Method for securing dressing tools, and dressing tools

Abstract

To provide a dressing tool which prevents a pushing part of a pushing mechanism (pendulum-type cramp) provided on a spinner table from piercing the dressing tool not to be pierced by the pushing part.SOLUTION: A dressing tool is retained by a spinner table of a spinner unit including a plurality of pushing mechanisms which is respectively arranged on outer peripheral parts of the spinner table, has support bodies containing pushing parts, and rotation shafts penetrating through the support bodies and where the support bodies rotate upon rotation of the spinner table to displace the pushing part to the inner side. Therein, a base plate and a dressing member arranged on one side surface of the base plate are provided, a plurality of clearance grooves which penetrate the base plate vertically and arrive at the outer periphery of the base plate are formed on an outer peripheral part of the base plate, and the plurality of clearance grooves are provided on the outer peripheral part of the base plate in such an arrangement that the pushing part can enter the clearance grooves when the spinner table is rotated in such a state that the base plate is retained by the spinner table.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dressing tool used in dressing performed when starting the use of a cutting blade for cutting a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer, or when restoring the cutting ability of a cutting blade whose cutting ability has deteriorated due to use, and a method for fixing the dressing tool.

Background Art

[0002] A device chip used in an electronic device such as a mobile phone or a computer is formed by dividing a semiconductor wafer on which a plurality of devices are arranged side by side on the surface for each device. When dividing the semiconductor wafer, for example, a cutting device (see Patent Document 2) including an annular cutting blade (see Patent Document 1) is used. By causing the rotating cutting blade to cut into the workpiece while relatively moving the cutting blade and the workpiece, the workpiece can be cut along the path of this movement.

[0003] The cutting blade has abrasive grains such as diamond and a bond (binder) for dispersedly fixing the abrasive grains. The cutting surface on the outer peripheral side of the cutting blade has an uneven shape formed by the bond and the abrasive grains protruding from the bond. When the rotating cutting blade is cut into the workpiece, the abrasive grains moderately exposed from the bond come into contact with the workpiece, and the workpiece is cut. At this time, the cutting chips generated from the workpiece due to cutting are temporarily accommodated in the uneven shape that functions as a chip pocket, and are efficiently removed by detaching from the uneven shape.

[0004] Incidentally, unused cutting blades do not have the abrasive grains adequately exposed from the bond, and the outer circumference does not have a grooved shape large enough to function as a chip pocket. Therefore, they cannot properly cut the workpiece and cannot perform adequately. Also, immediately after mounting the cutting machine, the center of the cutting blade is slightly misaligned with the spindle, which is the axis of rotation, so it is necessary to remove any parts that protrude far from the axis of rotation. Furthermore, when the cutting ability of a cutting blade decreases after cutting a workpiece, it is necessary to restore it.

[0005] Therefore, when an unused cutting blade is mounted on the cutting device, or when the cutting ability of the cutting blade decreases, a process called dressing or sharpening is performed by cutting a dresser board with the cutting blade. The dresser board has abrasive grains and a bond that disperses and fixes the abrasive grains (see, for example, Patent Document 3). The dresser board is held on a chuck table in the same state as the workpiece cut by the cutting device, with a ring frame fixed to the outer circumference of the adhesive tape, and is cut by the cutting blade.

[0006] However, it is uneconomical to use high-quality adhesive tape, which is used to secure workpieces, to secure the dresser boards and then discard them. Furthermore, the dresser boards had to be sized to fit within the opening of the ring frame, limiting the amount of cutting blades that could be dressed on a single dresser board.

[0007] Therefore, a dressing tool was developed in which a dresser board is attached to a resin substrate (rigid plate) and integrated into one unit (see Patent Document 4). The size and shape of the substrate roughly match the size and shape of the ring frame, making replacement easy. Moreover, as long as it fits within the shape of the substrate, a dresser board larger than the opening of the ring frame can be used. In other words, a dresser board that can accommodate a larger amount of cutting blades can be used for dressing. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-87282 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-51094 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-11280 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-183370 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] The cutting device includes a cleaning unit, in which cut workpieces are cleaned. The cleaning unit comprises a spinner table for holding workpieces and a plurality of clamping mechanisms (pendulum-type clamps) arranged on the outer circumference of the spinner table. The clamping mechanism comprises a support body having a weight at its lower end and a clamping part at its upper end, and a shaft passed through the support body. When the spinner table rotates, the weight moves radially outward due to centrifugal force. At this time, the support body rotates around the shaft, and the clamping part tilts radially inward, pressing down on the ring frame that supports the workpiece from above.

[0010] Here, a recess or low-profile section is formed on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the spinner table into which the ring frame can fall. The holding mechanism is designed so that the holding portion descends to a position where it contacts the upper surface of the ring frame that has fallen into this recess or section. In other words, there is a limit to the rotation of the support. Therefore, the ring frame is not subjected to excessive force from the holding portion.

[0011] Furthermore, the dressing tools are also cleaned in the cleaning unit after being used to dress the cutting blades. However, since the substrate that secures the dresser board does not fall into any recesses formed on the outer periphery of the top surface of the spinner table, the substrate floats above the outer periphery of the top surface of the spinner table. Also, even if no recesses are formed on the outer periphery of the top surface of the spinner table, if the substrate is thicker than the ring frame, the top surface of the substrate placed on the spinner table may be higher than the top surface of the ring frame placed on the spinner table.

[0012] In these cases, when the spinner table on which the dressing tool rests rotates and the clamping part of the clamping mechanism (pendulum-type clamp) falls onto the resin substrate (rigid plate), the clamping part may not only come into contact with the substrate but may even pierce it. In this case, even after cleaning is complete and the spinner table has stopped, the clamping part may not detach from the substrate, the support of the clamping mechanism may not return to its original position, and the dressing tool may not be able to be removed from the spinner table.

