A rotatable grinding tool (1) comprising a disc-like body (2) defining an intended direction of rotation (D), in which the grinding tool (1) is rotatable about a central axis (A) of the disc-like body (2), and a front side (3) intended to face a surface to be grinded, and a back side (4) opposite to the front side. The grinding tool (1) further comprises, on the front side (3) of the body (2), a plurality of teeth (5) each extending radially along said front side (3), wherein said teeth (5) being arranged spaced apart from each other. Particularly, the teeth (5) are formed integral with the body (2).

A method includes: providing a mold having a plurality of mold cavities, wherein each mold cavity is bounded by a plurality of faces joined along common edges; filling at least some of the mold cavities with a sol-gel composition that includes a release agent dispersed therein; at least partially drying the sol-gel composition thereby forming shaped ceramic precursor particles; calcining at least a portion of the shaped ceramic precursor particles to provide calcined shaped ceramic precursor particles; and sintering at least a portion of the calcined shaped ceramic precursor particles to provide ceramic shaped abrasive particles. A sol-gel composition, shaped ceramic precursor particles, and ceramic shaped abrasive particles associated with practice of the method are also disclosed.

A method of additive manufacturing includes dispensing successive layers of feed material to form a polishing pad, and directing first and second radiation beams toward the layers of feed material to form a polishing pad. Dispensing each successive layer of the layers of feed material includes dispensing a drop of feed material, and directing the first and second radiation beams toward the layers of feed material includes, for each successive layer, directing the first radiation beam toward the drop of feed material to cure an exterior surface of the drop of feed material, and directing the second radiation beam toward the drop of feed material to cure an interior volume of the drop of feed material.

An additive manufacturing apparatus for forming a polishing pad for chemical mechanical polishing includes a platform, an actuator system coupled to the platform to adjust a tilt of the platform, one or more printheads supported above the platform, the one or more printheads configured to dispense successive layers of feed material on the platform to be form the polishing pad, a sensing system to detect a height of a surface on or above the platform at each of a plurality of horizontally spaced points, and a controller configured to selectively operate the actuator system to adjust the tilt of the platform based on the detected height of the platform at each of the points such that the surface is moved closer to horizontal.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a plurality of printheads supported above the platform and configured to dispense successive layers of feed material on a top surface of the platform, the layers of feed material to be formed into a polishing pad, an optical sensor to monitor a dispensing operation of a first printhead of the plurality of printheads, and a controller configured to detect an error condition associated with the first printhead based on monitoring the dispensing operation of the first printhead while operating the printheads to successively dispense the layers of feed material, and adjust a dispensing operation of a second printhead of the plurality of printheads in response to detecting the error condition.

A mounting adapter for mounting a surface processing tool having a rotational or longitudinal axis to at least one spider arm of a rotatable spider assembly of a surface processing apparatus, the spider arm having a leading side and a trailing side as a function of the direction of rotation of the spider assembly. The mounting adapter has a first element for removably attaching the adapter to the spider arm and a second element positioned circumferentially offset behind the first element for positioning the rotational or longitudinal axis of a surface processing tool circumferentially offset behind the trailing side of the spider arm. In one embodiment, the first element is an elongate handle and the second element is a planar plate which extends generally perpendicularly from the handle between one end of the handle and a point intermediate the ends of the handle.

An earth-boring tool having at least one cutting element with a multi-friction cutting face provides for the steering of formation cuttings as the cuttings slide across the cutting face. The multi-friction cutting element includes a diamond table bonded to a substrate of superabrasive material. The diamond table has a cutting face formed thereon with a cutting edge extending along a periphery of the cutting face. The cutting face has a first area having an average surface finish roughness less than an average surface finish roughness of a second area of the cutting face, the two areas separated by a boundary having a proximal end proximate a tool crown and a distal end remote from the tool crown.

In an embodiment, a protective leaching cup may include a base portion, at least one sidewall defining an opening general opposite the base portion, and a receiving space in communication with the opening and at least partially defined by the base portion and the sidewall. The receiving space is sized and configured to receive at least a portion of the superabrasive element. A seal contact portion is located on an inner surface of the sidewall. The seal contact portion is configured to form a seal against the superabrasive element that is at least partially impermeable to fluid(s). At least one of the seal contact portion or the sidewall includes material(s) exhibiting a flexural modulus greater than about 150,000 psi at room temperature.

A method of fabricating a polishing layer of a polishing pad includes successively depositing a plurality of layers with a 3D printer, each layer of the plurality of polishing layers deposited by ejecting a pad material precursor from a nozzle and solidifying the pad material precursor to form a solidified pad material.

Disclosed are grinding wheels, back-grinding apparatuses, and abrasive article manufacturing methods. The grinding wheel comprises a wheel body having a disk shape and an abrasive article combined with one surface of the wheel body. The abrasive article includes an abrasive body and a plurality of grinding particles in the abrasive body. The abrasive body provides a groove hole that is recessed in a first direction as a horizontal direction on a lateral surface of the abrasive body. A length in the first direction of the groove hole is less than a width in the first direction of the abrasive body.