A grinding device is operated by grinding of a surface of the workpiece with at least one grinding medium while recording actual data of the surface after grinding with at least one data collection device. Actual data recorded during grinding is then compared with target data stored in an electronic memory in an electronic data processing device. Based on the comparison, adjustments are made to at least one grinding parameter if a deviation of the actual data from the target data exceeds a predetermined limit.

A method for raising a polishing pad for polishing a silicon wafer, wherein a polishing pad made of foamed urethane resin is attached to a polishing machine, after dressing is performed, dummy polishing is performed, after processing to remove the polishing residues that have built up in the polishing pad by the dummy polishing is then performed, an amount of polishing residues in the polishing pad is measured, and a rise of the polishing pad subjected to the dummy polishing is judged based on the measured amount of polishing residues. As a result, a method for raising a polishing pad can improve the particle level in the polishing pad life early stage.

A chemical mechanical polishing method is provided, including polishing a batch of wafers in sequence on a polishing surface of a polishing pad; conditioning the polishing surface with a pad conditioner, wherein the pad conditioner is operable to apply downward force according to a predetermined downward force stored in a controller to condition the polishing surface; measuring the downward force applied by the pad conditioner with a measurement tool when the pad conditioner is at a home position and after conditioning the polishing surface; comparing the downward force measured by the measurement tool and the predetermined downward force with the controller to determine whether a difference between the downward force measured by the measurement tool and the predetermined downward force exceeds a range of acceptable values; and calibrating the downward force applied by the pad conditioner with the controller when the difference exceeds the range of acceptable values.

A chemical mechanical polishing method is provided, including polishing a batch of wafers in sequence on a polishing surface of a polishing pad; conditioning the polishing surface with a pad conditioner, wherein the pad conditioner is operable to apply downward force according to a predetermined downward force stored in a controller to condition the polishing surface; measuring the downward force applied by the pad conditioner with a measurement tool when the pad conditioner is at a home position and after conditioning the polishing surface; comparing the downward force measured by the measurement tool and the predetermined downward force with the controller to determine whether a difference between the downward force measured by the measurement tool and the predetermined downward force exceeds a range of acceptable values; and calibrating the downward force applied by the pad conditioner with the controller when the difference exceeds the range of acceptable values.

A method determines state information relating to a belt grinder. The belt grinder has at least one abrasive belt for grinding a workpiece. The method includes providing measurement data relating to the belt grinder, and determining the state information from the measurement data using a machine learning system. The machine learning system is configured to determine the state information based on the provided measurement data.

Disclosed is a method for measuring a remaining amount of the abrasive for an edger. The edger includes a cover and an abrase wheel installed inside the cover, a bottom surface of the cover is parallel to a rotating shaft of the abrase wheel, abrasives are outside an outer wheel of the abrase wheel, in which a distance sensor is installed on an inner wall of the bottom surface of the cover, and the method for measuring the remaining amount of the abrasive for the edger includes: acquiring distance data detected by the distance sensor; acquiring the remaining amount of the abrasive according to the distance data.

A polishing apparatus has a polishing pad, a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer, and a vertical movement mechanism operable to move the top ring in a vertical direction. The polishing apparatus also has a distance measuring sensor operable to detect a position of the top ring when a lower surface of the top ring is brought into contact with the polishing pad, and a controller operable to calculate an optimal position of the top ring to polish the semiconductor wafer based on the position detected by the distance measuring sensor. The vertical movement mechanism includes a ball screw mechanism operable to move the top ring to the optimal position.

A method of monitoring dressing of a polishing pad is provided. The method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports the polishing pad; dressing the polishing pad by pressing a dresser against the polishing pad while causing the dresser to oscillate in a radial direction of the polishing pad; calculating a work coefficient representing a ratio of a frictional force between the dresser and the polishing pad to a force of pressing the dresser against the polishing pad; and monitoring dressing of the polishing pad based on the work coefficient.

A method of monitoring dressing of a polishing pad is provided. The method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports the polishing pad; dressing the polishing pad by pressing a dresser against the polishing pad while causing the dresser to oscillate in a radial direction of the polishing pad; calculating a work coefficient representing a ratio of a frictional force between the dresser and the polishing pad to a force of pressing the dresser against the polishing pad; and monitoring dressing of the polishing pad based on the work coefficient.

Method for compensating temperature-induced deviations in a grinding machine includes controlling the movements of the dressing tool relative to the grinding tool in order to relatively move the dressing tool towards the grinding tool; checking whether a first-cut detection signalizes a contact of the grinding tool and the dressing tool; repeating the controlling and checking steps until a contact between the grinding tool and the dressing tool is detected, and when the contact is detected, then (i) recording the Current Position, and (ii) carrying out a compensation calculation using the Current Position and a reference position.