This study presents the application of a new technique, magnetic field assisted finishing, for finishing of the inner surfaces of alumina ceramic components. The experiments performed on alumina ceramic tubes examine the effects of volume of lubricant, ferrous particle size, and abrasive grain size on the finishing characteristics. The finished surface is highly dependent on the volume of lubricant, which affects the abrasive contact against the surface; on the ferrous particle size, which changes the finishing force acting on the abrasive; and on the abrasive grain size, which controls the depth of cut. By altering these conditions, this process achieves surface finishes as fine as 0.02 mum in surface roughness (R-a) and imparts minimal additional residual stress to the surface. This study also reveals the mechanism to smooth the inner surface of alumina ceramic tube and to improve the form accuracy, i.e. the roundness of inside the alumina ceramic tube. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.