[0013] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to provide a dressing tool in which the pressing part of the pressing mechanism (pendulum-type clamp) provided on the spinner table does not pierce, and a method for fixing the dressing tool. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] Book invention one Depending on the circumstances, hard plate And, hard plate It has a dressing member disposed on one side of the hard plateA method for fixing a dressing tool to a spinner table of a spinner unit, the spinner table having a spinner table that suction-holds and rotates a dressing tool having a plurality of relief grooves formed on its outer circumference, and a plurality of pressing mechanisms disposed on the outer circumference of the spinner table, each having a support body including a weight portion and a pressing portion, and a rotating shaft passed through the support body, wherein the support body rotates and the pressing portion moves inward as the weight portion moves outward due to the centrifugal force when the spinner table rotates, the method for fixing the dressing tool to the spinner table, wherein the dressing tool hard plate The device comprises: an orientation adjustment step to adjust the relative orientation of the dressing tool and the spinner table so that the relief groove and the retaining mechanism correspond to each other; a placement step to place the dressing tool on the spinner table; a holding step to hold the dressing tool by suction on the spinner table after the orientation adjustment step and the placement step; and a rotation step to rotate the spinner table, wherein in the rotation step, when the support rotates such that the weight portion moves outward due to centrifugal force, the retaining portion hard plate A method for fixing a dressing tool is provided, characterized by entering the relief groove. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] In one aspect of the present invention, a dressing tool and a method for fixing the dressing tool are provided, in which a plurality of relief grooves are formed on the outer periphery of a substrate that supports a dressing member. When the dressing tool is placed on the spinner table of the cleaning device, the orientation and position of the dressing tool are adjusted so that the relief grooves and the holding mechanism are in corresponding orientations and positions.

[0018] As a result, when the spinner table is rotated, the retaining part, which moves due to centrifugal force while holding the dressing tool in place, enters the relief groove of the substrate, preventing it from contacting or piercing the substrate. Furthermore, when the rotation of the spinner table stops, the retaining part returns to its original position, so there is no obstruction to the removal of the dressing tool.

[0019] Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dressing tool in which the pressing portion of a pressing mechanism (pendulum clamp) provided on a spinner table does not penetrate, and a method for fixing the dressing tool. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view schematically showing a cutting device. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view schematically showing a cutting device for cutting a workpiece. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view schematically showing a dressing tool. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view schematically showing a cleaning unit and a dressing tool. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cleaning unit. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state of cleaning a dressing tool. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing the flow of each step of a method for fixing a dressing tool. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Referring to the accompanying drawings, embodiments according to one aspect of the present invention will be described. The dressing tool according to this embodiment is used by being cut by a cutting blade in a cutting device for cutting a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. First, the workpiece to be cut by the cutting blade and the cutting device will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a cutting device 2. Further, FIG. 2 includes a perspective view schematically showing a workpiece 1 cut by the cutting device 2.

[0022] The workpiece 1 is a wafer formed from materials such as Si (silicon), SiC (silicon carbide), GaN (gallium nitride), GaAs (gallium arsenide), or other semiconductor materials. Alternatively, it is a wafer formed from a complex oxide such as LT (lithium tantalate) or LN (lithium niobate).

[0023] The surface 1a of the workpiece 1 is divided by multiple intersecting division lines 3. Each region of the surface 1a of the workpiece 1, divided by the division lines 3, has a device 5, such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or LSI (Large Scale Integration), formed within it. By dividing the workpiece 1 along the division lines 3, individual device chips, each containing a device 5, can be formed.

[0024] Alternatively, the workpiece 1 is a roughly disc-shaped substrate made of a material such as sapphire, glass, or quartz. The glass may be, for example, alkali glass, alkali-free glass, soda-lime glass, lead glass, borosilicate glass, or quartz glass. Alternatively, the workpiece 1 may be a package substrate formed by arranging multiple device chips vertically and horizontally and sealing them with resin. The following explanation will use the case where the workpiece 1 is a semiconductor wafer as an example, but the workpiece 1 is not limited to this.

[0025] When the workpiece 1 is loaded into the cutting device 2, adhesive tape 9 is first attached to the back surface 1b of the workpiece 1, covering the opening of a ring frame 7 made of metal or the like. The workpiece 1, adhesive tape 9, and ring frame 7 are then loaded into the cutting device 2 as an integrated frame unit 11 and cut. The individual device chips formed by dividing the workpiece 1 are supported by the adhesive tape 9 and then picked up from the adhesive tape 9.

[0026] Next, the cutting device 2 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the cutting device 2 is equipped with a base 4 that supports each component. An opening 8 is formed in the front corner 6 of the base 4, and a cassette support base 10 that moves up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown) is provided inside this opening 8. A cassette 12 that accommodates multiple workpieces 1 is mounted on the upper surface of the cassette support base 10. For the sake of explanation, only the outline of the cassette 12 is shown with a dashed line in Figure 1.

[0027] A rectangular opening 14 is formed on the side of the cassette support base 10, with its longitudinal direction aligned with the X-axis direction (front-to-back direction, machining feed direction). Inside the opening 14 are a ball screw type X-axis movement mechanism (not shown), a table cover 16 covering the top of the X-axis movement mechanism, and a dustproof and waterproof cover 18. And are arranged. The X-axis movement mechanism includes an X-axis movement table (not shown) covered by a table cover 16, and moves this X-axis movement table in the X-axis direction.

