Search Results (34)

Wear, fatigue, and corrosion are just a few of the issues that mechanical components in engineering experience, leading to surface deterioration. Enhancing the surface characteristics of engineering components is therefore essential. The surface properties of engineering objects can be improved by applying different surface treatments. One of these processes is shot peening (SP). Process parameters are crucial for SP. This necessitates the optimization of SP process parameters. In this study, we applied SP and vibratory shot peening (VSP) processes to different steel materials (AISI 8620, AISI 5140, AISI 4140, and AISI 1020) using different process parameters, aiming to determine the effects of these parameters on hardness, residual stress, and surface roughness. The highest compressive residual stress (CRS) and hardness values for shot-peened samples were obtained at the 24–26 A intensity for all steels. For all steel-group VSP samples, the highest CRS and hardness values were obtained at the 60 s −4 mm parameter. This paper aims to predict Almen intensity values using CRS, surface roughness, and hardness values from various steels. The supplied experimental data was utilized to estimate the SP Almen intensity value using a number of machine learning (ML) methods, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming experimentation. With an RMSE of 0.0731, R2 of 0.9665, and MAE of 0.0613, the deep neural network (DNN) surpassed the other models in terms of prediction accuracy. The results indicate that artificial intelligence technology could be utilized to accurately evaluate Almen intensity. Full article

Quench–polish–quench (QPQ) nitro-carburizing of AISI 4140 steel in a salt bath was performed in this study. Nitro-carburizing in a salt bath enhanced the formation of Fe-nitride on the outer surface layer. Moreover, the oxidizing treatment formed a thin oxide layer decorated on the outermost part of the QPQ-treated sample. The dense compound layer formed after nitro-carburizing in a salt bath consisted of refined granular Fe₃N and transformed to Fe₂N after post-oxidation treatment. Micro-shot peening (MSP) was adopted before QPQ treatment to increase the treated steel’s fatigue performance. The results indicated that MSP slightly increased the thickness of the compound layer and harden depth, but it had little effect on improving the fatigue strength/life of the QPQ-treated sample (SP-QPQ) compared to the non-peened one (NP-QPQ). A deep compressive residual stress (CRS) field (about 200 μm) and a hard nitrided layer showed a noticeable improvement in the fatigue performance of the QPQ-treated ones relative to the 4140 substrates tempered at 570 °C. The ease of slipping or deforming on the substrate surface was responsible for its poor resistance to fatigue failure. The cracking and spalling of the brittle surface layer were the causes for the fatigue crack initiation and growth of all of the QPQ-treated samples fatigue-loaded at/above 875 MPa. It was noticed that fatigue crack initiation at the subsurface inclusions was more likely to occur in the SP-QPQ sample fatigue-loading at 850 MPa or slightly above the fatigue limit. Full article

Heat-performance nickel-based superalloys are commonly applied in various critical industries. In this work, test samples in the form of turbine blades were manufactured by means of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D technology. This research focused on comparison of the influences of various surface finishing methods. The mechanical surface post-processing of the LPBF-manufactured Inconel 718 alloy samples consisted of ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT), ultrasonic shot peening (USP), shot peening (SP), and barrel finishing (BF). The surface microrelief was evaluated using a high-precision laser profilometer, while the microstructural features were studied by light optical microscopy (LOM), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Potentiodynamic polarization tests were also conducted to compare the surface finishing methods in terms of corrosion resistance improvement of the LPBF-manufactured 718 alloy samples. The effects of the surface microstructure and hardening intensity in combination with residual stresses and surface relief coupled with roughness profile shapes on the room temperature corrosion behavior of plastically deformed 718 alloy specimens manufactured by LPBF were studied. The corrosion rate (CR) of the LPBF-manufactured samples was reduced after post-processing: BF (~16 μm/year), USP (~15 μm/year), SP (~6.5 μm/year), and UIT (~5.5 μm/year). The experimental trends also agreed well with the theoretical trends of uniform corrosion of the studied alloy. Full article

