1. Definition and fields of application

As with any machining operation, the aim of abrasive machining is to remove material from a workpiece and impose dimensions and a surface finish (roughness and form deviations, mechanical and physico-chemical integrity) that meet specifications. This material removal is carried out by applying a mechanical load (forces, torques) to the part, but whereas in other mechanical processes known as "cutting", one or more cutting tools of precise shape – such as a drill, a milling cutter, a spindle or machining inserts – remove material in the form of millimeter-sized chips, material removal by abrasion is carried out on a micrometer or submicrometer scale by abrasive grains of variable size, shape and orientation.