[0028] A chuck table 20 for suction-holding the workpiece 1 is provided on the upper surface of the X-axis moving table, exposed from the table cover 16. This chuck table 20 is connected to a rotational drive source (not shown), such as a motor, and rotates around a rotation axis that is roughly parallel to the Z-axis direction (vertical direction). The chuck table 20 also moves in the X-axis direction together with the X-axis moving table by the X-axis moving mechanism. At this time, the dustproof and waterproof cover 18 expands and contracts in accordance with the movement of the chuck table 20.

[0029] The upper surface of the chuck table 20 is a holding surface 22 for suction holding the workpiece 1. The holding surface 22 is formed generally parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis directions and is connected to a suction source (not shown), such as an ejector, via a suction passage (not shown) provided inside the chuck table 20. Multiple clamps 24 are provided around the chuck table 20 for gripping the ring frame 7 that supports the workpiece 1 from all sides.

[0030] Furthermore, a transport unit (not shown) is positioned in the area adjacent to the opening 14 to transport the workpiece 1 to the chuck table 20 or the like. The workpiece 1, contained in the cassette 12, is pulled out of the cassette 12 by the transport unit and transported to the chuck table 20.

[0031] Then, the ring frame 7 supporting the workpiece 1 via the adhesive tape 9 is gripped by the clamp 24. Furthermore, the suction source connected to the chuck table 20 is activated to apply negative pressure to the workpiece 1 from the holding surface 22 via the adhesive tape 9. As a result, the workpiece 1 is held in place by the chuck table 20.

[0032] On the upper surface of the base 4, a support structure 28 for supporting the cutting unit 26 that cuts the workpiece 1 is positioned so as to protrude above the opening 14. On the upper front of the support structure 28, there is an indexing feed unit 30a for moving the cutting unit 26 along the indexing feed direction (Y-axis direction) and a lifting unit 30b for raising and lowering the cutting unit 26 along the Z-axis direction.

[0033] The indexing feed unit 30a is positioned on the front of the support structure 28 and includes a pair of Y-axis guide rails 32 that are parallel to the Y-axis direction. A Y-axis moving plate 34 is slidably mounted on the Y-axis guide rails 32. A nut portion (not shown) is provided on the back side (rear side) of the Y-axis moving plate 34, and a Y-axis ball screw 36 parallel to the Y-axis guide rails 32 is screwed into this nut portion.

[0034] A Y-axis pulse motor (not shown) is connected to one end of the Y-axis ball screw 36. When the Y-axis ball screw 36 is rotated by the Y-axis pulse motor, the Y-axis moving plate 34 moves in the Y-axis direction along the Y-axis guide rail 32.

[0035] A lifting unit 30b is provided on the surface (front) of the Y-axis moving plate 34. The lifting unit 30b comprises a pair of Z-axis guide rails 38 that are fixed to the surface of the Y-axis moving plate 34 and are parallel to the Z-axis direction. The Z-axis moving plate 40 is slidably mounted on the Z-axis guide rails 38.

[0036] A nut (not shown) is provided on the back (rear) side of the Z-axis moving plate 40, and a Z-axis ball screw 42 parallel to the Z-axis guide rail 38 is screwed into this nut. A Z-axis pulse motor 44 is connected to one end of the Z-axis ball screw 42. When the Z-axis ball screw 42 is rotated by the Z-axis pulse motor 44, the Z-axis moving plate 40 moves in the Z-axis direction along the Z-axis guide rail 38.

[0037] A cutting unit 26 for cutting the workpiece 1 held by the chuck table 20 and an imaging unit (camera unit) 46 for imaging the upper surface of the workpiece 1 held by the chuck table 20 are fixed to the lower part of the Z-axis moving plate 40. When the Y-axis moving plate 34 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the indexing feed unit 30a, the cutting unit 26 and the imaging unit 46 are indexed and fed. Also, when the Z-axis moving plate 40 is moved in the Z-axis direction by the lifting unit 30b, the cutting unit 26 and the imaging unit 46 are raised and lowered.

[0038] Figure 2 includes a schematic perspective view of the cutting unit 26. The cutting unit 26 is equipped with an annular cutting blade 48, which cuts the workpiece 1. The cutting unit 26 is equipped with a spindle housing 50 that rotatably houses the base end of a spindle (not shown) which constitutes a rotation axis parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0039] The spindle housing 50 houses a rotational drive source, such as a motor, which rotates the spindle. When this rotational drive source is activated, the spindle rotates. An annular cutting blade 48 is fixed to the tip of the spindle. Rotating the spindle allows the cutting blade 48 to rotate as well. The cutting blade 48 comprises a grinding wheel section containing a binder formed in an annular shape from a metal or resin material, and abrasive grains made of diamond or the like, dispersed and fixed within the binder. Further details about the cutting blade 48 will be described later.

[0040] The Z-axis moving plate 40 is moved to lower the cutting blade 48 to a predetermined height, and the machining feed unit (X-axis moving mechanism) is activated to machine feed the chuck table 20, bringing the grinding wheel portion of the rotating cutting blade 48 into contact with the workpiece 1, at which point the workpiece 1 is cut. When the workpiece 1 is cut along the division line 3, division grooves 13 are formed in the workpiece 1. Once division grooves 13 have been formed along all of the division line 3 of the workpiece 1, the workpiece 1 is divided into individual device chips.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the cutting unit 26 further comprises a blade cover 52 that covers the cutting blade 48, and a cutting fluid supply nozzle 54 connected to the blade cover 52. When the workpiece 1 is cut by the cutting blade 48, cutting chips and processing heat are generated from the grinding wheel and the workpiece 1. Therefore, while the workpiece 1 is being cut by the cutting blade 48, cutting fluid, consisting of pure water or the like, is sprayed from the cutting fluid supply nozzle 54 onto the cutting blade 48 and the workpiece 1. The cutting fluid removes cutting chips and processing heat.