This work systematically investigated the effects of warm shot peening (WSP) on the microstructure evolution, residual stress, and microhardness of the Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.4Zr (GW83) alloy by X-ray diffraction line profile analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray stress analyzer and hardness tester. The results indicated that severe plastic deformation induced by WSP resulted in a gradient nanostructure in the GW83 alloy, accompanied by significant compressive residual stress. In contrast to conventional SP, WSP led to working softening due to the dynamic recrystallization behavior. The formation of nanograins in the GW83 alloy during WSP occurs in three steps: (i) at an early stage, the introduction of a high density of dislocations and a few deformation twins subdivide bulk grains into substructures; (ii) through the processes of dislocation gliding, accumulation, and rearrangement, these substructures undergo further refinement, gradually evolving into ultrafine grains; and (iii) the inhomogeneous ultrafine grains develop into nanograins through dislocation-assisted lattice rotation and dynamic recrystallization. Full article

As advanced structural materials, titanium alloys have found extensive applications in aerospace, medical devices, and precision electronics industries, serving as critical components for achieving lightweight designs in high-end equipment. In aerospace applications, titanium alloy components are frequently subjected to complex thermo-mechanical loading conditions involving varying temperature levels and multiaxial stress states, which may induce progressive fatigue damage accumulation and ultimately lead to premature fracture failures. This study conducts a systematic investigation into the fatigue damage mechanisms of aerospace-grade titanium alloys under service conditions, with particular emphasis on elucidating the synergistic effects of microstructural characteristics, surface integrity parameters, and operational temperature variations on fatigue behavior. Through comprehensive analysis, the research reveals that surface modification techniques, including shot peening (SP), ultrasonic surface polling process (USRP), and laser shock peening (LSP), significantly enhance fatigue performance through two primary mechanisms: (1) the generated residual compressive stress fields effectively inhibit crack initiation and retard propagation rates; (2) improved surface integrity characteristics, such as reduced roughness and work-hardened layers, contribute to enhanced oxidation resistance thereby preserving structural integrity. Full article

This study investigated the influence of the filling ratio of the working chamber and ball diameter in vibratory shot peening (VSP) on select properties of the surface layer. The tested material was 30HGSA steel, which is effectively used in the aviation industry. The following were analyzed: the surface roughness parameters, the shape of the Abbott–Firestone curve, the bearing area ratio Smr_(c=50%), the microhardness distribution, the microhardness on the surface, and the residual stress σ on the surface. A change in the ratio of peaks and valleys in the maximum height of the profile was observed. After VSP, the valleys were dominant over the peaks. The most favorable values of the analyzed roughness parameters (Sz, Sp, and Sv) were obtained for d = 9.4 mm and k_d = 33%. The bearing area ratio Smr_(c=50%) was approximately 50 times higher than before VSP (the most favorable for d = 9.4 mm and k_d = 33%). The largest thickness of the strengthened layer of 200 μm and the greatest increase in the microhardness equal to ΔHV 0.05 = 109 were obtained after VSP was conducted using the ball diameter d = 14.3 mm k_d = 33%. Regardless of the VSP conditions, the absolute value of compressive stresses increased; the highest σ stresses were obtained for d = 3.0 mm and k_d = 33%, and they were 88% higher than before the treatment. It was concluded that the recommended chamber-filling ratio for beneficial properties is k_d = 33%. Full article

To investigate the thermal stability of a shot-peened specimen and ensure the reliability operation under high temperatures, CNT/Al-Cu-Mg composites were treated by shot peening (SP) and the isothermal aging treatment. The heating temperatures were 100, 150, 200, and 250 °C. Changes in surface residual stress and the distribution along the depth were investigated. The microstructure changes were analyzed by XRD and observed by TEM. Changes in mechanical properties were characterized by microhardness. The results show that the compressive residual stress (CRS) release and the microstructure changes mainly occurred at the initial stage of heating treatment. After 128 min of isothermal aging treatment at 250 °C, the surface CRS released 91.9% and the maximum CRS released 80.9%, the surface domain size increased by 222%, and the microstrain and microhardness decreased by 49% and 27.3%, respectively. The reinforcement effect introduced by SP basically disappeared. A large number of second-phase particles, such as CNT, Al₂Cu, and Al₄C₃, were anchored at grain boundaries, hindering dislocation movement and enhancing the thermal stability of the material. Isothermal aging treatment at 100 °C and 150 °C for a duration of 32 min is a reliable circumstance for maintaining SP reinforcement. Full article

