Abstract: A cutting method by applying a particle beam of metallic glass onto a substrate to cut or partially cut the substrate with high production efficiency, low production cost and better environmental protection.

Abstract: A method of making a customized item from a single piece of quartz, the method comprising the steps of providing a piece of quartz of sufficient size and shape to form the item, carving the item out of the single piece of quartz into a desired shape, etching information into the item and applying a coating to the information after the step of etching the information to form the customized item. A customized item is also provided comprising a body formed of a single piece of quartz, the body shaped into a configuration simulating a home or a sports object, and including personalized information etched into the quartz and a coating over the personalized information to enhance visibility.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing polishing articles used in polishing processes are provided. In one implementation, a method of forming a polishing pad is provided. The method comprises depositing an uncured first layer of a pad forming photopolymer on a substrate. The method further comprises positioning a first optical mask over the first layer of the uncured pad forming photopolymer. The first optical mask includes a patterned sheet of material having at least one aperture. The method further comprises exposing the uncured first layer of the pad forming photopolymer to electromagnetic radiation to selectively polymerize exposed portions of the uncured first layer of the pad forming photopolymer to form pad-supporting structures within the first layer of pad forming photopolymer.

Abstract: A method for surface treating a golf club head, includes: (a) forming a depression unit in the golf club head, the depression unit being indented inwardly from an outer surface of the golf club head, the outer surface being divided into a working area and a non-working area, the depression unit being formed in the working area; (b) filling the depression unit with a shielding material and covering the non-working area with a covering material; and (c) sandblasting the golf club head after step (b) and removing subsequently the shielding material from the depression unit and the covering material from the non-working area so as to form the working area into sandblasted and non-sandblasted regions that differ in gloss intensity.

Abstract: A home appliance and method including an appliance body having an oven access opening; an oven door for selectively covering the oven access opening; and a window in the oven door for viewing the oven contents, the window having a treated window portion for obscuring the view of the oven contents behind the treated window portion, the treated window portion being fabricated using a window treatment apparatus for supporting a window for treatment, the window treatment apparatus including a support stand defining a window support area, a blocking element mounted to the window stand for movement into and out of a covering relation with the window support area, the blocking element having a window cover plate having a window cover area smaller in area than the window support area, with the difference in the area of the window support area and the window cover area defining a window treatment area.

Abstract: A cutting method by sandblasting in which cutting through of a workpiece and/or formation of a through-hole in the workpiece are/is performed by forming a resist on a plate-shaped workpiece and projecting abrasive against the workpiece to cut a portion of the workpiece where no resist is formed, comprises the steps of: forming the resist in a predetermined pattern on a front surface and a back surface of the workpiece symmetrically between the front and back by inkjet printing, and projecting the abrasive against each of the front and back surfaces of the workpiece to make a cut from the front surface side communicate with a cut from a back side at an approximately intermediate position of a thickness of the workpiece.

Abstract: An example component polishing method includes polishing a component, and protecting at least a portion of a component during the polishing using a sacrificial mask. Some of the sacrificial mask is removed during the polishing.

Abstract: A method of polishing an integrally bladed rotor includes the steps of positioning a mask on an integrally bladed rotor such that a portion of the integrally bladed rotor is unmasked to define an exposed portion and polishing the exposed portion of the integrally bladed rotor.

Abstract: To cut out a hard-brittle substrate by blasting, laying out substrates 2 on a plate material 1 made of a hard-brittle material with leaving a space for blasting; forming first protective films 4 on both surfaces of the plate material 1 at layout positions of the substrates 2; and forming second protective films 5 on both surfaces of a margin 3 of the plate material 1 with leaving a space with respect to the first protective films 4 and having outer edges from a periphery of the plate material 1 at a width of 5 mm or less; cutting regions 6 between the films 4, 4 and between the films 4, 5 from one surface of the plate material 1 to a depth of approximately half of a thickness thereof by blasting, then cutting from the other surface of the plate material 1 until the plate material 1 is penetrated.

Abstract: A method of forming acoustic holes in a composite sound-insulating material includes creating a image of at least a portion of an array of holes and transferring the image to an ultraviolet (UV) radiation transparent medium. The method continues with positioning the medium in contact with a UV-curable mask and exposing the medium-covered mask to UV radiation to cure the UV-exposed areas. The method further includes removing the uncured mask material to create an abrading mask that includes a plurality of holes in a desired pattern. The method also includes positioning the abrading mask in contact with the sound-insulating material and directing a stream of abrasive matter at the abrading mask to create perforations in the sound-insulating material that correspond to the pattern of holes in the abrading mask.

