Grinding is a process in which small abrasive particles imbedded in a grinding wheel, belt, cylinder, or stone accomplish material removal. Grinding is ordinarily used only for removing small amounts of material at a time. Grinding permits very accurate tolerances of 0.001" or less, and allows for very smooth surface finishes.

Cylindrical grinding is performed to remove stock, create precise geometry, and obtain desired surface finishes on internal (I.D.) or external (O.D.) surfaces of round workpieces. These surfaces (I.D. or O.D.) are usually cylinders, shoulders, or tapers, but they may include fillets, grooves, or other formed surfaces of revolution. I.D. and O.D. grinding is utilized for the grinding of multiple diameter shafts and parts where concentricity to the center line or concentricity between one or more diameters is important. It is also used for bigger work that exceeds the capacity of centerless grinding machines. KEYWORDS for this process: grinders