Abrasive product, method of making and using the same, and apparatus for making the same

An apparatus for making a flexible abrasive product comprising:

• a. a frame for supporting and dispensing a flexible backing having a first surface and an opposite second surface with the first surface deployed in a substantially horizontal deployment;
• b. a primer dispensing system for depositing curable primer material over the first surface of the backing;
• c. a primer curing system for at least partially curing the curable primer material to provide a primer coating on the first surface of the backing;
• d. a dispensing apparatus for receiving a mixture of particulate curable binder material and abrasive particles and depositing a plurality of temporary shaped structures comprised of the mixture of particulate curable binder material and abrasive particles on the at least partially cured primer coating of the first surface of the backing;
• e. a particulate binder softening system for softening the particulate curable binder so that it will adhere adjacent abrasive particles;
• and
• f. a particulate binder curing system for curing the particulate curable binder material and for curing the at least partially cured primer coating to convert said temporary shaped structures into permanent shaped structures adhered to the cured primer coating on the first surface of the backing.

A method of abrading a surface of a workpiece, said method comprising:

• a. providing an abrasive product comprising:
• i. a flexible backing having a first surface bearing a cured primer coating, an opposite second surface and opposite ends;
• and
• ii. a plurality of shaped structures each structure having a distal end spaced from said backing and an attachment end attached to the primer coating on the backing, said shaped structures being comprised of a mixture of abrasive particles and cured particulate binder;
• b. contacting the surface of the workpiece with the distal ends of the shaped structures;
• and
• c. relatively moving at least one of said workpiece or said abrasive product while providing sufficient force between the workpiece surface and the distal ends of the shaped structures of the abrasive product to abrade and/or otherwise modify the surface.