with a 3d printer each layer of the plurality of polishing layers deposited by ejecting a pad material precursor from a nozzle and solidifying the pad material precursor to form a solidified pad material application_number US 201213591051 A description referring to fig1 a 1c a polishing pad 18 includes a polishing layer 22 as shown in fig1 a the polishing pad can be a single layer pad that consists of the polishing layer 22 or as shown in fig1 c the polishing pad can be a multi layer pad that includes the polishing layer 22 and at least one backing layer 20 the polishing layer 22 can be a material that is inert in the polishing process the material of the polishing layer 22 can be a plastic e g a polyurethane in some implementations the polishing layer 22 is a relative durable and hard material for example the polishing layer 22 can have a hardness of about 40 to 80 e g 50 to 65 on the shore d scale as shown in fig1 a the polishing layer 22 can be a layer of homogeneous composition or as shown in fig1 b the polishing layer 22 can include abrasive particles 28 held in a matrix 29 of plastic material e g polyurethane the abrasive particles 28 are harder than the material of the matrix 29 the abrasive particles 28 can be from 0 05 wt to 75 wt of the polishing layer for example the abrasive particles 28 can be less than 1 wt of the polishing layer 22 e g less than 0 1 wt alternatively the abrasive particles 28 can be greater than 10 wt of the polishing layer 22 e g.