A vacuum gripper for semiconductor workpieces is produced from at least one base material by means of an additive manufacturing method such as 3D printing. The method may also include printing various other feature of the vacuum gripper such as reinforcing structures and or seals. The gripper may include a plurality of suction openings and corresponding channels for providing a negative pressure when cooperating with a vacuum.

A chuck includes a chuck surface, a plurality of vacuum ports being distributed over the chuck surface. Each of the vacuum ports is open to a conduit that is connectable to a suction source that is operable to apply suction to that vacuum port. A flow restrictor is located within each conduit and is characterized by a flow resistance. The flow resistance of the flow restrictor in at least one conduit is less than the flow resistance of the flow restrictor in at least one other conduit.

A method for finishing a glass or ceramic article includes applying a force to the glass or ceramic article. The force is applied to the glass or ceramic article at least when the glass or ceramic article is at a temperature that is greater than or equal to a creep temperature of the glass or ceramic article. Holding the force to the glass or ceramic article as the glass or ceramic article is cooled to a temperature that is less than the creep temperature of the glass or ceramic article.

The invention relates to an expansion clamping device having a main body (2) and an expansion sleeve (5) which is inserted into the main body (2) or surrounds the body, forming a pressure chamber (8), the pressure chamber (8) being capable of being acted upon by a hydraulic medium with resilient deformation of the expansion sleeve (5). The expansion sleeve (5) is integrally fixed to the main body (2) at the front axial end region (16) and/or at the rear axial end region (17) of the pressure chamber (8) via a friction-welded connection (14).

A planarization apparatus comprising a superstrate chuck is provided. The superstrate includes a plurality of inner lands protruding from a surface of the superstrate chuck and a peripheral land protruding from the surface of the superstrate chuck along a periphery of the superstrate chuck and encircling the inner lands therein. The peripheral land has a height smaller than a height of each of the inner lands. The peripheral land has a width sufficiently larger than a width of each of the inner lands such that a pressure leakage through the peripheral land is controlled to be less than a threshold.

An adapter sleeve is described for inserting into an expansion chuck of a cutting device with a substantially cylindrical body that defines a longitudinal axis (L) of the adapter sleeve and a seat area for a cutting tool. The body comprises an axial front end and an axial rear end opposite the front end by means of which the adapter sleeve can be inserted into the expansion chuck of the cutting device. An outlet element is provided at the axial front end through which a coolant can be discharged toward the cutting tool. At least one cooling line extends along the body up to the outlet element and comprises a body line section and an outlet element section. At least one channel-like outlet nozzle is formed in the outlet element and is in fluidic connection with the at least one cooling line. The flow cross-section of the cooling line decreases or remains the same toward the axial front end. In addition, a cutting device is described.

A drive system for driving a chuck device including a piston and a pair of fingers to be opened and closed according to the displacement of the piston, includes a controller, a detection sensor to detect an axial position of the piston, and three-port servo valves to switch a state of supply of the fluid to the chuck device. A degree of valve opening is controllable based on a control signal input from the controller, and an amount of displacement of the piston and an amount of opening and closing of the fingers are controlled by changing the degree of valve opening. One of the 3-port servo valves is connected to a first cylinder chamber of the chuck device, and another of the 3-port servo valves is connected to a second cylinder chamber of the chuck device.

A chuck includes a chuck surface, a plurality of vacuum ports being distributed over the chuck surface. Each of the vacuum ports is open to a conduit that is connectable to a suction source that is operable to apply suction to that vacuum port. A flow restrictor is located within each conduit and is characterized by a flow resistance. The flow resistance of the flow restrictor in at least one conduit is less than the flow resistance of the flow restrictor in at least one other conduit.

An expander unit of a cryogenic refrigerator device includes a moving assembly with a porous regenerative heat exchanger configured to move back and forth along a longitudinal axis. A magnetic spring assembly includes a stationary magnetic assembly fixed to the cold finger base that includes one or more magnetic rings fixedly arranged about a bore. A movable magnetic assembly includes one or more movable magnetic rings fixed to the moving assembly. An outer lateral dimension of each of the movable magnetic rings is less than an inner lateral dimension of the bore. The stationary magnetic assembly and the movable magnetic assembly are configured such that, when the moving assembly is displaced along the longitudinal axis from an equilibrium position, attractive and repulsive forces between the movable magnetic assembly and the stationary magnetic assembly yield a restoring force that is directed to restore the moving assembly to the equilibrium position.

A chuck includes a chuck surface, a plurality of vacuum ports being distributed over the chuck surface. Each of the vacuum ports is open to a conduit that is connectable to a suction source that is operable to apply suction to that vacuum port. A flow restrictor is located within each conduit and is characterized by a flow resistance. The flow resistance of the flow restrictor in at least one conduit is less than the flow resistance of the flow restrictor in at least one other conduit.