A coated abrasive having an abrasive surface comprising a plurality of individual abrasive structures can be modified to convey information by changing the appearance, for example by changing the size, shape or spacing of the structures to create patterns conveying the information.

An apparatus and method for abrasively processing an article involves the use of an abrasive product provided with a machine discernable pattern representative of information of varying types. The pattern is read while the abrasive product moves relative to the article, and is used to control the movement of the abrasive product relative to the article. The pattern may include one or more of a machine discernable electrical characteristic, optical characteristic, topographic characteristic or magnetic characteristic. Reading the pattern may involve one or more of electrically, optically, mechanically or magnetically reading the machine discernable pattern provided on the abrasive product. The pattern may include one or more of indicia, protrusions, depressions, holes, voids, color or pigment variations, bar codes, magnetic transitions or periodic markings. The pattern may include one or more of indexing information, servo information, alignment information or abrasive product identification information. Closed-loop servo control of abrasive product movement may be effected using the servo/indexing pattern information. The abrasive product may constitute a movable pad and an abrasive slurry. The pad may be moved in a controlled manner relative to the article such that the pad and the abrasive slurry abrasively contact the article. The pattern provided on the pad may be read subsequent to a cleaning operation. An information system may be used to store various types of data derived, in part, from use of the abrasive product pattern information. The stored data may be used for a variety of identification, tracking, accounting, inventory, handling, and statistical purposes.

A coated abrasive having an abrasive surface comprising a plurality of individual abrasive structures can be modified to convey information by changing the appearance, for example by changing the size, shape or spacing of the structures to create patterns conveying the information.

A flexible file system for providing abrasive files that can be used for wood or metal working that can be supplied in different sizes, stiffness and with different types of abrasive surfaces in different cross-sections. These flexible files can be attached to form a web that can be loaded into a dispenser either on a spindle or folded for easy dispensing of files as they are needed. The dispenser can have optional blades for separating the files as they are dispensed. Various methods can be used to attach the files into a web for easy dispensing and later separation including attach strips with cut or break points.

The invention provides an abrasive article, and methods for the use and the manufacture of the article. The abrasive article comprises an abrasive surface; and a performance index associated with the abrasive article, the index indicating an aspect of the abrasive performance of the article. In abrasive applications, the performance index is used to determine initial process conditions under which the abrasive article will abrade a workpiece. A process for making the abrasive article comprises (a) providing an abrasive article having an abrasive surface; (b) providing a workpiece having an abradable surface thereon; (c) abrading the abradable surface by applying the abrasive surface against the abradable surface at a known applied pressure and velocity and relatively moving the abrasive article and the abradable surface during a predetermined period of time; (d) devising a performance index based on the abrasive performance of the abrasive article during the abrading step (c); and (e) associating the performance index with the abrasive article.