Abstract: A method of masking includes adhering a removable pressure sensitive adhesive to a masking surface to cover the masking surface and blasting the adhesive and an adjacent target surface with abrasive blast media to remove material forming the target surface wherein the adhesive protects against removal of material forming the masking surface. The blasting media does not abrade the adhesive. The adhesive may be applied in molten form or at room temperature by separating the adhesive from a flexible release liner. The adhesive may be removed by simply peeling the adhesive from the masking surface, leaving the masking surface essentially free of residue. Due to the adhesive characteristics throughout the adhesive, some blast media adheres to the adhesive and forms a barrier layer which repels additional blast media. The adhesive may also be used to adhere a masking device over the masking surface to cover large areas easily.

Abstract: The invention provides a unitary retaining ring for use in a CMP apparatus. The retaining ring features a pad engaging surface which is designed to be flat and planar when the retaining ring is mounted to a carrier of the CMP apparatus. The pad engaging surface includes portions which surround the wafer and contact a pad and slurry on the CMP apparatus. A plurality of mounting features are provided along a carrier engaging surface of the ring. The mounting features are installed to cause localized compressive stresses in the material when in a demounted state. Upon mounting to a carrier of the CMP apparatus under specified torque or force conditions, tensile stresses are applied to the material of the ring resulting in a flat and planar mounted front surface.

Abstract: Material is removed from objects to be marked or machined by applying tools having cutouts arranged in a pattern on the objects, filling the cutouts with abrasive particles, pouring a molten metal over the tools to solidify as a backing, and then ultrasonically vibrating the backing to propel the abrasive particles through the cutouts to transfer the pattern to the objects.

Abstract: A curved surface cutting method in which a surface of a material is cut by a bite to form a specified curved surface, a cutting edge of the bite is provided with a flat section and corner sections at both ends of the flat section; the posture of the cutting edge of the bite is adjusted such that a ridge line along the flat section of the cutting edge of the bite is in parallel with a tangent drawn at the curved surface; and the surface of the material is cut with the cutting edge of the bite retained in the posture while feeding the cutting edge in a predetermined feeding direction, thereby forming a first band-like cut surface having a width corresponding to the width of the cutting edge of the bite.

Abstract: A plasma display panel and the manufacturing method thereof. Forming partition wall structures on the back substrate of the paste display panel and forming the column-shaped protrusions at the positions corresponding to the cuts on the rib on the front substrate of the plasma display panel. The manufacturing process is simple and the alignment of the front and back substrate is easy. In addition, the size of the opening of the rib and the size of the cut can be easily adjusted according to the needs of the application during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A plasma display panel and the manufacturing method thereof. Forming partition wall structures on the back substrate of the paste display panel and forming the column-shaped protrusions at the positions corresponding to the cuts on the rib on the front substrate of the plasma display panel. The manufacturing process is simple and the alignment of the front and back substrate is easy. In addition, the size of the opening of the rib and the size of the cut can be easily adjusted according to the needs of the application during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A method of forming a stone inlay in an abrasion-sensitive substrate, such as wood, by forming a depression in the substrate, mounting stone on a damping material capable of absorbing the abrasive energy applied to the stone in reducing the dimensions of the stone to fit the depression, cutting the inlay to size and inserting it into the substrate. The cut inlay/damping material composite may be sold separately as an article of manufacture.

Abstract: Material is removed from objects to be marked or machined by applying apertured masks having cutouts arranged in a pattern on the objects, applying a liquid mixture of abrasive particles over the masks, and then ultrasonically vibrating the mixture to propel the abrasive particles through the cutouts to transfer the pattern to the objects.

Abstract: A furniture surface includes a new solid wood substrate, a two-color silk screened image on the substrate, and a CNC-carved and embossed indentation in the substrate that provides a relief effect located in reference to the printed image so as to make a composite ornamentation on the substrate that makes the substrate look antique.

Abstract: A method for chemically etching of a foam glass layer to provide at least one cavity pattern in the foam glass layer. The method utilizes a substrate with at least one major surface suitable for receiving a glass layer. At least one layer of a glass paste composition in then applied onto the major surface of the substrate. The substrate and glass paste composition are then heated to a temperature sufficient enough to obtain a foam glass layer bonded to the major surface of the substrate. At least a portion of the foam glass layer is chemically etched to obtain at least one cavity pattern in the foam glass layer. The chemical etching of the foam glass layer results in an anisotropic etching rate.

