Workpiece spindles supported floating abrasive platen

• US 8,328,600 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wayne O. Duescher
• Original Assignee: Wayne O. Duescher
• Inventors: Duescher, Wayne O.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROSE, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US13/207,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20110294405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 451/5, 451/11, 451/28, 451/36, 451/37, 451/41, 451/59, 451/64, 451/259, 451/260, 451/270, 451/271, 451/280, 451/283, 451/285, 451/288, 451/287
• US Class Current: 451/11
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/107 in a rotary movement only, about an axis being stationary during lapping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for releasably attaching flexible abrasive disks to a flat-surfaced platen that floats in three-point abrading contact with three rigid flat-surfaced rotatable fixed-position workpiece spindles that are mounted on a flat surface of an abrading machine base where the spindle surfaces are in a common plane. Three spindles are positioned to form a three-point triangle of platen supports where the rotational-centers of each of the spindles are positioned at the center of the annular width of the platen abrading surface. The spindles are supported by two-piece spindle-mount devices having a common-radius spherical joint that allows the spindles to be rotated to co-planar align the top flat surfaces of the rotatable spindle-tops and then to be locked into this aligned position. Spindle-mount spherical-action locking devices include mechanical fasteners and stress-free adhesive tabs. Precision-flat platens can be used as an alignment jig for co-planar alignment of the spindles.

Claims

1. An at least three-point, fixed-spindle floating-platen abrading machine comprising:

a) at least three rotary spindles having circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have a spindle-top axis of rotation at the center of a respective rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-top for respective rotary spindles;

b) the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation are perpendicular to the respective spindle-tops'"'"'flat surfaces;

c) an abrading machine base having a horizontal nominally-flat top surface and a spindle-circle where the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base nominally-flat top surface;

d) at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices each comprising a rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and a stationary spindle-mount spherical-base where each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-base have a common-radius spherical joint wherein each respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor is mounted in common-radius spherical-joint surface contact with a respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-base and wherein the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are supported by the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases where each respective rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device allows the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to be rotated through spherical angles relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases and wherein the at least three rotary spindles are mechanically attached to respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors;

e) each of the at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices has at least one paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs where each paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs has a first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and an adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base so that a small gap exists between the respective first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base;

f) the at least three rotary spindles are located with near-equal spacing between the respective at least three of the rotary spindles so that the respective at least three spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and the respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' spindle-mount spherical-bases are mechanically attached to the machine base nominally-flat top surface to position the respective at least three rotary spindles at the near-equal spacing locations between the respective at least three rotary spindles;

g) the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces are aligned to be co-planar with each other;

h) a solidified liquid adhesive is present in the small gaps that exist between the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs wherein the solidified adhesive structurally bonds the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs together wherein the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are structurally fixtured to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases such that the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are prevented from moving relative to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases to maintain the co-planar alignment of the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces;

i) a floating, rotatable abrading platen having a flat annular abrading-surface that has an annular abrading-surface radial width and an annular abrading-surface inner radius and an annular abrading-surface outer radius and the abrading platen is supported by and is rotationally driven about an abrading platen rotation axis located at a rotational center of the abrading platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the abrading platen and the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device restrains the abrading platen in a radial direction relative to the abrading platen axis of rotation and the abrading platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle;

j) wherein the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device allows spherical motion of the abrading platen about the abrading platen rotational center such that the flat annular abrading-surface of the abrading platen that is supported by the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device is nominally horizontal; and

k) flexible abrasive disk articles having an abrasive coated surface comprising annular bands having an annular band radial width and an annular band radius and an annular band outer radius and a flexible abrasive disk is attached in flat conformal contact with an abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface such that the attached abrasive disk is concentric with the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface and wherein the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface radial width is at least equal to the radial width of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated annular abrading band and wherein the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface provides conformal support of the full-abrasive-surface of the flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band where the abrading platen flat annular band inner radius is less than an inner radius of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band and where an abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface annular band outer radius is greater than the outer radius of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band;

