A method of orienting abrasive particles on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate; providing abrasive particles; and generating a modulated electrostatic field, wherein the modulated electrostatic field is configured to have a first effective direction at a first time and a second effective direction at a second time; wherein the electrostatic field is configured to cause the abrasive particles to align rotationally in both a z-direction and a y-direction; wherein the generated electrostatic field is generated by a first electrode (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-I) and a second electrode (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R) wherein the substrate is provided between the first and second electrode, and wherein the abrasive particles are drawn toward the substrate; characterized in that A) the first electrode (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-1) provides a modulated electrostatic field by changing the effective direction of the electrostatic field over time, and the second electrode (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R) provides a modulated electrostatic field by changing the effective direction of the electrostatic field over time; or B) the first electrode is a set of first electrodes (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-I) and the second electrode is a set of second electrodes (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R), and the substrate is configured to pass between the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes; or C) the first electrode (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-1) provides a modulated electrostatic field by changing the effective direction of the electrostatic field over time, and the second electrode (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R) provides a modulated electrostatic field by changing the effective direction of the electrostatic field over time, and the first electrode is a set of first electrodes (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-I) and the second electrode is a set of second electrodes (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R), and the substrate is configured to pass between the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes. providing a substrate; providing abrasive particles; and generating a modulated electrostatic field, wherein the modulated electrostatic field is configured to have a first effective direction at a first time and a second effective direction at a second time; wherein the electrostatic field is configured to cause the abrasive particles to align rotationally in both a z-direction and a y-direction; wherein the generated electrostatic field is generated by a first electrode (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-I) and a second electrode (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R) wherein the substrate is provided between the first and second electrode, and wherein the abrasive particles are drawn toward the substrate; characterized in that A) the first electrode (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-1) provides a modulated electrostatic field by changing the effective direction of the electrostatic field over time, and the second electrode (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R) provides a modulated electrostatic field by changing the effective direction of the electrostatic field over time; or B) the first electrode is a set of first electrodes (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-I) and the second electrode is a set of second electrodes (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R), and the substrate is configured to pass between the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes; or C) the first electrode (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-1) provides a modulated electrostatic field by changing the effective direction of the electrostatic field over time, and the second electrode (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R) provides a modulated electrostatic field by changing the effective direction of the electrostatic field over time, and the first electrode is a set of first electrodes (210A-E, 310A-I, 520, A-I) and the second electrode is a set of second electrodes (210F-J, 310J-R, 540, 560, J-R), and the substrate is configured to pass between the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes.