding belt against the workpiece. The running direction of the pressure segment belt is oriented transversely to the running direction of the sanding belt.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a magnetic head using a cleaning tape comprising a substrate and a cleaning layer, wherein the cleaning tape has a stiffness of 2 or less in a width direction, and the magnetic head has trenches substantially parallel to a sliding direction of the cleaning tape.

Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing automotive accessory drive belts or other workpieces of pliant material which have a grooved operative face, a tool having an abrasive ramp configuration for performing said improved method and a method of manufacturing said tool with the abrasive ramp configuration.

Abstract: Polishing pads, planarizing machines and methods for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies. The polishing pads, for example, can be web-format pads, and the planarizing machines can be web-format machines. In a typical application, the web-format machines have a pad advancing mechanism and stationary table with a first dimension extending along a pad travel path, a second dimension transverse to the first dimension, and an illumination site from which a laser beam can emanate from the table. The pad advancing mechanism moves the pad along the pad travel path to replace worn portions of the pad with fresh portions. In one embodiment of the invention, a web-format polishing pad includes a planarizing medium and an optical pass-through system having a plurality of view sites through which a light beam can pass through the pad.

Abstract: An invention improves edge performance in chemical mechanical polishing processes. A method operation provides a wafer head above a wafer. The wafer head includes a first active retaining ring capable of extension and retraction. Another operation provides a polishing belt below the wafer head, and provides below the polishing belt a platen having a second active retaining ring capable of extension and retraction. Another operation controls positions of the first active retaining ring and the second active retaining ring to provide positional control for the polishing belt, thus adjusting and controlling the removal rate at the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad is described. The method includes applying a stream of pressurized liquid to the polishing pad, and removing a significant amount of slurry and liquid from the polishing pad using a vacuum. The apparatus includes a liquid distribution unit forming at least one opening upon which liquid is forced through at high pressure, the opening directed at the polishing pad, and a liquid recovery unit positioned downstream from the liquid distribution unit and in communication with the polishing pad, the liquid recovery unit connected with a vacuum for removing liquid and slurry from the polishing pad.

Abstract: A worktable for an apparatus for grinding recesses, having on a frame (3) a pair of pulleys carrying a grinding belt (2), is provided with a sole control member (19) to approach and move apart said workpiece vice (20) with respect to said shaping pulley (1) of said pair of pulleys.

Abstract: A single-sided finishing apparatus is provided having a plurality of finishing stations with rotating transfer stations positioned therebetween. A hold down system presents the edge of the workpiece to the finishing head. The rotating transfer station includes a clamp for grasping a leading corner of a workpiece while rollers continue to drive the workpiece forward, thereby rotating the workpiece 90°.

Abstract: A linear chemical mechanical polishing apparatus that is equipped with a programmable pneumatic support platen and a method for controlling the polishing profile on a wafer surface during a linear CMP process are disclosed. The programmable pneumatic support platen is positioned juxtaposed to a bottom surface of a continuous belt for the linear CMP apparatus and positioned corresponding to a position of the wafer carrier so as to force the polishing pad against the wafer surface to be polished. The support platen has a predetermined thickness, a plurality of apertures through the thickness and a plurality of openings in a top surface in fluid communication with a gas source through the plurality of apertures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated, non-continuous polishing pad oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal to allow planarizing liquids and materials removed from the microelectronic substrate to flow off the polishing pad under the force of gravity. Two such polishing pads can be positioned opposite each other in a vertical orientation and can share either a common platen or a common substrate carrier. The polishing pads can be pre-attached to both a supply roll and a take-up roll to form a cartridge which can be easily removed from the apparatus and replaced with another cartridge.