[0042] The imaging unit 46 shown in Figure 1 images the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 held by the chuck table 20. The imaging unit 46 is equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD camera or a CMOS sensor. The image obtained by the imaging unit 46 is used to position the cutting unit 26 to process a predetermined area. In addition, by acquiring an image showing the processed area of ​​the workpiece 1, the quality of the processing result can be evaluated.

[0043] A cleaning unit 56 for cleaning the workpiece 1 after processing is provided behind the opening 14 of the base 4. The workpiece 1 after processing is transported from the chuck table 20 to the cleaning unit 56 by a transport unit (not shown). The workpiece 1 that has been cleaned in the cleaning unit 56 is then stored in a cassette 12 by, for example, a transport unit (not shown).

[0044] Here, the cleaning unit 56 is a spinner unit equipped with a spinner table 58 that can rotate while holding the workpiece 1 by suction, and cleans the workpiece 1 in a cylindrical cleaning space. Figure 4 includes a schematic partially broken perspective view of the cleaning unit (spinner unit) 56. The cleaning unit 56 comprises a spinner table 58, a cleaning water receiving container 74 surrounding the spinner table 58, a cleaning mechanism 60 for cleaning the workpiece, and a drying mechanism 62 for drying the cleaned workpiece.

[0045] The spinner table 58 includes a motor 70 that rotates the spinner table 58 about an axis aligned perpendicular to its upper surface, and a support mechanism that supports the motor 70 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. A porous member 58b is disposed on the upper part of the spinner table 58, which is exposed upward. The porous member 58b is housed in a recess of a frame 58c, the upper surface of which has a recess of a size corresponding to the porous member 58b. Inside the spinner table 58, there is a suction passage (not shown) with one end connected to a suction source (not shown) and the other end connected to the porous member 58b.

[0046] When an object to be cleaned is placed on the spinner table 58 and the suction source is activated to apply negative pressure to the object through the suction passage and the porous member 58b, the object to be cleaned is sucked and held by the spinner table 58. In other words, the upper surface of the spinner table 58 becomes the holding surface 58a.

[0047] The lower part of the spinner table 58 is connected to the upper end of the output shaft 72, and the lower end of the output shaft 72 is connected to the motor 70. The output shaft 72 transmits the rotational force generated by the motor 70 to the spinner table 58.

[0048] The motor 70 is supported by a support mechanism. This support mechanism comprises a plurality of air cylinders 68 attached to the motor 70, and support legs 66 are connected to the lower part of each air cylinder 68. When each air cylinder 68 is operated simultaneously, the motor 70 and the spinner table 58 can be raised and lowered.

[0049] When loading or unloading objects to be cleaned, the support mechanism is activated to raise the spinner table 58 to a predetermined loading / unloading position, and when cleaning the objects to be cleaned, the spinner table 58 is lowered to a predetermined cleaning position. Figure 5 schematically shows the spinner table 58 raised to the loading / unloading position, and Figure 6 schematically shows the spinner table 58 lowered to the cleaning position.

[0050] The washing water receiving container 74 comprises a cylindrical outer wall 74b, an annular bottom wall 74a extending radially inward from the lower part of the outer wall 74b, and an inner wall 74c erected upward from the inner circumference of the bottom wall 74a. The inside of the inner wall 74c is a through hole through which the output shaft 72 passes. A cover member 80 is provided on the outer circumference of the output shaft 72, with a size that surrounds the inner wall 74c from the outer circumference.

[0051] A drain port 76 is provided in the bottom wall 74a, and a drain channel 78 is connected to the drain port 76. When cleaning fluid falls into the cleaning fluid receiving container 74, the cleaning fluid is discharged to the outside through the drain port 76 and the drain channel 78. When the spinner table 58 is lowered to the cleaning position, the inner circumferential wall 74c is surrounded by the cover member 80, thereby suppressing the scattering of cleaning fluid towards the motor 70 side through the periphery of the output shaft 72.

[0052] A pipe-shaped shaft portion 60a of the cleaning mechanism 60 protrudes through the bottom wall 74a. The shaft portion 60a is a pipe-shaped member that extends along a direction perpendicular to the holding surface 58a on the outside of the spinner table 58, reaching a position higher than the height of the holding surface 58a, and an arm portion 60b is connected to its upper end. A motor 60d (see Figure 5, etc.) that rotates the shaft portion 60a is connected to the base end of the shaft portion 60a, and the shaft portion 60a is rotated by the motor 60d in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface 58a.

[0053] The arm portion 60b is a pipe-shaped member that extends perpendicular to the extension direction of the shaft portion 60a, with a length corresponding to the distance from the shaft portion 60a to the center of the spinner table 58. A downward-facing cleaning nozzle 60c is provided at the tip of the arm portion 60b. The cleaning mechanism 60 includes a cleaning fluid supply source (not shown) and has the function of spraying cleaning fluid from the cleaning nozzle 60c through the shaft portion 60a and the arm portion 60b toward the object to be cleaned held on the spinner table 58, thereby removing processing debris and other contaminants adhering to the object. The shaft portion 60a and the arm portion 60b function as supply passages for cutting fluid.

[0054] A pipe-shaped drying shaft portion 62a of the drying mechanism 62 protrudes through the bottom wall 74a. The drying shaft portion 62a is a pipe-shaped member that extends along a direction perpendicular to the holding surface 58a on the outside of the spinner table 58, reaching a position higher than the height of the holding surface 58a of the spinner table 58, and a drying arm portion 62b is connected to its upper end. A motor 62d (see Figure 5, etc.) that rotates the drying shaft portion 62a is connected to the base end of the drying shaft portion 62a, and the drying shaft portion 62a is rotated by the motor 62d in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface 58a.

