A computer numerically controlled (CNC) creep feed grinding machine is used to remove large amounts of material off workpieces in a single pass or in several passes to profile a shape to finish dimensions. The creep feed grinding machine has a horizontal table that has a lateral and crossfeed movement. The wheel is attached to a horizontal spindle, similar to a conventional surface grinding machine. The creep feed grinding machine is also equipped with a CNC wheel dressing device that can be arranged as a wheel profiling system or a diamond roll system. The wheel profiling system can be programmed to generate the desired wheel geometry and the diamond roll system utilizes a diamond roll that is configured to the shape needed in the wheel to plunge this shape into the wheel in a single plunge.

Creep feed grinding machines are most commonly used to grind a shape or profile into a hardened workpiece, from a pre-machined blank, to finish dimensions, thus eliminating the milling and/or turning operations that are usually done prior to the grinding operations.

The typical uses of a creep feed grinding machine is to grind a shape or profile into a tough- to- machine material, after it is heat treated. This process saves time and eliminates operations and also can give you a better workpiece as opposed to the conventional process of, milling or turning, then heat treating then finish grinding.

A creep feed grinding machine is usually used in medium to high volume workpiece production.