Without a center or without using a center as a reference point, especially in manufacturing referring to a grinding method that doesn't require a fixed center.
From 'center' plus the suffix '-less' meaning 'without.' In engineering, 'centerless' grinding became important in the mid-20th century as a manufacturing technique.
Centerless grinding seems paradoxical—how can you grind without a center?—but the answer is brilliant: guide the part with rollers instead, making it perfect for long, thin objects like needles or shafts.
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