[0055] The drying arm 62b is a pipe-shaped member that extends perpendicular to the extension direction of the drying shaft 62a, with a length corresponding to the distance from the drying shaft 62a to the center of the spinner table 58. A downward-facing drying nozzle 62c is provided at the tip of the drying arm 62b. The drying mechanism 62 is equipped with an air supply source (not shown) and has the function of blowing air from the drying nozzle 62c through the drying shaft 62a and drying arm 62b toward the object to be cleaned held on the spinner table 58, thereby removing the cleaning liquid adhering to the object.

[0056] Multiple holding mechanisms 64 for gripping the ring frame 7 of the frame unit 11 are provided on the outer circumference of the upper part of the spinner table 58. Each holding mechanism 64 includes a support 64a which includes a weight portion 64d and a holding portion 64c, and a rotating shaft 64b which passes through the support 64a.

[0057] The weight portion 64d is located below the rotation axis 64b, and when the spinner table 58 is not rotating, the support 64a rotates due to gravity acting on the weight portion 64d so that the weight portion 64d is lower. The retaining portion 64c is located above the rotation axis 64b and is positioned higher when the support 64a rotates so that the weight portion 64d is lower.

[0058] On the other hand, when the spinner table 58 is rotating, the centrifugal force acting more strongly on the weight portion 64d causes the support 64a to rotate around the rotation axis 64b so that the weight portion 64d moves radially outward. As a result, the pressing portion 64c moves inward and collapses toward the holding surface 58a of the spinner table 58. At this time, if the workpiece 1, which is integrated with the ring frame 7 and adhesive tape 9, is held by suction on the spinner table 58, the pressing portion 64c comes into contact with the upper surface of the ring frame 7, suppressing the lifting of the ring frame 7.

[0059] Next, the cutting blade 48 will be described. The cutting blade 48 has a grinding wheel portion on its outer circumference, in which abrasive grains made of diamond or the like are dispersed and fixed with a bond (binding material) made of resin or metal such as nickel. The grinding wheel portion is formed on the outer circumference of an annular base made of metal, for example. A cutting blade equipped with this annular base is called a hub type. The cutting blade 48 does not necessarily have to have an annular base. A cutting blade without an annular base is called a washer type.

[0060] There are multiple types of cutting blades. For example, there are multiple types of cutting blades with different shapes, sizes, and quantities of abrasive grains contained in the grinding wheel, as well as multiple types of cutting blades with different bond materials, blade thickness, diameter, etc. When cutting a workpiece 1, a cutting blade of a type suitable for the cutting process is selected and mounted on the tip of the spindle, depending on the material, size, and shape of the workpiece 1, and the nature of the cutting process.

[0061] On the surface of the grinding wheel, abrasive grains are appropriately exposed from the bond. When the cutting blade 48 is rotated and cuts into the workpiece 1 held by the chuck table 20, the abrasive grains come into contact with the workpiece 1, and the workpiece 1 is cut. The cutting chips generated from the workpiece 1 during cutting are temporarily contained in the uneven shape of the grinding wheel surface, which functions as a chip pocket, and are efficiently removed by detaching from this uneven shape.

[0062] As the workpiece 1 is cut, the cutting blade 48 gradually wears down, and therefore the cutting blade 48 is replaced periodically. In this case, an unused cutting blade 48 does not have abrasive grains adequately exposed from the bond, and the outer surface of the grinding wheel portion does not have an uneven shape of a size that can function as a chip pocket.

[0063] Furthermore, a slight misalignment occurs between the center of the through-hole in the cutting blade 48 and the center of the spindle to which the cutting blade 48 is mounted. As a result, the distance from the center of the spindle, i.e., the center of rotation, to the outer edge of the grinding wheel portion of the cutting blade 48 is not constant. Due to these circumstances, the workpiece 1 cannot be cut properly, and the cutting blade 48 cannot perform to its full potential.

[0064] Therefore, when an unused cutting blade 48 is mounted on the spindle, a process called dressing or sharpening is performed on the cutting blade 48 before cutting the workpiece 1. Also, when the cutting ability of the cutting blade 48 decreases due to wear from cutting the workpiece 1, dressing is performed to restore the cutting ability. Conventionally, dressing of the cutting blade 48 is performed by cutting a substrate called a dresser board with the cutting blade 48. The dresser board has abrasive grains and a bond that disperses and fixes the abrasive grains.

[0065] When the dresser board is cut by the cutting blade 48 to perform dressing, the bond of the cutting blade 48 is moderately worn down, the abrasive grains are moderately exposed, and an uneven shape of a size that can function as a chip pocket is formed on the outer surface of the grinding wheel. In addition, when the dresser board is cut by the cutting blade 48, the part of the outer surface of the grinding wheel that is further from the center of rotation is removed, and the distance of the outer edge of the grinding wheel from the center of rotation becomes constant.

[0066] The dresser board is supported by a substrate made of a rigid resin plate. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the dressing tool 15 according to this embodiment, and Figure 6 includes a schematic cross-sectional view of the dressing tool 15 according to this embodiment.

[0067] The dressing tool 15 comprises a substrate 17 containing a rigid material such as a thermoplastic resin, and a dressing member (dresser board) 19 disposed on one surface (upper surface 17a) of the substrate 17 and integrated with the substrate 17. The material and thickness of the substrate 17 are determined so as to be able to stably support the dressing member 19.

[0068] This thermoplastic resin is composed of, for example, a polyolefin-based material or a polyester-based material. Examples of polyester-based materials include polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. Examples of polyester-based materials include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate. However, the material of the thermoplastic resin contained in the substrate 17 is not limited to these.