l) wherein each flexible abrasive disk is attached in flat conformal contact with the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface by a disk attachment technique selected from the group consisting of vacuum disk attachment, mechanical disk attachment and adhesive disk attachment;

m) wherein equal-thickness workpieces have parallel opposed flat workpiece top surfaces and flat workpiece bottom surfaces are attached in flat-surfaced contact with the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops where the workpiece bottom surfaces contact the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops;

n) wherein the abrading platen is vertically moveable along the abrading platen rotation axis by the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device to allow the abrasive surface of the flexible abrasive disk that is attached to the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface to contact the top surfaces of the workpieces that are attached to the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops wherein the at least three rotary spindles provide at least three-point support of the abrading platen;

o) total abrading platen abrading contact force applied to workpieces that are attached to the respective at least three spindle-top flat surfaces by contact of the abrasive surface of the flexible abrasive disk that is attached to the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface with the top surfaces of the workpieces that are attached to the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops is controlled through the abrading platen spherical-action abrading platen rotation device to evenly distribute the total abrading platen abrading contact force to the workpieces attached to the respective at least three spindle-tops; and

p) wherein the at least three spindle-tops having the attached equal-thickness workpieces can be rotated about the respective spindle-tops'"'"' rotation axes and the abrading platen having the attached flexible abrasive disk can be rotated about the abrading platen rotation axis to single-side abrade the equal-thickness workpieces that are attached to the flat surfaces of the at least three spindle-tops while the moving abrasive surface of the flexible abrasive disk that is attached to the moving abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface is in force-controlled abrading contact with the top surfaces of the equal-thickness workpieces that are attached to the respective at least three spindle-tops.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein at least one flat-surfaced circular device is selected from the group consisting of workpiece carriers, abrasive conditioning rings and abrasive disks attached to the flat surfaces of the at least three spindle-tops, wherein the selected flat-surfaced circular devices are attached to the at least three spindle-tops by attachment systems selected from the group consisting of vacuum attachment, mechanical attachment and adhesive attachment and wherein the attached flat-surfaced circular devices are concentric with the respective spindle-tops.

3. The machine of claim 1 wherein the machine base structural material is selected from the group consisting of granite and epoxy-granite and wherein the machine base structural material is either solid or has fluid passageways internal to structural materials of the machine base wherein a temperature-controlled fluid is circulated in the fluid passageways to control temperature of the machine base structural material.

4. The machine of claim 1 wherein the at least three rotary spindles are air bearing rotary spindles.

5. The machine of claim 1 wherein the abrading platen flexible abrasive disk articles are selected from the group consisting of:

flexible abrasive disks, flexible raised-island abrasive disks, flexible abrasive disks with resilient backing layers, flexible abrasive disks with resilient backing layers having a vacuum-seal polymer backing layer, flexible abrasive disks having attached solid abrasive pellets, flexible chemical mechanical planarization resilient disk pads that are suitable for use with liquid abrasive slurries, flexible chemical mechanical planarization resilient disk pads having nap covers, flexible shallow-island chemical mechanical planarization abrasive disks, flexible shallow-island abrasive disks with resilient backing layers having a vacuum-seal polymer backing layer, and flexible flat-surfaced metal or polymer disks.

6. The machine of claim 1 where auxiliary rotary spindles in excess of the at least three rotary spindles, which are primary rotary spindles, are attached to the machine base flat surface using rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices and the auxiliary rotary spindles are each positioned between adjacent primary rotary spindles, and the auxiliary rotary spindles have circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have spindle-top axis of rotation at a center of their respective auxiliary rotary spindle spindle-top and where the respective auxiliary rotary spindle spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and where top surfaces of the rotary spindle respective spindle-tops of the auxiliary rotary spindles are co-planar with the co-planar top surfaces of the spindle-tops of the three primary rotary spindles and the rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device'"'"' locking devices are engaged to lock the auxiliary rotary spindles'"'"' respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases to structurally maintain the co-planar alignment of the auxiliary rotary spindles'"'"' spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces.

