A professional who sets up and operates external grinding machines to grind external cylindrical and tapered surfaces of rotating metal workpieces, such as tool, die, and machine parts, usually for limited runs, analyzing blueprints and specifications and selecting tooling according to knowledge of external grinding procedures. Respnsibilities include:

• Studies blueprint or layout on workpiece to visualize grinding to be done and plans sequence of operations.
• Selects grinding wheel, according to knowledge of metal properties and abrasives, and mounts wheel on spindle.
• Dresses wheel manually or with preset dressing device.
• Moves controls and reads dials to set angle of workpiece to grinding wheel.
• Positions and secures workpiece between centers, on magnetic chuck, or in chuck jaws, using wrenches.
• Selects and sets grinding wheel speed, work surface speed, and travel rate of powered table.
• Positions and tightens stops to set depth of grinding wheel cut and stroke of worktable.
• Moves controls to feed wheel to workpiece manually or automatically.
• Turns valve handle and directs flow of coolant against wheel and workpiece.
• Verifies dimensions of ground workpiece for conformance to specifications, using such measuring instruments as micrometers, dial indicators, and gauge blocks.
• May dress grinding wheel to specified profile for contour grinding, using special fixtures and tools.
• May grind nonmetallic materials.
• May operate tracer attachment to duplicate contours from templates or models.
• May be required to have experience with particular material, product, or precision level, or with machine of particular size, type, or trade name.
• May set up machines for other workers.
• May be designated according to type of machine operated as roll grinder operator.