Basic Uses of Grinding Machines in Metalworking
May 07, 2026
Grinding machines are essential tools in metalworking. While lathes and milling machines remove material with cutting tools, grinding machines use abrasive wheels to remove material. This difference makes grinding the right choice for certain jobs that other machines cannot do well. This guide explains the basic uses of grinding machines in simple terms.
What Grinding Does
Grinding removes material very precisely. The grinding wheel is covered in tiny, hard particles called abrasive grains. These grains cut off tiny chips of metal. Because each chip is very small, the finished surface is very smooth. The dimensions are very accurate. Grinding can hold tolerances that lathes and mills cannot match.
Surface Grinding
Surface grinding makes flat surfaces flat and smooth. The workpiece sits on...