Short answers, pulled from the story.
Grinding is an abrasive machining process that uses a grinding wheel as its cutting tool to produce fine finishes and accurate dimensions. Each grain of the abrasive functions as a microscopic single-point cutting edge that shears tiny chips from the workpiece.
Edmund and Gerhard Lang invented creep-feed grinding during the late 1950s in Germany. This new method removes material at high rates while keeping workpiece speed low compared to normal grinding practices.
Continuous-dress creep-feed grinding takes only 17 seconds to remove material whereas precision grinding requires more than 200 seconds for the same task. This improvement emerged in the 1970s to address wheel sharpness issues through constant self-dressing during machining.
Precision grinding reaches tolerances as high as specified limits with surface finishes ranging up to 1.6 micrometers Rmax. Standard disk-shaped wheels create tapered or straight geometries while formed wheels generate elaborate shapes with less vibration.
Cast iron and mild steel demonstrate very good characteristics for cylindrical grinding operations while aluminum brass and plastics show poor-to-fair machinability. Stainless steel proves difficult due to toughness and ability to work harden despite working with the right grade of grinding wheels.