Abstract: A sandblasting mask device for performing sandblasting processes on wood objects is disclosed. The mask device includes a base and a mask cover. The base has a fixture for fixing a wood object that has a target surface to be worked on. The mask cover is removably fixed on the base. The mask cover includes a mask panel, which contains at least one sandblasting opening of a predetermined shape. When the mask cover is fixed on the base, the wood object is tightly clamped between the mask cover and the base, and the mask panel of the mask cover is closely attached to the target surface of the object. The sandblasting opening of the mask panel will expose a predetermined portion of the target surface of the object for performing the sandblasting process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and improved method for differentially polishing the surface of metallic materials in a dry tumbling operation. The process involves providing a finish of a first type on a metallic object. A protective coating is then placed over the first area. The object is then placed into a tumbling drum with a dry polishing media and tumbled to provide a polished finish on the unprotected surface. A secondary feature of the present invention provides the ability to flash off the polishing compounds between polishing batches to prevent build up of polishing residue and provide more consistent results.

Abstract: A method of forming a groove on a mother material substrate includes the steps of forming a first layer on a surface of the mother material substrate, the first layer including a chain-polymer material which is soluble in an organic solvent. Then a second layer is formed on the first layer except for a portion where the groove is to be formed. The second layer includes a chain-polymer material having very high resistance to sand blasting. Then a groove is formed by cutting the first layer and the mother material substrate at the portion where the groove is to be formed, by a sand blasting process in which sand is directed from above the second layer downwardly. Then the first and second layers are removed from the mother material by dissolving the first layer using the organic solvent.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a plasma addressed electro-optical display having a side surface electrode structure. In the display, a display cell is superimposed on a plasma cell. The display cell includes an intermediate substrate, an upper substrate having columns of signal electrodes, and an electro-optical material held therebetween. The plasma cell includes a lower substrate joined to the intermediate substrate, and a plurality of rows of discharge channels formed therebetween and composed of discharge electrodes and barrier ribs.

Abstract: Plastic abrasives for sandblasting, in particular, those to be used in sandblast processing for forming barrier ribs and priming ribs; a sandblast processing method with the use of the same; and a method for treating sandblasting waste matters. A plastic abrasive for sandblasting characterized by being soluble in organic solvents or water/organic solvent mixtures and comprising plastic particles having an average particle size of 5 to 100 .mu.m; a method for sandblast processing a plasma display panel substrate by using the plastic abrasive; and a method for treating sandblasting waste matters.

Abstract: Method of providing a pattern of apertures and/or cavities in a plate of material which is suitable for powder blasting, or of cutting pieces from a plate (2) of such a material by means of powder blasting, using a non-metal layer of blast-resistant material (3) as a mask which is patterned while or after it is fixedly provided on the surface of the plate.

Abstract: A novel pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) for use in sandblasting operations to adhere a sandblast mask to a target surface is disclosed. The PSA comprises a non-elastomeric, thermoplastic resin and a tackifier in combination to produce a composition having a T.sub.g of at less than about -40.degree. C. which is both blastable and water redispersible.

Abstract: A method of for aligning step and repeat reticle images for 2 adjacent sliders for magnetoresistive (MR) devices. The invention forms 3 wafer alignment targets for two adjacent sliders . The 3 wafer alignment targets are used to align adjacent reticle exposure fields. An novel common alignment target is between the two sliders. The stepper alignment system uses the wafer alignment target placed in the field stitch area between two adjacent fields and the alignment target for that particular field to align the reticle. The method includes: forming (1) a first wafer alignment target in the first slider area; (2) a second wafer alignment target in the second slider area; and (3) a center wafer alignment target between the first and the second wafer alignment targets. Using a stepper, exposing the first slider area with the reticle image field. The first reticle image field having spaced first and second reticle alignment keys.

Abstract: A method for preparing a specimen block for TEM analysis that uses target point breaking of an original specimen block into two separate blocks with one block containing the point targeted for analysis. Hence, over-polishing can be avoided and polishing time is saved. Furthermore, polishing is carried out by sandwiching the specimen block between sacrificial blocks supported by polish-resistant blocks below. With the polish-resistant blocks acting as a polishing stop layer, a fixed thickness instead of variable thickness will remain after the specimen is polished.

