CPC B24B 7/07 (2013.01) | 4 Claims |
1. A method of grinding a workpiece on a grinding apparatus including
a holding table having on an upper portion thereof a holding surface for holding the workpiece under suction thereon, the holding table being rotatable about a table axis extending through a center of the holding surface and the holding surface being planar across the entire holding surface,
a grinding unit disposed above the holding table, the grinding unit having a grinding wheel with an annular array of grindstones for grinding the workpiece held on the holding table and an electric motor for rotating the grinding wheel about a wheel axis, the grindstones being turned along an annular track overlapping the center of the holding surface when the electric motor rotates the grinding wheel, and
a lifting and lowering unit for moving the grinding unit relative to the holding table along a direction in which the table axis extends,
the method comprising:
a holding step of holding the workpiece on the holding surface of the holding table, wherein the holding surface is flat; and
a grinding step of rotating the grinding wheel about the wheel axis to turn the grindstones along the annular track while rotating the holding table about the table axis, and actuating the lifting and lowering unit to move the grinding unit toward the holding table until the grindstones are brought into grinding contact with an upper surface of the workpiece to thereby grind the workpiece,
wherein the annular track is inclined to the holding surface of the holding table, and the grinding step includes the step of bringing the grindstones into grinding contact with the upper surface of the workpiece in a state where the annular track is closest to the holding surface in an area between a point above the center of the holding surface and a point above an outer circumferential end of the holding surface.
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