Cylindrical Grinding
Cylindrical grinding finishes the outside diameters of shafts, pins and round parts held between centres or in a chuck, reaching tolerances around ±0.002–0.005 mm and finishes near Ra 0.2–0.4 µm. It is the standard way to finish bearing seats and precision fits.
What it is
The workpiece rotates while a grinding wheel, rotating much faster, traverses along it or plunges in to size. Diameters, shoulders and tapers are ground concentric to the centres, giving excellent roundness and runout.
It is used after turning, and after hardening where required, to bring critical diameters to their final size and finish.
Typical applications
- Bearing and seal diameters on shafts
- Spindles, arbors and mandrels
- Hydraulic rods and plungers
- Precision pins and rollers
- Hard chrome plated rods (after plating)
Suitable materials
- Hardened and case-hardened steels
- Alloy and tool steels
- Stainless steel
- Cast iron
- Hard chrome plated surfaces
Points to consider
- Parts need accurate centres (or a good chucking diameter) for grinding between centres.
- Leave around 0.2–0.4 mm on diameter for grinding after hardening.
- Undercuts at shoulders let the wheel finish the diameter fully.
- State runout between diameters if it matters for the assembly.
Frequently asked questions
What tolerance can cylindrical grinding achieve?
Around ±0.002–0.005 mm on diameter is typical, with roundness within a few microns.
Is cylindrical grinding done after hardening?
Usually yes. Turning leaves a small allowance, the part is hardened, then critical diameters are ground to final size.
What is the difference between cylindrical and centerless grinding?
Cylindrical grinding holds the part on centres or in a chuck, suiting shouldered and stepped parts. Centerless grinding supports plain round parts on a blade and suits high volumes.