Importance

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Abstract

A grinding machine for grinding a wafer includes a pressure sensing grinding wheel having a disk portion, an annular portion depending from the disk portion that includes a plurality of cavities, a grinding tooth disposed in each cavity, and a pressure sensor disposed in each cavity between the tooth and the disk portion. The pressure sensor provides a signal indicative of the pressure applied by the grinding wheel against the wafer to a controller. Based on the signal received, the controller provides control signals to the drive motor and to a feed rate mechanism to maintain optimum grinding action. A method for grinding a wafer includes the steps of receiving a pressure signal from the grinding wheel and changing the feed rate in response to the pressure signal. The controller can also receive, and use for control purposes, additional inputs indicative of the current draw of a drive motor and of the rotational speed of a spindle shaft attached to the grinding wheel.

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First Claim