Precision components are increasingly in demand in various engineering fields such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), electro-optics, aerospace, automotive, biomedical engineering, and internet and communication technology (ICT) hardware. In addition to the aims of achieving tight tolerances and high-quality surface finishes, many applications also require the use of hard and brittle materials such as optical glass and technical ceramics owing to their superior physical, mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. However, because of their high hardness and usually low fracture toughness, the processing and fabrication of these hard-to-machine materials have always been challenging. Furthermore, the delicate heat treatment required and composite materials...