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Grinding is a process of material removal in which a wheel composed of many hard abrasive grits wears away a softer material. Almost any material can be ground - aluminum, steel, ceramics, even diamond or glass.
Grinding is used to form countless types of products such as automobile engines, sharp edges on knives, ball bearings and drills. The smooth, accurate surface of the Hubble Telescope lens was formed by a process of grinding and polishing.
The dramatic photo above shows grinding of steel with a wheel composed of aluminum oxide grits. The sparks are a result of small fragments of metal - grinding chips - being rapidly sheared from the surface at high temperatures and burning in the atmosphere.
The Histroy of Grinding
The process of abrasion that occurs during grinding has been used by mankind for thousands of years. Whether sharpening of early spears, shaping of medieval swords or the milling of grain illustrated by the millstones shown in the photo, grinding has been with us for a long time - and will continue to be with us for centuries to come.
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