Patent ID: 8148266
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: B24B

Abstract:
1. A conformable polishing apparatus, comprising: a bulk material removal station; a finishing polishing station; a conveyor on which a plurality of substrates may be releasably coupled and conveyed, one workpiece at a time, through the bulk material removal station and the finishing station in a continuous process; the bulk material removal station includes a moving conformable abrasive belt located with respect to the conveyor such that the abrasive belt conformably contacts a top surface of a substrate travelling through the bulk removal station with a substantially uniform polishing pressure and polishing time across a full width of the substrate and substantially uniformly removes material from the entire top surface of the substrate; and the finishing polishing station includes a rotary conformable annular polishing pad located with respect to the conveyor such that the polishing pad conformably contacts a top surface of a substrate travelling through the finishing station with a substantially uniform polishing pressure and polishing time across a full width of the substrate and substantially uniformly removes material from the entire top surface of the substrate.