[0069] The dressing member 19 is composed of a bond (binder) made of a resin material or a metal material, and abrasive grains such as GC (green carbonite) or WA (white alundum) dispersed and fixed in the bond. The dressing member 19 is fixed to the substrate 17 by, for example, a method such as thermocompression bonding. Alternatively, the dressing member 19 may be fixed to the substrate 17 with an adhesive. Alternatively, an adhesive layer may be provided on the upper surface of the substrate 17, and the dressing member 19 may be attached to the substrate 17 by the adhesive layer.

[0070] The dressing tool 15 is transported to the chuck table 20 of the cutting device 2 and placed on the holding surface 22. The dressing tool 15 is then used while being held by suction on the chuck table 20 with the lower surface 17b of the substrate 17 in contact with the holding surface 22. If the entire surface of the holding surface 22 of the chuck table 20 is not covered by the substrate 17 at this time, the negative pressure that the chuck table 20 applies to the dressing tool 15 will leak. Therefore, it is preferable that the substrate 17 be sized and shaped to cover the holding surface 22 of the chuck table 20.

[0071] For example, the shape and size of the outer edge of the substrate 17 may match the shape and size of the outer edge of the ring frame 7 of the frame unit 11, which includes the workpiece 1 to be cut by the cutting device 2. In this case, when the dressing tool 15 is held by suction on the chuck table 20, the substrate 17 can be gripped by the clamp 24. However, the size and shape of the substrate 17 are not limited to this, and it is not necessary for the clamp 24 to grip the substrate 17.

[0072] The dressing tool 15 can perform dressing by wearing down the cutting blade 48 as the dressing member 19 is cut by the cutting blade 48 while the dressing member 19 is held in place by suction on the chuck table 20.

[0073] To explain in more detail, in order to dress the cutting blade 48 with the dressing tool 15 held by suction on the chuck table 20, the cutting blade 48 is made to cut the dressing tool 15 in the same way as when the cutting blade 48 cuts the workpiece 1.

[0074] First, the cutting blade 48 to be dressed is rotated, and the height of the cutting unit 26 is adjusted by operating the lifting unit 30b. At this time, the lowest point of the grinding wheel portion of the cutting blade 48 is positioned at a height lower than the upper surface 19a of the dressing member 19. Furthermore, the height of the cutting unit 26 may be adjusted so that the lowest point of the cutting blade 48 is positioned at a height higher than the lower surface 19b of the dressing member 19.

[0075] Next, the machining feed unit is activated to move the chuck table 20 along the machining feed direction (X-axis direction). When the grinding wheel portion of the cutting blade 48 comes into contact with the dressing member 19, the dressing member 19 is cut by the cutting blade 48, and the cutting blade 48 is dressed by the dressing member 19.

[0076] When the dressing member 19 is cut by the cutting blade 48, cutting chips are generated from the dressing member 19 and the grinding wheel portion of the cutting blade 48. After the dressing of the cutting blade 48 using the dressing tool 15 is completed, the dressing tool 15 is removed from the chuck table 20 and stored, for example, in a cassette 12.

[0077] If cutting chips are attached to the dressing tool 15 at this time, the chips will scatter inside and outside the cassette 12, contaminating the inside of the cassette 12 and the cutting device 2. Therefore, before being placed in the cassette 12, the dressing tool 15 is transported to the cleaning unit (spinner unit) 56 and cleaned in the same way as the workpiece 1.

[0078] Here, an annular recess or low-profile section may be formed on the outer circumference of the holding surface 58a of the spinner table 58 for the ring frame 7 to fall into. With the ring frame 7 fallen into this low-profile section, the frame unit 11 including the workpiece 1 is held by attraction to the spinner table 58. The holding mechanism 64 is formed such that the holding portion 64c descends to a position where it contacts the upper surface of the ring frame 7 that has fallen into this recess. In other words, there is a limit to the rotation of the support 64a. Therefore, the ring frame 7 is not subjected to excessive force from the holding portion 64c.

[0079] However, since the substrate 17 that fixes the dressing member 19 does not fall into a low-profile area on the upper surface of the spinner table 58, the substrate 17 floats up on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the spinner table 58. Also, even if there is no low-profile area on the upper surface of the spinner table 58, if the substrate 17 is thicker than the ring frame 7, the upper surface of the substrate 17 placed on the spinner table 58 may be higher than the upper surface of the ring frame 7 placed on the spinner table 58.

[0080] In these cases, when the spinner table 58 on which the dressing tool 15 rests rotates and the pressing portion 64c of the pressing mechanism (pendulum-type clamp) 64 falls onto the resin substrate 17, the pressing portion 64c may not only come into contact with the substrate 17, but may also pierce the substrate 17. In this case, even after cleaning is complete and the spinner table 58 has stopped, the pressing portion 64c may not come off the substrate 17, the rotation of the support 64a of the pressing mechanism 64 may not return to normal, and the dressing tool 15 may not be able to be removed from the spinner table 58.

[0081] Therefore, in the dressing tool 15 according to this embodiment, the substrate 17 has been improved so that the pressing portion 64c of the pressing mechanism (pendulum-type clamp) 64 provided on the spinner table 58 does not pierce it. The dressing tool 15 according to this embodiment will be described below.

[0082] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the dressing tool 15 according to this embodiment. Multiple relief grooves 21 are formed on the outer periphery of the substrate 17 of the dressing tool 15, penetrating the substrate 17 vertically. As shown in Figure 3, the relief grooves 21 reach the outer periphery of the substrate 17. The arrangement of these relief grooves 21 corresponds to the arrangement of multiple pressing mechanisms 64 arranged on the spinner table 58 of the cleaning unit (spinner unit) 56.

[0083] When cleaning the dressing tool 15 with the cleaning unit 56, the positions of the multiple retaining mechanisms 64 on the spinner table 58 are matched with the positions of the multiple relief grooves 21 on the substrate 17, as shown in Figure 4. That is, the orientation of the spinner table 58 and the orientation of the substrate 17 are adjusted.

