Tool bodies, tools and machines for operating the tool include electronic circuits for providing data, collecting data, analyzing data and for controlling machines based on such data. Tool bodies and tools may include electronic circuits having data collecting sensors, which may be embedded in a housing with the electronic circuit and/or positioned outside of such a housing. Sensors include temperature sensors, motion sensors, strain sensors, moisture sensors, electrical resistance sensors, position sensors, antennas, and other components.

In a method of monitoring a vibratory grinding process, parameters from different parameter groups are detected and evaluated to output a command for operating the vibratory grinding system.

In a method of monitoring a vibratory grinding process, parameters from different parameter groups are detected and evaluated to output a command for operating the vibratory grinding system.

A method for abrading a surface of a workpiece by means of an abrasion machine, including the following steps: (a) acquiring, with at least one sensor, on at least one portion of the surface of the workpiece, data in relation to at least one characteristic of the workpiece in at least two basic zones defined on the surface, processing, for each basic zone, the data in relation to the at least one characteristic in order to assign, to each basic zone and/or at least one group of basic zones, a value for this characteristic, determining and/or adjusting at least one abrasion parameter for the abrasion machine and/or an abrasion trajectory in accordance with the values attributed for the basic zones or group of basic zones, abrading at least a portion of the surface with the abrasion machine with the at least one abrasion parameter and the abrasion trajectory.

A method for abrading a surface of a workpiece by means of an abrasion machine, including the following steps: (a) acquiring, with at least one sensor, on at least one portion of the surface of the workpiece, data in relation to at least one characteristic of the workpiece in at least two basic zones defined on the surface, processing, for each basic zone, the data in relation to the at least one characteristic in order to assign, to each basic zone and/or at least one group of basic zones, a value for this characteristic, determining and/or adjusting at least one abrasion parameter for the abrasion machine and/or an abrasion trajectory in accordance with the values attributed for the basic zones or group of basic zones, abrading at least a portion of the surface with the abrasion machine with the at least one abrasion parameter and the abrasion trajectory.

After a workpiece unit has been delivered from a cassette and before the workpiece unit is delivered to a chuck table, a value of the thickness of the workpiece unit is recognized on the basis of a result of a measurement performed by a measuring unit. The value of the thickness of the workpiece unit is represented by the sum of values of respective thicknesses of a workpiece and a tape affixed thereto. On the basis of the result of the measurement performed by the measuring unit, it is possible to decide whether or not the tape affixed to the workpiece has a desired thickness, i.e., whether the tape is of a desired type or not. As a result, a workpiece with an inadequate tape affixed thereto is prevented from being ground.

After a workpiece unit has been delivered from a cassette and before the workpiece unit is delivered to a chuck table, a value of the thickness of the workpiece unit is recognized on the basis of a result of a measurement performed by a measuring unit. The value of the thickness of the workpiece unit is represented by the sum of values of respective thicknesses of a workpiece and a tape affixed thereto. On the basis of the result of the measurement performed by the measuring unit, it is possible to decide whether or not the tape affixed to the workpiece has a desired thickness, i.e., whether the tape is of a desired type or not. As a result, a workpiece with an inadequate tape affixed thereto is prevented from being ground.

The invention relates to a method for operating a machine, in particular a grinding machine, comprising the steps of: detecting a workpiece to be machined and setting various setting values of the machine, performing machining of the workpiece, detecting a first actual value and a second actual value during or after performance of the machining, wherein the first actual value is assigned a higher prioritization than the second actual value, comparing the first actual value with a first set value range and the second actual value with a second set value range, and changing the setting values of the machine such that the actual values meet the assigned target value range according to the prioritization.

Provided is an automatic grinding apparatus, comprising a grinding wheel, a support, a feeding device, a control device, a first detector, a second detector, a third detector, and a fourth detector, wherein the control device is further configured to, before processing using the grinding wheel is started, calculate a range in which the grinding wheel and the support are relatively moved on the basis of information on positions of a surface of a workpiece and an outer peripheral end portion and an end surface of the grinding wheel detected by the first detector, the second detector, the third detector, and the fourth detector, to move the grinding wheel or the support by controlling the feeding device, and to automatically start the processing using the grinding wheel.

In a method of manufacture, a displacement sensor is provided over a conditioner disk. The conditioner disk is rotated to perform a conditioning process on a polishing surface of a polishing pad. A displacement of the rotating conditioner disk is detected using the displacement sensor during the conditioning process. A height of the conditioner disk is calculated from the detected displacement. An end point of the conditioning process is determined on the polishing surface based on the calculated height.