Abstract The deformation of a part occurring in the process of grinding directly influences its exploitation and quality parameters. The instability of shape and size, which occurs due to an imbalance of residual stress, can be the one of the major causes of deformation of a part. The decrease in stress slows down the deformation process. Considering the regularities of heat source intensity dependence on the grinding modes, it can be asserted that with increasing grinding depth and grinding wheel hardness, the value increases and it decreases with a growth in a speed of the part and the use of cooling. The higher the heat removal is and the better lubricant properties of the liquid are, the more significant the decrease in is. Changing these values allows regulation of the residual stresses. As a result of the research on determination of deformations, it is recommended to reduce thermal deformations by considering the geometric size of a plate to be machined, linear expansion coefficient of plate material and an allowance for nonflatness from thermal deformations. The value of nonflatness from thermal deformations is directly proportional to linear expansion coefficient of plate material and its square overall dimensions. At the same time, the value of nonflatness is inversely proportional to the plate thickness.