Apparatus and method for manufacturing abrasive tools

摘要

A compression molding apparatus and method for the manufacture of abrasive layers for abrasive tooling which provides a compression mold space (36-A)defined between an inflexible wall surface (38-A) and a flexible wall surface (22-A). The apparatus and method of the present invention is particularly well suited to making annular or hollow cylindrical shaped abrasive layers of novel configurations during a single mold cycle useful for grinding wheel and the like, as well as other shapes such as laps, wherein the flexible wall expanded with fluid pressure provides a highly uniform distribution of pressure against the surface of the mold composition being formed. In an annular configuration, the flexible wall is used to radially direct pressure against a molding composition disposed in an annular configuration wherein the axial length of the annular mold shape formed may be many times greater than priorly obtained by the prior art means.