Abstract: An invention is disclosed for improving edge performance in a chemical mechanical polishing process is disclosed. The system includes a wafer head disposed above a wafer, where the wafer head includes a first active retaining ring capable of extension and retraction. Below the wafer head is a polishing belt, and disposed below the polishing belt is a platen having a second active retaining ring capable of extension and retraction. During operation the first active retaining ring and the second active retaining ring can be controlled to provide positional control for the polishing belt, thus adjusting and controlling the removal rate at the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: A rotary woodworking machine includes a longitudinally extending transmitting shaft having two ends respectively coupled to two rotary woodworking members. A speed ratio varying device is disposed to couple the transmitting shaft to an output shaft of a motor, and includes two pitch-variable first and second pulleys mounted on the transmitting shaft and the output shaft, a belt trained on the pulleys, and a control unit operable to move a movable disc of the first pulley toward or away from a fixed disc of the first pulley so as to vary the radial distances between the belt and each of the shafts, thereby varying the speed ratio of the transmitting shaft to the output shaft.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic stamper/imprinter for use in patterning of magnetic recording media by means of a contact printing process, comprising sequential steps of: (a) providing a stamper/imprinter comprising a body of a magnetic material having an imprinting surface including a topographical pattern corresponding to a pattern to be formed in the surface of a magnetic or magneto-optical (MO) recording medium and comprising a patterned plurality of spaced-apart recesses with a plurality of non-recessed areas therebetween, said imprinting surface including a plurality of defects comprising surface blemishes and stains, magnetic particles, and non-magnetic particles; (b) initially removing the surface blemishes, stains, and magnetic particles; and (c) then removing or rendering the non-magnetic particles benign to the contact printing process.

Abstract: An adjusting device for the sanding drum of a double-drum sander is installed between the opposite ends of the rear grinding drum and the machine frame of a sander for adjusting a rear sanding drum to a most suitable height to match with the size number of the emery of the front sanding drum of the sander so as to carry out abrading with excellent effect.

Abstract: A rotary sanding machine includes a driven wheel coupled to a transmission shaft which is driven by a motor so as to actuate an emery coated belt for sanding. A barrier wall is disposed to hold back dust flying during sanding action to permit the dust to fall into a dust passageway in a dust collecting member. An impeller is mounted in a blower casing, and is coupled to an impeller driving shaft which is rotated with the transmission shaft by means of an endless drive transmission member such that the dust falling in the dust passageway can be drawn into the blower casing for discharge through a discharge port.

Abstract: An emery polishing machine is provided with plural adjusting devices positioned between the opposite shaft ends of two emery polishing wheels and machine box. The adjusting devices enable the two emery-polishing wheels to be micro-adjusted to move upward and downward independently. Emery paper tapes of different-sized sands can be fitted on the two emery-polishing wheels to carry out rough and fine polishing at the same time. Two dust-collecting pipes are provided at one side of the dust-preventing cover of the machine box, and plural rollers are provided on the dust-preventing cover. Thus, after a wooden board has one side polished, it can be turned over and directly placed on the rollers on the dust-preventing cover to be moved in a feeding opening to have the other side polished. Thus a wooden board is quickly moved with less force and less space.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for releasably attaching a planarizing medium, such as a polishing pad, to the platen of a chemical-mechanical planarization machine. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include several apertures in the upper surface of the platen that are coupled to a vacuum source. When a vacuum is drawn through the apertures in the platen, the polishing pad is drawn tightly against the platen and may therefore be less likely to wrinkle when a semiconductor substrate is engaged with the polishing pad during planarization. When the vacuum is released, the polishing pad can be easily separated from the platen. The apparatus can further include a liquid trap to separate liquid from the fluid drawn by the vacuum source through the apertures, and can also include a releasable stop to prevent the polishing pad from separating from the platen should the vacuum source be deactivated while the platen is in motion.

Abstract: A multi-spindle end effector is provided for a multiple axis robot. The multi-spindle end effector includes a plate housing having at least a pair of spaced-apart spindles mounted thereon. A servo-motor drivingly engages the spindles. A gear box steps down the RPMs of the motor to the desired RPM of the object to be rotated. A timing belt, which may be continuous, interlinks the first and second spindles so that the rotation of first spindle matches the rotation of the second spindle. An idler pulley may be employed to properly tension the belt.

Abstract: A prompter/monitor system for use in combination with wide-belt abrasive surface treating apparatus and including an array of individual axially spaced apart signal generating workpiece sensors operatively positioned across the width of the belt with each sensor creating a signal in response to the presence of a workpiece moving along a segment of the width of the belt. Readout means are provided for receiving signals from each of the sensors, with the readout means including a display responsive to a selected one of the workpiece sensors. A data processor is coupled to the readout for determining the accumulative duration of time during which a workpiece is detected by each sensor, and also determining that certain sensor which has detected the least duration of workpiece presence. The total amount of time for which workpieces are detected for each individual sensor are compared, and the display is actuated to represent those width segments which are being under (or over) utilized.

