Methods of making abrasive articles and bonded abrasive wheel preparable thereby

A method of making an abrasive article, the method comprising the sequential steps:

• a) providing a positioning tool having a working surface with cavities formed therein, wherein the cavities are arranged on the working surface according to a pattern;
• b) making a plurality of abrasive preforms, wherein each abrasive preform respectively comprises shaped abrasive particles adhered to a first reinforcing member, and wherein each abrasive preform is respectively made by a method comprising:
• i) disposing shaped abrasive particles in at least some of the cavities of the positioning tool;
• ii) transferring the shaped abrasive particles to a first reinforcing member having front and back surfaces such that shaped abrasive particles are disposed on the front surface of the first reinforcing member according to the pattern of the cavities;
• iii) adhering the transferred shaped abrasive particles to the front surface of the first reinforcing member;
• iv) depositing a space-filling binder precursor onto the first reinforcing member and transferred shaped abrasive particles such that space between shaped abrasive particles is at least partially filled with the space-filling binder precursor;
• d) forming a stack comprising the plurality of abrasive preforms, wherein the stack has a top and a bottom, thereby providing an abrasive article precursor;
• and
• e) curing the abrasive article precursor while compressing the plurality of abrasive preforms together to form the abrasive article.