A robotic sharpening system and method for rapidly and accurately sharpening or resharpening cutting tools is provided. The inventive system employs a robotic arm that grasps each cutting tool by its cutting blade instead of by its handle, thereby reducing flex during the sharpening process. This results in a more accurate and consistent sharpening by consistently providing an even bevel at the knife edge regardless of minor imperfections (i.e., a bend or warp) in the blade surface. In addition, it renders the system uninfluenced by the size or shape of the handle of the cutting tool.

A robotic sharpening system and method for rapidly and accurately sharpening or resharpening cutting tools is provided. The inventive system employs a robotic arm that grasps each cutting tool by its cutting blade instead of by its handle, thereby reducing flex during the sharpening process. This results in a more accurate and consistent sharpening by consistently providing an even bevel at the knife edge regardless of minor imperfections (i.e., a bend or warp) in the blade surface. In addition, it renders the system uninfluenced by the size or shape of the handle of the cutting tool.

Method and apparatus for sharpening a cutting tool. In some embodiments, an abrasive endless belt is rotated in tension along a neutral plane between spaced apart first and second rollers. A guide assembly has spaced apart first and second guide surfaces which collectively converge to an intervening base surface to form a guide channel. Upon insertion of a blade of a cutting tool into the guide channel, a selected side of the blade contactingly slides against at least a selected one of the first or second guide surfaces and a first portion of a cutting edge of the blade contactingly engages the base surface to serve as a plunge depth limit stop for the blade. The endless belt is contactingly deflected by a second portion of the cutting edge away from the neutral plane to sharpen the second portion while the first portion remains in contact with the base surface.

Method and apparatus for sharpening a cutting tool. In some embodiments, an abrasive endless belt is rotated in tension along a neutral plane between spaced apart first and second rollers. A guide assembly has spaced apart first and second guide surfaces which collectively converge to an intervening base surface to form a guide channel. Upon insertion of a blade of a cutting tool into the guide channel, a selected side of the blade contactingly slides against at least a selected one of the first or second guide surfaces and a first portion of a cutting edge of the blade contactingly engages the base surface to serve as a plunge depth limit stop for the blade. The endless belt is contactingly deflected by a second portion of the cutting edge away from the neutral plane to sharpen the second portion while the first portion remains in contact with the base surface.

A metal shearing tool demonstrating improved fatigue life having a body; an edge of the body having a first surface and a second surface; a cutting surface disposed between the first surface and the second surface. The edge has a substantial absence of finish marks substantially parallel with the cutting surface on all surfaces of the edge, and at least one of a curved profile surface and a radiused cutting surface.

A blade sharpening system may include a sharpening tool for sharpening a workpiece. The system may also include a sharpening fixture having a mounting surface for mounting a workpiece to be sharpened by the sharpening tool. The mounting surface may be disposed on a sled that is movable along a sharpening path that passes under a sharpening implement that may be mounted to a movable arm of the sharpening tool when the arm is in an engaged position. The movement of the sled may be coupled to the movement of the arm such that moving the arm from a disengaged position to the engaged position initiates the sled to move in a first direction along the sharpening path and moving the arm from the engaged position to the disengaged position initiates the sled to move along the sharpening path in a second direction.

A blade sharpening system may include a sharpening tool for sharpening a workpiece. The system may also include a sharpening fixture having a mounting surface for mounting a workpiece to be sharpened by the sharpening tool. The mounting surface may be disposed on a sled that is movable along a sharpening path that passes under a sharpening implement that may be mounted to a movable arm of the sharpening tool when the arm is in an engaged position. The movement of the sled may be coupled to the movement of the arm such that moving the arm from a disengaged position to the engaged position initiates the sled to move in a first direction along the sharpening path and moving the arm from the engaged position to the disengaged position initiates the sled to move along the sharpening path in a second direction.

A dressing board for sharpening and/or shaping blades for manufacture of semiconductor devices can include a working surface configured to sharpen and/or shape a cutting surface of a dicing or edging blade for manufacture of a semiconductor device. The working surface can be configured to contact the cutting surface of the blade when sharpening or shaping the cutting surface. The dressing board can include a support substrate configured to support the working surface with respect to a floor of an enclosure in which the dressing board is positioned. In some embodiments, the working surface includes a first portion that is not parallel to the floor.

A dressing board for sharpening and/or shaping blades for manufacture of semiconductor devices can include a working surface configured to sharpen and/or shape a cutting surface of a dicing or edging blade for manufacture of a semiconductor device. The working surface can be configured to contact the cutting surface of the blade when sharpening or shaping the cutting surface. The dressing board can include a support substrate configured to support the working surface with respect to a floor of an enclosure in which the dressing board is positioned. In some embodiments, the working surface includes a first portion that is not parallel to the floor.

Dynamic regulation of contact pressures in a blade sharpening system is provided. An example multiphase grinding wheel has a grinding face with one or more abrasive concentric rings for sharpening the cutting blade of the log saw machine, and one or more padded concentric rings consisting of fiber padding. Sharpening with the multiphase grinding wheel improves cut quality, increases blade life, removes glues and varnishes from the cutting blade, reduces blade deformation, and hones the edge of the cutting blade. A pneumatic tensioning system uses air bladders to apply dynamic cushioning and processor-controlled contact pressure between the grinding wheels and the cutting blade during sharpening. The fiber-padded grinding wheels and the air bladder tensioner provide improved sharpness of the cutting blade and longer life for the mechanical components.