Abstract: A method serves for circumferential grinding of radially non-circular workpieces, in particular for grinding cams (15) or polygons. The workpiece is rotated about a first second axis (13) extending at an angle, preferably of 90.degree., relative to the first axis (18). Starting out from a raw contour, the material at the surface of the workpiece (15) is removed along spiral-shaped paths of a point of action (20), by a plurality of steps corresponding each to one rotation of the workpiece, until intermediate contours and finally a finished contour are obtained, this being achieved by rotating and/or advancing the workpiece and the grinding wheel (11) in a controlled way, in response to data records. Every time an intermediate contour is reached, a new data record is called up for the next rotation of the workpiece. One measures continuously a predetermined absolute dimension (R.sub.Gist) of the workpiece and derives therefrom the existing deviation (.increment.R.sub.G) from a given setpoint value (R.sub.