The cylindrical grinder is a type of grinding machine used to shape the outside of an object. The cylindrical grinder can work on a variety of shapes, however the object must have a central axis of rotation. This includes but is not limited to such shapes as a cylinder, an ellipse, a cam, or a crankshaft.
Cylindrical grinding is, as its name implies, the grinding of circular or cylindrical work pieces with the goal of achieving as much “roundness” of the work piece as possible. Here, not only must the outside of a work piece be machined accordingly, but also its inner diameter must be manufactured with extreme precision, e.g. on gear wheels.