In this study, shot peening (SP), quenching and tempering (QT) heat treatment, baking heat treatment and Cr-plating technologies were used to enhance the hardness, tribological properties and corrosion resistance of AISI 4340M steel. The purpose of this study is to develop repair process technology for an overhaul of landing gear applied to the MRO process and establish a quality assurance system. The effects of SP, QT heat treatment, Cr-plating, stripping after Cr-plating and Cr-plating after stripping and re-SP on the tribological properties and corrosion resistance of AISI 4340M steel were investigated, and the obtained results were compared with the base AISI 4340M steel. One of the reasons for stripping after Cr-plating is to find out how many times stripping can be done after Cr-plating. Moreover, it is important to investigate the effect of re-SP after Cr-plating on the tribological properties and corrosion resistance. The tribological properties of the specimens were investigated using a ball-on-disk tribometer at room temperature against AISI 52100 steel for 60 min under dry conditions. The corrosion resistance was investigated using a potentiodynamic polarization test in NaCl 3.5% solution. The results showed that the application of SP, QT heat treatment, Cr-plating, stripping after Cr-plating and Cr-plating after stripping and re-SP had a significant effect on the tribological properties and corrosion resistance of AISI 4340M steel. The effects of SP and Cr-plating post-treatment technologies on the wear and corrosion enhancement and mechanisms were discussed based on the microstructural and surface morphology of worn and corroded surfaces. Full article

G115 steel is a novel martensitic heat-resistant steel, primarily utilized in the main steam pipelines and collectors of ultra-supercritical thermal power units. However, the oxidation resistance of martensitic steels in the high-temperature steam environment is usually suboptimal, significantly affecting the efficiency of power plants. In this paper, shot peening (SP) is employed as a surface treatment method for G115 steel, and the oxidation kinetics, oxide layer thickness, and microstructure of shot-peened G115 samples are compared with those of G115 steel. The results indicate that in the 650 °C steam environment, the oxidation kinetics of the shot-peened samples follow the parabolic law and that the oxidation weight gain is significantly smaller than that of the non-shot-peened samples. The higher the SP intensity, the smaller the oxidation weight gain and the better the oxidation resistance. This can be attributed to the fragmentation of the grains in the surface layer caused by external stress during SP, which creates a multitude of grain boundaries that can provide rapid diffusion pathways for corrosion-resistant Cr atoms, resulting in the accelerated outward diffusion of Cr atoms from the substrate. Simultaneously, a continuous and dense FeCr₂O₄ protective layer is produced at the interface between the SP layer and the substrate, obstructing the inward diffusion of oxygen and enhancing the oxidation resistance of G115 steel. Full article

The growing demand for modern steels showing corrosion and tribological resistance has led to their increased use in the production of medical devices. This study analyzed the effect of shot peening on wear resistance in 0.9% NaCl solution of 17-4PH steel produced by direct laser metal sintering (DMLS) technology. The study’s novelty relies on revealing the effect of shot peening (SP) surface treatment on the wet sliding wear resistance of 17-4PH steel produced with DMLS. Moreover, in the context of 17-4PH steel application for medical devices, the 0.9% NaCl tribological environment were selected, and SP processes were conducted using steel CrNi shot and ceramic (ZrO₂) beads. The up-to-date scientific literature has not identified these gaps in the research. DMLS technology makes it possible to obtain products with complex architectures, but it also faces various challenges, including imperfections in the surface layer of products due to the use of 3D printing technology itself. The chemical and phase composition of the materials obtained, Vickers hardness, surface roughness, and microscopic and SEM imaging were investigated. Tribological tests were carried out using the ball-on-disc method, and the surfaces that showed traces of abrasion to identify wear mechanisms were subjected to SEM analysis. The XRD phase analysis indicates that austenite and martensite were found in the post-production state, while a higher martensitic phase content was found in peened samples due to phase transformations. The surface hardness of the peened samples increased by more than double, and the post-treatment roughness increased by 12.8% after peening CrNi steels and decreased by 7.8% after peening ZrO₂ relative to the reference surfaces. Roughness has an identifiable effect on sliding wear resistance. Higher roughness promotes material loss. After the SP process, the coefficient of friction increased by 15.5% and 20.7%, while the wear factor (K) decreased by 25.9% and 32.7% for the samples peened with CrNi steels and ZrO₂, respectively. Abrasive and adhesive mechanisms were dominant, featured with slight fatigue. The investigation showed a positive effect of SP on the tribological properties of DMSL 17-4PH. Full article