7. A process of abrading flat-surfaced workpieces using an at least three-point fixed-spindle floating-platen abrading machine comprising:

a) providing at least three rotary spindles having circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have a spindle-top axis of rotation at the center of a respective rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-top for respective rotary spindles;

b) providing that the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation are perpendicular to the respective spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces;

c) providing an abrading machine base having a horizontal nominally-flat top surface and a spindle-circle so that the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base nominally-flat top surface;

d) providing at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices comprising a rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and a stationary spindle-mount spherical-base where each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-base have a common-radius spherical joint wherein each respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor is mounted in common-radius spherical-joint surface contact with a respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-base and wherein the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are supported by the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases so that each respective rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device allows the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to be rotated through spherical angles relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases and wherein the at least three rotary spindles are mechanically attached to respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors;

e) providing on each of the at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices at least one paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs where each paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs has a first removable adhesive tab attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and an adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base so that a small gap exists between the respective first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base;

f) positioning the at least three rotary spindles with near-equal spacing between the respective at least three of the rotary spindles where the respective at least three spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and mechanically attaching the respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' spindle-mount spherical-bases to the machine base nominally-flat top surface to position the respective at least three rotary spindles at the near-equal spacing locations between the respective at least three rotary spindles;

g) aligning the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces to be co-planar with each other by spherical rotation of the rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases;

h) applying a liquid adhesive in the small gaps that exist between the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs and solidifying the adhesive to structurally bonds the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs together wherein the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are structurally fixtured to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases so that the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are prevented from moving relative to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases to maintain the co-planar alignment of the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces;

i) providing a floating, rotatable abrading platen having a flat annular abrading-surface that has an annular abrading-surface radial width and an annular abrading-surface inner radius and an annular abrading-surface outer radius and where the abrading platen is supported by and is rotationally driven about an abrading platen rotation axis located at a rotational center of the abrading platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the abrading platen and where the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device restrains the abrading platen in a radial direction relative to the abrading platen axis of rotation and where the abrading platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle;

j) rotating the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device in a spherical motion of the abrading platen about the abrading platen rotational center such that the flat annular abrading-surface of the abrading platen that is supported by the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device is nominally horizontal; and

k) providing flexible abrasive disk articles having annular bands of abrasive coated surfaces that have an abrasive coated surface annular band radial width and an abrasive coated surface annular band inner radius and an abrasive coated surface annular band outer radius and attaching a selected flexible abrasive disk in flat conformal contact with an abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface such that the attached abrasive disk is concentric with the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface, and wherein the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface radial width is at least equal to the radial width of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated annular abrading band and wherein the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface provides conformal support of the full-abrasive-surface of the flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band such that the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface inner radius is less than an inner radius of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band and such that an abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface outer radius is greater than the outer radius of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band;

l) attaching a selected flexible abrasive disk in flat conformal contact with the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface by a disk attachment techniques selected from the group consisting of vacuum disk attachment techniques, mechanical disk attachment techniques and adhesive disk attachment techniques;

m) attaching equal-thickness workpieces having parallel opposed flat workpiece top surfaces and flat workpiece bottom surfaces so that the equal-thickness workpieces are attached in flat-surfaced contact with the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops where the workpiece bottom surfaces contact the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops;

n) moving the abrading platen vertically along the abrading platen rotation axis by the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device to allow the abrasive surface of the flexible abrasive disk that is attached to the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface to contact the top surfaces of the workpieces that are attached to the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops wherein the at least three rotary spindles provide at least three-point support of the abrading platen;

o) applying a total abrading platen abrading contact force to the workpieces that are attached to the respective at least three spindle-top flat surfaces by contact of the abrasive surface of the flexible abrasive disk that is attached to the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface with the top surfaces of the workpieces that are attached to the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops where the total abrading platen abrading contact force is controlled through the abrading platen spherical-action abrading platen rotation device to allow the total abrading platen abrading contact force to be evenly distributed to the workpieces attached to the respective at least three spindle-tops; and

