A polishing system including a platen to support a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate against the polishing pad, a source of dry ice particles, and a pad conditioner. The pad conditioner includes a compressor to generate a compressed gas stream, a mixer coupled to the source and the compressor to mix the dry ice particles with the compressed gas stream to form a stream of compressed gas with entrained dry ice particles, and a nozzle coupled to the mixer to direct the stream of compressed gas with entrained dry ice particles onto a polishing surface of the polishing pad at sufficient velocity to condition the polishing pad.

A method dresses one polishing cloth or two polishing pads simultaneously, in which a polishing cloth has been applied to a polishing plate, with at least one dresser (4), which is equipped with at least one dressing element (8), this at least one dressing element (8) being in contact with the at least one polishing cloth (11, 12) to be dressed, wherein the at least one polishing plate (21, 22) is rotated with a relative rotational speed and the at least one dresser (4) is rotated with a relative rotational speed and at least two different combinations of directions of rotation of the two pairs of polishing plates (21, 22) and pin wheels (31, 32) are executed during the simultaneous dressing of two polishing pads (11, 12) or during the dressing of one polishing cloth (11) of the polishing plate (21) and of the at least one dresser (4).

A dressing board having, on a surface, a two-dimensional code including information relating to properties of the dressing board and a barcode including identification information associated with the information relating to the properties is provided. Furthermore, there is provided a cutting apparatus including a determining part that determines whether or not the properties of the dressing board read out from an information registration part based on the identification information match the kind of dressing board suitable for dressing of a cutting blade.

A method for producing a decorative surface is disclosed, wherein a manipulation medium applied to the surface is remove in a mechanical and/or contactless manner therefrom. Further, a device for performing the method is disclosed.

A method for manufacturing a structure on a surface of a workpiece (1) is disclosed, the method having the following steps: applying a liquid base layer (2) onto the surface of the workpiece (1); spraying on at least one droplet (3) into the not yet congealed base layer (2), wherein the at least one droplet (3) at least partially, preferably completely, penetrates into the base layer (2); fixing the base layer (2); and at least partially removing the at least one droplet (3).

Further, a second method having the following steps is disclosed: spraying on at least one droplet (3) onto the surface of the workpiece (1); applying a liquid base layer (2) onto the surface of the workpiece (1), wherein the base layer (2) flows around the at least one droplet (3) and preferably at least partially covers the at least one droplet (3); fixing the base layer (2); at least partially removing the at least one droplet (3).

Finally, a device for performing the methods is disclosed.

A method for processing a surface (2) of a workpiece (1) is disclosed. Besides, a device for performing the method is disclosed.

An apparatus, system, and a method for sharpening a cutting tool. The system sharpens cutting tools by manipulating the tool, measuring the three dimensional profile of the tool, and then grinding the tool. The apparatus consists of a robot capable of six degrees of motion, a gripping mechanism, a force-torque sensor capable of at least two directions of force and/or torque, a three dimensional scanning subsystem, a loading subsystem, a user interface, an initial orientation scan subsystem, a data processing and robot control subsystem, and at least one grinding system comprising two counter-rotating grinding wheels. The method automates the grinding process so that dull cutting tools can be placed into the loading system, sharpened by the system, and then ejected fully honed.

A dressing board having, on a surface, a two-dimensional code including information relating to properties of the dressing board and a barcode including identification information associated with the information relating to the properties is provided. Furthermore, there is provided a cutting apparatus including a determining part that determines whether or not the properties of the dressing board read out from an information registration part based on the identification information match the kind of dressing board suitable for dressing of a cutting blade.

A space-saving centerless grinding machine having high operability is obtained by devising the configuration of component units around the basic configuration of the machine. A dressing means for performing a dressing process for a grinding wheel and a regulating wheel comprises a single dressing unit. The dressing unit is located at a lower position between the grinding wheel and the regulating wheel, and thus eliminates the need for right and left dresser spaces for grinding wheels that have most seriously affected the breadthwise dimension of a conventional centerless grinding machine, leading to space saving and a considerable reduction in the breadthwise dimension of the centerless grinding machine.

An apparatus, system, and a method for sharpening a cutting tool. The system sharpens cutting tools by manipulating the tool, measuring the three dimensional profile of the tool, and then grinding the tool. The apparatus consists of a robot capable of six degrees of motion, a gripping mechanism, a force-torque sensor capable of at least two directions of force and/or torque, a three dimensional scanning subsystem, a loading subsystem, a user interface, an initial orientation scan subsystem, a data processing and robot control subsystem, and at least one grinding system comprising two counter-rotating grinding wheels. The method automates the grinding process so that dull cutting tools can be placed into the loading system, sharpened by the system, and then ejected fully honed.