Abstract: A stencil for use in sandblasting stone objects having a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) layer cast onto a polyester liner. The formulation of the PVC layer comprises about 120 parts phthalate plasticizer and about 30 parts filler (typically calcium carbonate) per 100 parts resin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of engraving objects which circumvents the necessity of mechanically scrubbing the engraved surface to remove fillers. Specifically, in the method of the present invention, the fillers are applied directly to the resist stencil instead of being applied to the object to be engraved. Removal of the resist stencil simultaneously removes the filler from the engraved object.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photosensitive resin composition suitable as a resist material against sandblasting for pattern-wise engraving of the surface of a body after photolithographic patterning, which comprises: (a) a urethane compound having a (meth)acrylate group at the molecular end, which is obtained from a polyether or polyester compound having a hydroxy group at the molecular chain end, a diisocyanate compound and a (meth)acrylate compound having a hydroxy group; (b) an alkali-soluble polymeric compound having an acid value in the range from 50 to 250 mg KOH/g; and (c) a photopolymerization initiator.

Abstract: A process for producing a plasma display panel, involving the formation of a predetermined pattern for a plasma display panel, including an electrode pattern and a barrier for defining a discharge space, said process comprising the steps of:forming a predetermined pattern-forming material layer on a substrate;forming a mask pattern, comprising a main component of the material layer, on the pattern-forming material layer:etching the pattern-forming material layer with the mask pattern formed thereon, thereby patterning the pattern-forming material layer; andthen firing the pattern-forming material layer with the mask pattern provided thereon and the mask layer, thereby integrating the pattern-forming material layer and at least part of the mask layer with each other.

Abstract: A gradation pattern is formed by sandblasting a surface of a transparent substrate. The gradation pattern comprises countless recesses formed by eroding the surface structure. The distribution density of the recesses is low in the vicinity of sides on which primary illuminating light is incident, and high in the center of the pattern. As the original flat and smooth aspect of the plate is maintained between the recesses, the light guiding performance of the plate is maintained. By adjusting the gradation pattern, any desired bright/dark pattern can be obtained. The cost of manufacturing a light guiding plate and flat optical source device is reduced. A large illumination area having a high uniform brightness is made possible by sandblasting. And many applications and modes of use which were impossible with a conventional light guiding plate having a printed pattern, are now possible.

Abstract: After a plate or layer of non-metallic, particularly hard and brittle material has been provided with a (metal) mask having a plurality of apertures arranged in a pattern, it is exposed to at least one jet of abrasive powder particles, which jet is moved relative to the plate. The mask has its surface facing the surface on which the jet impinges secured to the plate or layer of non-metallic material by means of a layer of adhesive material having a thickness which is smaller than the size of the abrasive powder particles.

Abstract: A method of engraving pre-sintered ceramic articles involves providing a source of laser energy for forming a polyester mask having a predetermined spiral pattern etched therein. To form the polyester mask, means are provided for computationally communicating a predetermined engraving pattern to the source of laser energy. Once the polyester mask is formed, it is overlaid onto the ceramic article forming a laminate and the laminate is bombarded with a hard alumina grit to form the spiral pattern in the ceramic article. After the ceramic article is engraved with the predetermined spiral pattern, the polyester mask is removed exposing an engraved ceramic article.

Abstract: After a plate or layer of non-metallic, particularly hard and brittle material has been provided with a (metal) mask having a plurality of apertures arranged in a pattern, it is exposed to at least one jet of abrasive powder particles, which jet is moved relative to the plate. The mask has its surface facing the surface on which the jet impinges secured to the plate or layer of non-metallic material by means of a layer of adhesive material having a thickness which is smaller than the size of the abrasive powder particles.

Abstract: A method of forming a planarized dielectric layer includes depositing a dielectric material on a substrate with a dopant concentration that decreases with depth and then chemically mechanically polishing the doped dielectric material. During the chemical mechanical polishing process the polish rate will be relatively fast initially but will slow down as the lighter doped material is contacted. Global planarity and polish selectivity are improved because the dopant gradient will automatically slow down the polish rate in areas where the lighter doped material is contacted. The high points of the dielectric material will thus polish faster than the low points. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, an underlying layer is deposited below a dopant graded dielectric layer having a predetermined dopant concentration that decreases with depth. The underlying layer may be undoped or uniformly doped.

Abstract: Screening techniques are used to form a patterned mask on a surface of a wood article, and particle blasting is used to transfer the pattern of the mask to the wood article. A screen on procedure that employs a 50-80 mesh material on which a reverse image pattern of 200 microns or thicker of capillary film allows a high definition pattern of masking material to be applied in one pass. Disruption of the mask from moisture emanating from the wood article is prevented by either painting the surface of the wood article prior to screening on the masking material or by including a water scavenging compound with the masking material. If paint is to be employed as a moisture barrier, the paint must be able to withstand curing temperatures for the masking material. Spherical glass beads are preferably used for particle blasting since they leave a better finish for the pattern transferred to the wood article and do not adversely degrade the wood fibers.