p) rotating the at least three spindle-tops having the attached equal-thickness workpieces about the respective spindle-tops'"'"' rotation axes and rotating the abrading platen having the attached flexible abrasive disk about the abrading platen rotation axis to single-side abrade the equal-thickness workpieces that are attached to the flat surfaces of the at least three spindle-tops while the moving abrasive surface of the flexible abrasive disk that is attached to the moving abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface is in force-controlled abrading contact with the top surfaces of the equal-thickness workpieces that are attached to the respective at least three spindle-tops.

8. The process of claim 7 where flat-surfaced equal-thickness workpieces having top and bottom surfaces are provided such that a workpiece top surface is a first workpiece surface and a workpiece bottom surface is a second workpiece surface and where the flat-surfaced equal-thickness workpieces are attached to the at least three spindle-tops, and the first workpiece surfaces are abraded by the flexible abrasive disk article that is attached to the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface when the second workpiece surfaces are attached to the at least three spindle-tops, and after the first workpiece surface is abraded, the flat-surfaced equal-thickness workpieces are removed from the at least three spindle-tops and the flat-surfaced equal-thickness workpieces are re-attached to the at least three spindle-tops where the abraded first workpiece surfaces are attached to the spindle-tops and the second workpiece surfaces are abraded by the flexible abrasive disk article that is attached to the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface workpiece.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein the abrading platen flexible abrasive disk articles are selected from the group consisting of:

flexible abrasive disks, flexible raised-island abrasive disks, flexible abrasive disks with resilient backing layers, flexible abrasive disks with resilient backing layers having a vacuum-seal polymer backing layer, flexible abrasive disks having attached solid abrasive pellets, flexible chemical mechanical planarization resilient disk pads that are suitable for use with liquid abrasive slurries, flexible chemical mechanical planarization resilient disk pads having nap covers, flexible shallow-island chemical mechanical planarization abrasive disks, flexible shallow-island abrasive disks with resilient backing layers having a vacuum-seal polymer backing layer, and flexible flat-surfaced metal or polymer disks.

10. The process of claim 7 where auxiliary rotary spindles in excess of the at least three rotary spindles which are primary rotary spindles are attached to the machine base flat surface using rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices and where the auxiliary rotary spindles are each positioned between adjacent primary rotary spindles, and where the auxiliary rotary spindles have circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have spindle-top axis of rotation at a center of their respective auxiliary rotary spindle spindle-top and where the respective auxiliary rotary spindle spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and where the top surfaces of the rotary spindle respective spindle-tops of the auxiliary rotary spindles are precisely co-planar with the precisely co-planar top surfaces of the spindle-tops of the three primary rotary spindles and the rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device'"'"' locking devices are engaged to lock the auxiliary rotary spindles'"'"' respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases to structurally maintain the co-planar alignment of the auxiliary rotary spindles'"'"' spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces.

11. A process of abrading an abrading surface of a floating platen that is a component of a three-point fixed-spindle floating-platen abrading machine to recondition or reestablish the planar flatness of the platen abrading surface comprising:

a) providing at least three rotary spindles having circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have a spindle-top axis of rotation at the center of a respective rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-top for respective rotary spindles;

b) providing that the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation are perpendicular to the respective spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces;

c) providing an abrading machine base having a horizontal nominally-flat top surface and a spindle-circle where the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base nominally-flat top surface;

d) providing at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices comprising a rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and a stationary spindle-mount spherical-base where each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-base have a common-radius spherical joint wherein each respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor is mounted in common-radius spherical-joint surface contact with a respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-base and wherein the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are supported by the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases where each respective rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device allows the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to be rotated through spherical angles relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases and wherein the at least three rotary spindles are mechanically attached to respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors;