[0084] For example, if four retaining mechanisms 64 are assembled to the spinner table 58, then four or more relief grooves 21 are formed on the base plate 17 of the dressing tool 15. Then, if the four retaining mechanisms 64 on the spinner table 58 are oriented in the cardinal directions (east, west, north, and south), the orientation of the dressing tool 15 (base plate 17) is adjusted so that relief grooves 21 are arranged in each of the cardinal directions.

[0085] Specifically, the relative orientation of the dressing tool 15 and the spinner table 58 is adjusted so that the relief groove 21 in the substrate 17 of the dressing tool 15 corresponds to the holding mechanism 64. Then, the dressing tool 15 is placed on the spinner table 58, and the dressing tool 15 is held in place by suction with the spinner table 58. At this time, negative pressure will leak if the holding surface 58a is not covered by the substrate 17, so the size and shape of the substrate 17 are set so that it can cover the entire area of ​​the holding surface 58a.

[0086] Then, with the substrate 17 of the dressing tool 15 held in place by the spinner table 58 of the cleaning unit (spinner unit) 56, the spinner table 58 begins to rotate. As a result, centrifugal force causes the weight portion 64d of the holding mechanism 64 to move away from the axis of rotation, and consequently, the support 64a rotates around the axis of rotation 64b. At this time, the holding portion 64c moves toward the holding surface 58a, but since the holding portion 64c enters the relief groove 21 of the substrate 17, it does not come into contact with the substrate 17.

[0087] Conversely, the arrangement and shape of the multiple relief grooves 21 on the substrate 17 are determined so that the corresponding retaining portion 64c can enter, and these grooves are formed on the substrate 17. For example, the length of each relief groove 21 in the circumferential direction of the substrate 17 may be about 17 mm, and the length of each relief groove 21 along the radial direction of the substrate 17 may be about 20 mm. However, the shape of the relief grooves 21 is not limited to this, and can be appropriately selected as long as the shape allows the retaining portion 64c of the retaining mechanism 64 to enter without contacting the substrate 17.

[0088] Furthermore, there are no particular restrictions on the method of forming the relief groove 21 in the substrate 17. For example, the relief groove 21 may be formed in the substrate 17 using a machine tool such as a jigsaw, or it may be formed by a method such as electrical discharge machining. Alternatively, the relief groove 21 may be provided in the substrate 17 from the beginning when the substrate 17 is molded.

[0089] As described above, in the dressing tool 15 according to this embodiment, a plurality of relief grooves 21 are formed in the substrate 17. Therefore, when the dressing tool 15 is held by the spinner table 58, the collapsing pressing portion 64c of the pressing mechanism 64 can enter the relief grooves 21, so that the pressing portion 64c does not come into contact with the substrate 17. In this case, the pressing portion 64c does not pierce the substrate 17, and when the rotation of the spinner table 58 stops, the pressing portion 64c springs up, so there is no problem in detaching the dressing tool 15 from the spinner table 58.

[0090] Next, a fixing method according to this embodiment will be described for fixing a dressing tool 15, which has multiple relief grooves 21 formed on the substrate 17, to the spinner table 58 of the cleaning unit (spinner unit) 56. For example, a dressing tool 15 used for dressing a cutting blade 48 in a cutting device 2 is fixed to the spinner table 58, and then the dressing tool 15 is cleaned. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of each step of the fixing method for the dressing tool according to this embodiment.

[0091] In the method for fixing the dressing tool according to this embodiment, first, the orientation adjustment step S10 is performed. In the orientation adjustment step S10, the relative orientation of the dressing tool 15 and the spinner table 58 is adjusted so that the relief groove 21 of the substrate 17 of the dressing tool 15 and the pressing mechanism 64 of the spinner table 58 correspond to each other, as described above.

[0092] After performing the orientation adjustment step S10, the placement step S20 is performed to place the dressing tool 15 on the spinner table 58. For example, in the placement step S20, the dressing tool 15, whose orientation has been adjusted, is placed on the spinner table 58. At this time, the spinner table 58 of the washing unit (spinner unit) 56 is positioned in an in / out position that can receive the dressing tool 15, as shown in Figure 5. The pressing part 64c of the pressing mechanism 64 is in an open state, and the loading of the dressing tool 15 is not obstructed.

[0093] The placement step S20 may be performed before the orientation adjustment step S10. That is, the orientation may be adjusted after the dressing tool 15 is placed on the spinner table 58 but before the dressing tool 15 is held in place by suction on the spinner table 58.

[0094] Then, after the orientation adjustment step S10 and the mounting step S20, the holding step S30 is performed. In the holding step S30, negative pressure is applied from the holding surface 58a of the spinner table 58 to the substrate 17 of the dressing tool 15, and the dressing tool 15 is held by the spinner table 58 through suction. Figure 6 includes a schematic cross-sectional view showing the dressing tool 15 held by the spinner table 58 through suction.

[0095] Next, a rotation step S40 is performed to rotate the spinner table 58. Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the rotation step S40. The rotation step S40 is performed, for example, as part of the cleaning process of the dressing tool 15 in the cleaning unit 56. Therefore, the rotation step S40 will be explained by describing this cleaning operation.

[0096] During the cleaning operation, the spinner table 58 is moved to a lower cleaning position. Then, the shaft portion 60a of the cleaning mechanism 60 is rotated, causing the cleaning nozzle 60c to reciprocate with the arm portion 60b as the radius, and the cleaning liquid 60e is ejected downward from the cleaning nozzle 60c. In other words, the cleaning liquid 60e is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 60c onto the dressing tool 15, which is the object to be cleaned.

