Coated abrasive article having spacer particles, making method and apparatus therefor

A method of making coated abrasive articles, comprising:

• providing a production tool having a dispensing surface with a plurality of cavities;
• guiding the production tool in a direction of travel past an abrasive particle feeder;
• dispensing shaped abrasive particles onto the dispensing surface and into the plurality of cavities of the production tool;
• guiding a resin coated backing sheet adjacent the production tool in the direction of travel past a spacer particle feeder;
• dispensing spacer particles onto the resin coated backing sheet in the direction of travel prior to a deposit point, wherein the spacer particles have a thickness that is greater than a thickness of a resin coating of the resin coating backing sheet and a thickness and density once dispensed on the resin coating backing sheet that are sufficient to substantially prevent the production tool from contacting the resin coated backing sheet at the deposit point;
• and
• providing shaped abrasive particles from the plurality of cavities of the production tool onto the resin coated backing sheet at the deposit point, wherein the spacer particles comprise at least one of an abrasive particle, an abrasive agglomerate and a grinding aid.