Centerless Grinding Services
High-precision cylindrical grinding that produces excellent roundness, fine surface finishes, and very tight dimensional tolerances — on prototypes through full production runs.
What is centerless grinding?
Centerless grinding is a form of cylindrical grinding in which the workpiece is supported not by centers or chucks, but between a grinding wheel, a regulating wheel, and a work rest blade. This setup removes the deflection and runout limitations of center-based grinding, producing exceptional roundness, tight diameter control, and fine surface finishes — at high throughput.
Because parts are supported along their full length, centerless grinding is ideal for long, slender shafts and high-volume bar stock that would chatter or flex in other processes. At Houston Centerless, it's our core competency.
Through-feed & in-feed grinding
Through-feed
Parts pass continuously between the wheels — perfect for straight cylindrical parts, dowel pins, and bar stock in high volumes.
In-feed (plunge)
The wheel plunges to a set depth — ideal for parts with shoulders, multiple diameters, tapers, or contoured profiles.
Benefits of centerless grinding
Parts we grind every day
Pair grinding with finishing & machining
Centerless grinding questions, answered
What is centerless grinding?
Centerless grinding is a precision cylindrical grinding process in which the workpiece is supported between a grinding wheel, a regulating wheel, and a work rest blade — rather than held in centers or a chuck. This produces excellent roundness, tight diameter control, and fine surface finishes at high throughput.
What tolerances can centerless grinding hold?
We hold diameter tolerances to ±0.00025″ with surface finishes to 8 Ra, depending on material and application.
What's the difference between through-feed and in-feed centerless grinding?
Through-feed grinding passes straight cylindrical parts continuously between the wheels for high-volume work, while in-feed (plunge) grinding is used for parts with shoulders, multiple diameters, tapers, or contoured profiles.
How does centerless grinding work?
The workpiece rests on a work rest blade between a grinding wheel and a slower regulating wheel. The regulating wheel controls the part's rotation and feed rate while the grinding wheel removes material — grinding the outer diameter without holding the part in centers.
Is centerless grinding the same as OD grinding?
Centerless grinding is a type of OD (outer diameter) grinding. Both grind the outside of cylindrical parts, but centerless grinding supports the part on a work rest blade instead of between centers — allowing faster, continuous grinding of shafts, pins, and bar stock.
What materials can be centerless ground?
We centerless grind carbon and alloy steel, stainless steel, brass, and most machinable metals in bar, shaft, and pin form.
What diameter range do you grind?
We grind diameters from approximately 0.125″ to 16″.
Do you offer centerless grinding nationwide?
Yes. We're based in Houston, Texas and ship precision-ground parts to customers in all 50 states, with local pickup and delivery across greater Houston.
Can you handle both prototype and production volumes?
Absolutely — from a single prototype to production runs of 100,000+ parts, with consistent, repeatable results across the batch.
Need centerless grinding?
Send your print and get a quote in under an hour. Houston-based, shipping nationwide.