e) providing that each of the at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices has at least one paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs where each paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs has a first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and has an adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base where a small gap exists between the respective first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base;

f) providing that the at least three rotary spindles are located with near-equal spacing between the respective at least three of the rotary spindles where the respective at least three spindle-tops'"'"'axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and where the respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' spindle-mount spherical-bases are mechanically attached to the machine base nominally-flat top surface to position the respective at least three rotary spindles at the near-equal spacing locations between the respective at least three rotary spindles;

g) aligning the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces to be co-planar with each other by spherical rotation of the rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases;

h) applying a liquid adhesive in the small gaps that exist between the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs wherein the adhesive is solidified and structurally bonds the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs together wherein the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are structurally fixtured to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases where the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are prevented from moving relative to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases to maintain the co-planar alignment of the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces;

i) providing a floating, rotatable abrading platen having a flat annular abrading-surface that has an annular abrading-surface radial width and an annular abrading-surface inner radius and an annular abrading-surface outer radius and where the abrading platen is supported by and is rotationally driven about an abrading platen rotation axis located at a rotational center of the abrading platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the abrading platen and where the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device restrains the abrading platen in a radial direction relative to the abrading platen axis of rotation and where the abrading platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle;

j) providing that the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device allows spherical motion of the abrading platen about the abrading platen rotational center where the flat annular abrading-surface of the abrading platen that is supported by the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device is nominally horizontal; and

k) attaching flexible abrasive disks or abrasive conditioning rings having flat-surfaced abrasive coating surfaces to the flat surfaces of the at least three spindles'"'"' spindle-tops;

l) moving the floating rotatable abrading platen vertically along the floating rotatable abrading platen rotation axis by the spherical-action platen rotation device to allow the floating rotatable abrading platen abrading surface to contact the abrasive surfaces of the attached flexible abrasive disks or the attached abrasive conditioning rings that are attached to the spindle-top flat surfaces of the at least three spindles;

m) rotating the at least three spindle-tops having the attached abrasive disks or attached abrasive conditioning rings about the respective spindles'"'"' axes and rotating the floating rotatable abrading platen about the floating rotatable abrading platen rotation axis to abrade the abrading-surface of the floating rotatable abrading platen with the abrasive disks or abrasive conditioning rings that are attached to the at least three spindle-tops while the moving floating rotatable abrading platen abrading surface is in force-controlled abrading pressure with the selected abrasive disks or abrasive conditioning rings attached to the at least three spindle-tops.

12. The process of claim 11 where the abrading surface of the floating rotatable abrading platen is abraded to recondition or reestablish planar flatness of the floating rotatable abrading platen abrading surface using conditioning rings where circular-shaped conditioning rings having a flat-surfaced abrasive coated annular band are attached to the at least three spindle-tops, where the conditioning rings annular abrasive surfaces have equal heights above each spindle-top wherein the at least three spindle-tops having the attached conditioning rings are rotated about the respective spindles'"'"' axes while moving the floating rotatable abrading platen abrading surface in force-controlled abrading pressure with the spindle-top conditioning rings.

13. A process of abrading an abrading surface of an abrasive disk that is attached to the abrading surface of a floating platen that is a component of a fixed-spindle floating platen abrading machine, wherein the abrading surface of the abrading platen is abraded to recondition or reestablish planar flatness of the abrading surface of the abrasive disk comprising:

a) providing at least three rotary spindles having circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have a spindle-top axis of rotation at the center of a respective rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-top for respective rotary spindles;

b) providing that the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation are perpendicular to the respective spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces;

c) providing an abrading machine base having a horizontal nominally-flat top surface and a spindle-circle where the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base nominally-flat top surface;

d) providing at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices comprising a rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and a stationary spindle-mount spherical-base where each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-base have a common-radius spherical joint wherein each respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor is mounted in common-radius spherical-joint surface contact with a respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-base and wherein the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are supported by the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases where each respective rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device allows the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to be rotated through spherical angles relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases and wherein the at least three rotary spindles are mechanically attached to respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors;

