A clamping device (1) for holding a workpiece (10), in particular a cutting tool, during machining in a grinding machine, wherein peripheral grinding of the workpiece (10) is performed by means of a particularly approximately cup-shaped grinding wheel, wherein the clamping device (1) comprises a support unit (40) provided to be mounted on the grinding machine, a clamping unit (20) comprising a clamping anvil (12) supported in a clamping anvil holding element (22) and translationally drivable to apply a clamping force parallel to a clamping axis (16), and a drive unit (30) comprising a drive anvil (14) supported in a drive axis (18) and rotationally drivable for rotary orientating the workpiece (10) by means of the drive axis (18). The clamping unit (20) and the drive unit (30) are provided as individual components, which are releasably or slidably attached to the support unit (40) to form a workpiece spindle headstock of the grinding machine.

A probe sanding fixture includes a base, a probe adapter including a probe guide defining one or more channels defined therein, and a sander tool including a sanding wheel and a gauge pin configured to process one or more probes positioned in the channels. The probe adapter is coupleable to the base such that the channels are extendable generally along a first axis. The sander tool is coupled to the base such that the sander tools is translatable along a second axis and rotatable about the first axis.

A polishing method capable of accurately measuring a film thickness of a substrate, such as a wafer, by enhancing light intensity of a flash-light source, such as a xenon flash lamp is disclosed. The polishing method includes: while an optical sensor head is moving across a substrate, causing a flash-light source to emit light plural times in a first exposure time of a light detector to direct the light to the substrate via the optical sensor head, capturing reflected light from the substrate by the light detector via the optical sensor head, further causing the flash-light source to emit light plural times in a second exposure time of the light detector to direct the light to the substrate via the optical sensor head, and capturing reflected light from the substrate by the light detector via the optical sensor head; generating a spectrum of the reflected light; and detecting a surface state of the substrate from the spectrum.

An apparatus for checking the diameter of crankpins (15) of a crankshaft in orbital motion about a geometrical axis in a numerical control machine tool includes a V-shaped reference device (10), a measuring device (6) and a support device (4) fixed to the tool holding slide (2) that movably supports the reference device and the measuring device. A control device (50) for controlling automatic displacements of the apparatus towards and away from a checking condition, includes a programmable electric motor (60) and a transmission mechanism (62). The programmable electric motor is programmed to define a start position in which the automatic displacement of the apparatus away from the checking condition can be stopped, for instance a rest position or an intermediate position between the rest position and the checking condition. The programmable electric motor is also programmed to define a displacement speed and a checking method includes steps for controlling the automatic displacements towards the checking condition.

A polishing apparatus includes a rotatable head body having a pressing surface, a retainer ring configured to press a polishing surface while rotating together with the head body, a stationary ring, local load applying devices configured to apply a local load to the stationary ring, and a controller. The local load applying devices include a first pressing member and a second pressing member connected to the stationary ring. The first pressing member is disposed in the upstream side of the retainer ring in the traveling direction of the polishing surface, and the second pressing member is disposed in the downstream side. The controller calculates the inclination angle of the stationary ring based on a measured value of the height of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a support configured to hold a substrate face-up, a polishing article having a polishing surface smaller than an exposed surface of the substrate, a port for dispensing a polishing liquid, one or more actuators to bring the polishing surface into contact with a first portion of the exposed surface of the substrate and to generate relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad and optically transmissive polymer window, an in-situ optical monitoring system, and a controller configured to receive a signal from the optical in-situ monitoring system and to modifying a polishing parameter based on the signal. The optical monitoring system includes a light source and a detector, the in-situ optical monitoring system configured to direct a light beam from above the support to impinge a non-overlapping second portion of the exposed surface of the substrate.

To provide a technique that allows accurately measuring a polishing state of a substrate.

A polishing apparatus 100 includes: a sensor head 40 that includes a projector configured to project incident light, a condenser configured to condense the incident light projected from the projector and cause the incident light to be incident on a substrate Wf, and an optical receiver configured to receive reflected light reflected by the substrate; a displacement mechanism 60 configured to relatively displace the condenser with respect to the substrate to change a distance between the condenser and the substrate; an abrade amount measurement device 70 configured to measure an abrade amount of a polishing pad 90; and a control device 80. The control device is configured to measure a polishing state of the substrate based on a light amount parameter of the reflected light received by the optical receiver and control the displacement mechanism based on the abrade amount of the polishing pad measured by the abrade amount measurement device such that the distance between the condenser and the substrate is maintained at a preliminarily set reference distance.

Provided is a feeler for workpieces being machined, including a rocking arm configured to feel the workpiece, a first sensor configured to measure the position of the rocking arm and at least one additional sensor operatively connected to the rocking arm and configured to detect external perturbations acting on the feeler.

A method of machining a workpiece using a machine tool, the machine tool comprising a tool mount carrying a tool, a workpiece mount carrying a workpiece, a drive mechanism for moving at least one of the tool mount and the workpiece mount relative to the other, and a control arrangement for controlling the drive mechanism. The method comprises moving at least one of the tool mount and the workpiece mount with the drive mechanism under the control of the control arrangement so that the tool contacts a portion of the workpiece to commence a machining operation, and the tool then removes material from the portion of the workpiece until completion of the machining operation, the movement being such that the relative velocity between the tool and the workpiece decreases continuously during the majority of the time that the tool and the workpiece are in contact with each other during the machining operation.

A surface property measuring system capable of accurately measuring a surface property of a polishing pad without damaging the polishing pad and without reducing throughput of the entire polishing process is disclosed. The surface property measuring system includes: an optical measuring device configured to direct light to a polishing surface of a polishing pad when the polishing pad is rotating, and measure a surface property of the polishing pad based on reflected light from the polishing surface; a cover member disposed between the optical measuring device and the polishing pad; and a transparent-liquid supply line coupled to an inlet port provided in the cover member and configured to supply a transparent liquid onto the polishing pad through the inlet port. The cover member has a light transmissive portion on an optical path of the light and the reflected light.