[0097] At this time, the spinner table 58 is rotated at high speed. When the spinner table 58 rotates at high speed, the centrifugal force causes the weight portion 64d of the pressing mechanism 64 to move away from the axis of rotation, and as a result, the support 64a rotates around the axis of rotation 64b. At this time, the pressing portion 64c moves toward the holding surface 58a, but since the pressing portion 64c enters the relief groove 21 of the substrate 17, it does not come into contact with the substrate 17.

[0098] During the cleaning operation, after the cleaning of the dressing tool 15 by spraying the cleaning solution 60e is completed, the cleaning nozzle 60c is moved away from above the dressing tool 15 to allow it to dry. When drying the dressing tool 15, the drying nozzle 62c of the drying mechanism 62 is moved back and forth above the dressing tool 15 in the same manner, and air or other gas is sprayed from the drying nozzle 62c onto the dressing tool 15. This blows away any cleaning solution or other substances adhering to the dressing tool 15.

[0099] After the dressing tool 15 has finished drying, the drying nozzle 62c is moved away from above the dressing tool 15 and the rotation of the spinner table 58 is stopped. In the method of fixing the dressing tool 15 according to this embodiment, the pressing portion 64c of the pressing mechanism 64 does not pierce the substrate 17, so when the rotation of the spinner table 58 is stopped, the pressing portion 64c rises up without any problems.

[0100] Subsequently, the spinner table 58 is raised and moved to the loading / unloading position, releasing the suction holding of the dressing tool 15 by the spinner table 58. Then, the dressing tool 15 is unloaded from the spinner table 58 by the transport unit (not shown) of the cutting device 2.

[0101] Thus, in the method of fixing the dressing tool 15 according to this embodiment, when the support body 64a rotates in the rotation step S40 such that the weight portion 64d of the pressing mechanism 64 moves outward due to centrifugal force, the pressing portion 64c enters the relief groove 21 of the substrate 17. Therefore, the pressing portion 64c does not pierce the substrate 17, and the pressing portion 64c returns without any hindrance when the rotation of the spinner table 58 stops. Therefore, there is no hindrance to the removal of the dressing tool 15.

[0102] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be implemented with various modifications. For example, in the above embodiments, the case in which the spinner unit equipped with a spinner table 58 is a cleaning unit 56 incorporated into the cutting device 2 was described. However, the spinner unit into which the dressing tool 15 is loaded is not limited to a cleaning unit 56 incorporated into the cutting device 2.

[0103] For example, the dressing tool 15 may be used to dress a grinding wheel in a grinding machine that grinds a workpiece with a grinding wheel, and the dressing tool 15 may be transported to the cleaning unit of the grinding machine as a spinner unit. The dressing tool 15 can be used with any spinner table 58 equipped with a holding mechanism 64 by appropriately setting the position and number of relief grooves 21 formed in the substrate 17.

[0104] Furthermore, the structures, methods, etc., relating to the above embodiments and modified examples can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 1 Workpiece 1a surface 1b back side Planned division into 3 lines 5 devices 7 Ring Frame 9 Adhesive tape 11 Frame Unit 13 Dividing groove 15 Dressing Tools 17 circuit boards 17a Top side 17b Bottom side 19 Dressing components 19a Top side 19b Bottom side 21 Escape ditch 2 Cutting equipment 4 base Hexagonal section 8 aperture 10 Cassette Support Stands 12 cassettes 14 Aperture 16 Table Covers 18 Dustproof and splashproof cover 20 Chuck Table 22 Holding surface 24 Clamps 26 Cutting Units 28 Support structure 30a Indexing feed unit 30b Lifting Unit 32 Y-axis guide rails 34 Y-axis movable plate 36 Y-axis ball screw 38 Z-axis guide rail 40 Z-axis moving plate 42 Z-axis ball screw 44 Z-axis pulse motor 46 Imaging Unit 48 cutting blades 50 Spindle Housing 52 Blade Cover 54 Cutting fluid supply nozzle 56 Washing Unit 58 Spinner Table 58a Holding surface 58b Porous material 58c frame 60 Cleaning mechanism 60a Shaft 60b Arm 60°C cleaning nozzle 60d motor 60e Cleaning Solution 62 Drying mechanism 62a Drying shaft 62b Dry arm 62c Drying Nozzle 62d motor 64. Retaining Mechanism 64a Support 64b Rotation axis 64c Retaining part 64d Weight 66 Support legs 68 Air Cylinder 70 Motor 72 Output shaft 74 Washing water receiving container 74a bottom wall 74b Peripheral wall 74c Inner wall 76 Drain 78 Drainage Channel 80 Cover component

Claims

[Claim 1] A spinner table that suction-holds and rotates a dressing tool having a rigid plate and a dressing member disposed on one side of the rigid plate, wherein a plurality of relief grooves are formed on the outer circumference of the rigid plate, The spinner table is disposed on its outer circumference and comprises a support body including a weight portion and a pressing portion, and a rotating shaft passed through the support body, wherein the centrifugal force during rotation of the spinner table causes the weight portion to move outward, which in turn causes the support body to rotate and the pressing portion to move inward, and a plurality of pressing mechanisms are provided. A method for fixing the dressing tool to the spinner table of a spinner unit comprising the following: An orientation adjustment step for adjusting the relative orientation of the dressing tool and the spinner table so that the relief groove of the hard plate of the dressing tool and the retaining mechanism correspond to each other, A placement step of placing the dressing tool on the spinner table, After the orientation adjustment step and the placement step, a holding step is performed to hold the dressing tool by suction on the spinner table, The system comprises a rotation step for rotating the spinner table, A method for fixing a dressing tool, characterized in that, in the rotation step, when the support rotates so that the weight portion moves outward due to centrifugal force, the pressing portion enters the relief groove of the hard plate.

Images