e) providing that each of the at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices has at least one paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs where each paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs has a first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and has an adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base where a small gap exists between the respective first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base;

f) providing that the at least three rotary spindles are located with near-equal spacing between the respective at least three of the rotary spindles where the respective at least three spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and where the respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' spindle-mount spherical-bases are mechanically attached to the machine base nominally-flat top surface to position the respective at least three rotary spindles at the near-equal spacing locations between the respective at least three rotary spindles;

g) aligning the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces to be co-planar with each other by spherical rotation of the rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases;

h) applying a liquid adhesive in the small gaps that exist between the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs wherein the adhesive is solidified and structurally bonds the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs together wherein the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are structurally fixtured to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases where the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are prevented from moving relative to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases to maintain the co-planar alignment of the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces;

i) providing a floating, rotatable abrading platen having a flat annular abrading-surface that has an annular abrading-surface radial width and an annular abrading-surface inner radius and an annular abrading-surface outer radius and where the abrading platen is supported by and is rotationally driven about an abrading platen rotation axis located at a rotational center of the abrading platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the abrading platen and where the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device restrains the abrading platen in a radial direction relative to the abrading platen axis of rotation and where the abrading platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle;

j) providing that the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device allows spherical motion of the abrading platen about the abrading platen rotational center where the flat annular abrading-surface of the abrading platen that is supported by the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device is nominally horizontal; and

k) providing flexible abrasive disk articles having annular bands of abrasive coated surfaces that have an abrasive coated surface annular band radial width and an abrasive coated surface annular band inner radius and an abrasive coated surface annular band outer radius and where a selected flexible abrasive disk is attached in flat conformal contact with an abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface such that the attached abrasive disk is concentric with the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface wherein the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface radial width is at least equal to the radial width of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated annular abrading band and wherein the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface provides conformal support of the full-abrasive-surface of the flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band where the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface inner radius is less than an inner radius of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band and where an abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface outer radius is greater than the outer radius of the attached flexible abrasive disk abrasive coated surface annular band;

l) attaching a selected flexible abrasive disk in flat conformal contact with the abrading platen flat annular abrading-surface by a disk attachment techniques selected from the group consisting of vacuum disk attachment techniques, mechanical disk attachment techniques and adhesive disk attachment techniques;

k) attaching flexible abrasive disks or abrasive conditioning rings having flat-surfaced abrasive coating surfaces to the flat surfaces of the at least three spindles'"'"' spindle-tops;

l) moving the floating rotatable abrading platen vertically along the floating rotatable abrading platen rotation axis by the spherical-action platen rotation device to allow the floating rotatable abrading platen abrasive disk abrading surface to contact the abrasive surfaces of the attached flexible abrasive disks or the attached abrasive conditioning rings that are attached to the spindle-top flat surfaces of the at least three spindles;

m) rotating the at least three spindle-tops having the attached abrasive disks or attached abrasive conditioning rings about the respective spindles'"'"' axes and rotating the floating rotatable abrading platen about the floating rotatable abrading platen rotation axis to abrade the floating rotatable abrading platen abrasive disk abrading surface with the abrasive disks or abrasive conditioning rings that are attached to the at least three spindle-tops while the moving floating rotatable abrading platen abrading surface is in force-controlled abrading pressure with the selected abrasive disks or abrasive conditioning rings attached to the at least three spindle-tops.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the machine base structural material is selected from the group consisting of granite and epoxy-granite and wherein the machine base structural material is temperature controlled by circulating a temperature-controlled fluid through fluid passageways internal to the machine base structural material.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein the at least three rotary spindles are air bearing rotary spindles.

