Grinding

Grinding is a machining process in which an abrasive wheel removes small amounts of material from a workpiece to produce a fine finish and accurate dimensions. It is used when high precision and surface quality are required, often after rougher operations such as milling or turning.

Common grinding operations include surface grinding, cylindrical grinding, internal grinding, centerless grinding, and tool-and-die grinding. Each uses differently shaped wheels and setups to access various features.

Grinding wheels are made from abrasive grains bonded by a matrix. Wheel properties—grit size, hardness, bond type, and grain type—along with wheel speed, feed rate, depth of cut, and coolant determine material removal rate and surface finish.

Materials ground include metals, hard alloys, ceramics, glass, and stone. Applications range from aerospace and automotive components to precision instruments and tooling.

Safety and quality considerations include wheel conditioning, proper dressing and truing, containment of dust and sparks, and the risk of wheel breakage; personal protective equipment and guarded machines are standard.

In culinary contexts, grinding refers to reducing solid foods to smaller particles using devices such as pepper mills, coffee grinders, or grain mills.