Abrasive processing apparatu sand method for employing encoded abrasive product

Abstract

An apparatus (20) and method for abrasively processing an article(24) involves the use of an abrasive product (30) provided with a machine discernable pattern representative of information of varying types. The pattern is read while the abrasive product moves relative to the article, and is used to control the movement of the abrasive product (30) relative to the article (24). The pattern may include one or more of the machine discernable electrical characteristic, optical characteristic, topographic characteristic or magnetic characteristic. Reading the pattern may involve one or more of electrically, optically, mechanically or magnetically reading the machine discernable pattern provided on the abrasive product. The pattern may include one or more of indicia, protrusions, depressions, holes, voids, color or pigment variations, bar codes, magnetic transitions or periodic markings. The pattern may include one or more of indexing information, servo information, alignment information or abrasive product identification information. Closed-loop servocontrol of abrasive product movement may be effected using the servo / indexing pattern information. The abrasive product may constitute a movable pad and an abrasive slurry. The pad (30) may be moved in a controlled manner relative to the article (24) such that the pad (30) and the abrasive slurry abrasively contact the article (24). The pattern provided on the pad may be read subsequent to a cleaning operation. An information system may be used to store various types of data derived, in part, from use of the abrasive product pattern information. The stored data may be used for a variety of identification, tracking, accounting, inventory, handling, and statistical purposes.

Description

field of invention [0001] The present invention relates generally to the abrasive processing of articles, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for abrading processed articles using an abrasive product encoded with a machine-readable pattern representing product identification information, index information, servo information, and the like. Background of the invention [0002] Various types of automatic grinding and polishing machines have been developed for grinding articles of various processing combinations and configurations. For example, in the semiconductor industry, conventional chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) machines automatically planarize and polish semiconductor wafers. An automated wafer polishing apparatus is described in US Patent Nos. 5,643,044 and 5,791,969 (Lund), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [0003] Conventional automatic polishing machines, such as those described in the aforementioned patents, typica...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In this regard, errors made by operators often have detrimental consequences, which generally lead to damage or destruction of expensive articles, as well as unwanted processing downtime

Other aspects of traditional grinding and grinding processing methods are also limited in automation, such as the use of partially automated or non-automated inventory systems, machine performance diagnostic systems, abrasive product / article tracking systems, etc.

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