16. The process of claim 13 wherein the abrading platen flexible abrasive disk articles are selected from the group consisting of:

flexible abrasive disks, flexible raised-island abrasive disks, flexible abrasive disks with resilient backing layers, flexible abrasive disks with resilient backing layers having a vacuum-seal polymer backing layer, flexible abrasive disks having attached solid abrasive pellets, flexible chemical mechanical planarization resilient disk pads with liquid abrasive slurries, flexible chemical mechanical planarization resilient disk pads having nap covers, flexible shallow-island chemical mechanical planarization abrasive disks, flexible shallow-island abrasive disks with resilient backing layers having a vacuum-seal polymer backing layer, and flexible flat-surfaced metal or polymer disks.

17. A process of co-planar aligning the flat surfaces of spindle-tops and mechanically locking them in position using a flat surfaced floating platen planar abrading surface as an alignment device where the spindle-tops and the floating platen are components of a three-point fixed-spindle floating-platen abrading machine, the process comprising:

a) providing at least three rotary spindles having circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have a spindle-top axis of rotation at a center of respective rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops;

b) providing the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' with axes of rotation that are perpendicular to the respective spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces;

c) providing an abrading machine base having a horizontal nominally-flat top surface and a spindle-circle where the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base nominally-flat top surface;

d) providing rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices comprising a rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and a stationary spindle-mount spherical-base where both have a common-radius spherical-joint wherein the rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are mounted in common-radius spherical-joint surface contact with respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases and wherein the rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are supported by the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases where each rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device allows the rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to be rotated through spherical angles relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases and wherein the at least three rotary spindles are mechanically attached to respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors and wherein rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device locking devices are adapted to lock the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases;

e) positioning the at least three rotary spindles with near-equal spacing between the at least three of the rotary spindles and the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and the respective at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices'"'"' spindle-mount spherical-bases are mechanically attached to the machine base nominally-flat top surface at respective at least three rotary spindles'"'"' spindle-circle locations;

f) providing a floating, rotatable abrading platen having an annular planar abrading-surface that has an annular planar abrading-surface radial width and an annular planar abrading-surface inner radius and an annular planar abrading-surface outer radius and where the abrading platen is supported by and is rotationally driven about an abrading platen rotation axis located at a rotational center of the abrading platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the abrading platen and where the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device restrains the rotatable abrading platen in a radial direction relative to the abrading platen axis of rotation and where the abrading platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle;

g) allowing the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device to have spherical motion of the abrading platen about the abrading platen rotational center where the flat planar annular planar abrading-surface of the abrading platen that is supported by the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device is nominally horizontal;

h) moving the abrading platen vertically along the abrading platen rotation axis by the abrading platen spherical-action rotation device to allow the abrading platen annular planar abrading-surface to be in full flat-surfaced contact with the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops where each rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device allows the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to be rotated through spherical angles relative to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases and wherein the flat surfaces of the respective at least three spindle-tops assume flat-surfaced contact with the abrading platen flat planar annular planar abrading-surface wherein the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces are aligned to be co-planar with each other; and

i) engaging the rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device locking devices to lock the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases to maintain the co-planar alignment of the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device locking devices are threaded fasteners that are adapted to lock the respective rotatable spindle-mount spherical-action rotors to the respective stationary spindle-mount spherical-bases.

19. The process of claim 17 wherein rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount device locking devices are adhesive locking devices by:

a) providing each of the at least three rotary spindle two-piece spindle-mount devices with at least one paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs where each paired set of removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs has a first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and has an adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base where a small gap exists between the respective first removable adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotor and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tab that is attached to each respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-base; and

b) applying a liquid adhesive in the small gaps that exist between the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs and solidifying the adhesive to structurally bond the respective paired sets of first removable spherical-action rotor adhesive tabs and the adjacent second removable spherical-base adhesive tabs together wherein the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are structurally fixtured to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases where the respective spindle-mount spherical-action rotors are prevented from moving relative to the respective spindle-mount spherical-action spherical-bases to maintain the co-planar alignment of the at least three spindle-tops'"'"' flat surfaces.

20. The process of claim 17 wherein the at least three rotary spindles are air bearing rotary spindles.