Cutting apparatus
A cutting apparatus is provided with a cutting unit. The cutting unit includes a spindle on which a cutting blade is mounted for rotation, a spindle housing that rotatably supports the spindle, a blade cover that is attached to the spindle housing and covers the cutting blade, a cutting water supply nozzle that supplies cutting water to the cutting blade, and a blade monitor that has an end face configured to monitor a cutting edge of the cutting blade. The end face of the blade monitor has a recessed portion to which rinsing water is supplied to rinse the end face.
1. A cutting apparatus comprising:
a chuck table that holds a workpiece;
a cutting unit that subjects the workpiece, which is held on the chuck table, to cutting by rotating a cutting blade while supplying cutting water to the workpiece; and
a machining feed unit that subjects the chuck table and the cutting unit to machining feed relative to each other,
wherein the cutting unit includes:
a spindle with a cutting blade mounted thereon for rotation,
a spindle housing that rotatably supports the spindle,
a blade cover that is attached to the spindle housing and covers the cutting blade,
a cutting water supply nozzle that supplies cutting water to the cutting blade, and
a blade monitor that has an end face configured to monitor a cutting edge of the cutting blade, wherein the end face of the blade monitor faces the outer perimeter of the cutting edge of the cutting blade, and
wherein the end face of the blade monitor has a recessed portion to which rinsing water is supplied to rinse the end face, and further wherein the rinsing water is retained in the recessed portion via surface tension,
wherein the blade monitor includes a ring member that defines and surrounds the recessed portion on the end face,
wherein the cutting apparatus further comprises a tube that is directly connected to the ring member, wherein the tube is configured and arranged to supply the rinsing water to the end face, and
wherein an outer surface of the rinsing water is essentially flush with an outer surface of the ring member.
2. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rinsing water is supplied when rotation of the cutting blade is stopped.
3. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rinsing water includes one of diluted fluoric acid and a surfactant.
4. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cutting blade defines a plane that creates a first area on a first side of the plane and a second area on a second side of the plane, wherein the first and second areas are on opposite sides of the plane; and
the recessed portion is completely located on the first side of the plane.
5. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion has a diameter of between 1 mm and 3 mm.
6. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ring member has a diameter of between 1 mm and 3 mm.
7. A cutting apparatus comprising:
a chuck table that holds a workpiece;
a cutting unit that subjects the workpiece, which is held on the chuck table, to cutting by rotating a cutting blade while supplying cutting water to the workpiece; and
a machining feed unit that subjects the chuck table and the cutting unit to machining feed relative to each other,
wherein the cutting unit includes:
a spindle with a cutting blade mounted thereon for rotation,
a spindle housing that rotatably supports the spindle,
a blade cover that is attached to the spindle housing and covers the cutting blade,
a cutting water supply nozzle that supplies cutting water to the cutting blade, and
a blade monitor that is configured to monitor a cutting edge of the cutting blade, wherein the blade monitor includes a light emitting section with a first end face and a light receiving section with a second end face, and further wherein the first end face faces the second end face, and
wherein the first end face of the blade monitor has a first recessed portion to which rinsing water is supplied to rinse the first end face, and further wherein the rinsing water is retained in the first recessed portion via surface tension,
the second end face of the blade monitor has a second recessed portion to which rinsing water is supplied to rinse the second end face, and further wherein the rinsing water is retained in the second recessed portion via surface tension,
wherein the blade monitor includes:
a first ring member that defines and surrounds the first recessed portion on the first end face, wherein an outer surface of the rinsing water is essentially flush with an outer surface of the first ring member; and
a second ring member that defines and surrounds the second recessed portion on the second end face, wherein an outer surface of the rinsing water is essentially flush with an outer surface of the second ring member; and
wherein the cutting apparatus further comprises:
a first tube that is directly connected to the first ring member, wherein the first tube is configured and arranged to supply the rinsing water to the first end face; and
a second tube that is directly connected to the second ring member, wherein the second tube is configured and arranged to supply the rinsing water to the second end face.
8. The cutting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the rinsing water is supplied when rotation of the cutting blade is stopped.
9. The cutting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the rinsing water includes one of diluted fluoric acid and a surfactant.
10. The cutting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the recessed portion has a diameter of between 1 mm and 3 mm.
11. The cutting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the first ring member and the second ring member each have a diameter of between 1 mm and 3 mm.