Abstract: A prompter/monitor system for use in combination with wide-belt abrasive surface treating apparatus and including an array of individual axially spaced apart signal generating workpiece sensors operatively positioned across the width of the belt with each sensor creating a signal in response to the presence of a workpiece moving along a segment or lane of the width of the belt. Readout means are provided for receiving signals from each of the sensors, with the readout means including a display responsive to a selected one of the workpiece sensors. A data processor is coupled to the readout for determining the accumulative duration of time during which a workpiece is detected by each sensor, and also determining that certain sensor which has detected the least duration of workpiece presence which becomes the reference for all others.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad is described. The method includes applying a stream of pressurized liquid to the polishing pad, and removing a significant amount of slurry and liquid from the polishing pad using a vacuum. The apparatus includes a liquid distribution unit forming at least one opening upon which liquid is forced through at high pressure, the opening directed at the polishing pad, and a liquid recovery unit positioned downstream from the liquid distribution unit and in communication with the polishing pad, the liquid recovery unit connected with a vacuum for removing liquid and slurry from the polishing pad.

Abstract: A rollers' position moving device for a sand belt machine includes a conveyor in the machine, a sand belt, and plural rollers moving the sand belt. The rollers are deposited across on the conveyor. Further, a first wheel and a second wheel are pivotally connected with one side of each roller, and the first and the second wheel have different diameters so as to rotate with different speeds. The rotating speed disparity of the two wheels can make the two wheels move laterally right and left within a preset distance because of an inner projection surface of the two wheels. Then the rollers are rotated and moved laterally right and left by one of the wheels so that sand grinding of the rollers rotating and moving laterally right and left at the same time can grind a work being ground smooth and glossy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated polishing pad that is moved over a platen either between or during the planarization cycles, and a support pad that is moved along with the polishing pad. The support pad can be an elongated member that extends between a supply roller and a take-up roller, or can include a continuous member that extends around the spaced apart rollers. The platen can also be movable along with the support pad and can be supported by fluid jets, rollers, or a rotating bladder. Cleaning devices and/or milling devices can treat the surfaces of the polishing pad, the support pad and/or the platen to reduce the likelihood for contaminants to become caught between these components as they engage with each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for rounding off edges of openings in a work piece, such as internal openings or cut outs in steel plates. The apparatus includes a belt grinding machine having a continuous grinding belt running over several belt guiding rollers which are provided on a support frame. Two of the rollers are provided on a cradle, that is pivotally supported in the support frame. The grinding belt is, between the rollers on the cradle, disposed for rectilinear working of the work piece, and a device is arranged for operating the cradle in a pendulum like movement about the pivotal support during a grinding operation.

Abstract: A rotary woodworking machine includes an upright shaft rotatable relative to a plunger and driven by a rotary transmitting shaft which is driven by an output shaft of a motor. A lifting lever has a fulcrum end pivoted on a support frame, and a force end coupled to the output shaft by means of a cam member such that a drive force of the output shaft is transmitted to effectuate reciprocating upward and downward movements of the force end. The upward movement of the force end will cause an intermediate weight portion of the lever to lift the upright shaft as well as the plunger from a lower position to a higher position.

Abstract: A composite, dual-hardness polishing pad for use in a linear chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and a method for forming the pad are described. In the composite, dual-hardness polishing pad, a pad body is first provided which has a leading edge and a trailing edge for mounting to a linear belt immediately adjacent to a second polishing pad. The pad body is fabricated of a material that has a first hardness, the leading edge contacts an object being polished on the composite polishing pad before the trailing edge when the linear belt turns in a linear polishing process. The composite polishing pad further includes a buffer pad that is adhesively joined to the leading edge of the pad body for contacting the object that is being polished, the buffer pad may be fabricated of a material that has a second hardness which is at least 20% smaller than the first hardness such that impact on the object being polished is minimized during a linear polishing process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting, cleaning and/or drying a polishing pad used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a cleaning head positioned adjacent a post-operative portion of the polishing pad to clean and/or dry the rear surface of the polishing pad. The cleaning head can include a heat source, a mechanical contact element, and/or orifices that direct fluid and/or gas toward the rear surface. The apparatus can further include a vessel through which the rear surface of the polishing pad passes to clean the rear surface. The apparatus can also include a flow passage in fluid communication with a region between the polishing pad and a support pad upon which the polishing pad rests during planarization. Gas moves through the flow passage toward or away from an interface region between the polishing pad and the support pad to draw the polishing pad toward or away from the support pad.