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are prospective advanced materials for the production of components that operate at high, severe friction and in high-temperature environments. This is because they possess unique properties requisite for such applications. Hence, this study was aimed at reviewing most recent publications on the tribological characteristics of HEAs processed with spark plasma sintering (SPS). The choice of SPS was because it impacts alloys with a homogenous microstructure, high wear resistance, densely packed grains, and nanocrystalline microstructure. The resource materials for this study were obtained from the Scopus-indexed journal/Google Scholar website for articles published within the last five years. From the study, it was observed that HEAs have good tribological properties which permit their prospective usage in the production of strength-demanding, wear-demanding, and temperature-demanding components. The addition of BCC-forming and FCC-forming elements would help in improving the wear properties of HEAs. It was also observed from the literature that the incorporation of post-processing treatment, laser cladding, shot peening, or the coating of SPSed composites would increase the effective performance and durability of HEAs prepared with SPS. Full article

Laser shock peening (LSP) is a mechanical surface treatment process to modify near-surface material properties. Compared to conventional shot peening (SP) the process parameters can be finely adjusted with greater precision and a higher penetration depth of compressive residual stresses could be reached. However, high process times of LSP leads to high production costs. In this study, ultrafast LSP (U-LSP) with an ultrafast laser source (pulse time in the picosecond range) was applied on specimens made of X5CrNiCu15-5 and AlZnMgCu1.5. The surface characteristics (surface roughness) and surface-near properties (microstructure, residual stresses, and phase composition) were compared to the as-delivered condition, to conventional laser shock peening (C-LSP), and to SP, whereas metallographic analyses and X-ray and synchrotron radiation techniques were used. The process time was significantly lower via U-LSP compared to C-LSP. For X5CrNiCu15-5, no significant compressive residual stresses were induced via U-LSP. However, for AlZnMgCu1.5, similar compressive residual stresses were reached via C-LSP and U-LSP; however, with a lower penetration depth. A change in the phase portions in the surface layer of X5CrNiCu15-5 after C-LSP compared to SP were determined. Full article

In the present study, the experimental data of a shot-peened (TiB + TiC)/Ti–6Al–4V composite with two volume fractions of 5 and 8% for TiB + TiC reinforcements were used to develop a neural network based on the deep learning technique. In this regard, the distributions of hardness and residual stresses through the depth of the materials as the properties affected by shot peening (SP) treatment were modeled via the deep neural network. The values of the TiB + TiC content, Almen intensity, and depth from the surface were considered as the inputs, and the corresponding measured values of the residual stresses and hardness were regarded as the outputs. In addition, the surface coverage parameter was assumed to be constant in all samples, and only changes in the Almen intensity were considered as the SP process parameter. Using the presented deep neural network (DNN) model, the distributions of hardness and residual stress from the top surface to the core material were continuously evaluated for different combinations of input parameters, including the Almen intensity of the SP process and the volume fractions of the composite reinforcements. Full article

The use of additively manufactured components specifically utilizing titanium alloys has seen rapid growth particularly in aerospace applications; however, the propensity for retained porosity, high(er) roughness finish, and detrimental tensile surface residual stresses are still a limiting factor curbing its expansion to other sectors such as maritime. The main aim of this investigation is to determine the effect of a duplex treatment, consisting of shot peening (SP) and a coating deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD), to mitigate these issues and improve the surface characteristics of this material. In this study, the additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V material was observed to have a tensile and yield strength comparable to its wrought counterpart. It also exhibited good impact performance undergoing mixed mode fracture. It was also observed that the SP and duplex treatments resulted in a 13% and 210% increase in hardness, respectively. Whilst the untreated and SP treated samples exhibited a similar tribocorrosion behavior, the duplex-treated sample exhibited the greatest resistance to corrosion-wear observed by the lack of damage on the surface and the diminished material loss rates. On the other hand, the surface treatments did not improve the corrosion performance of the Ti-6Al-4V substrate. Full article

Remanufacturing has become popular as a system for reducing CO₂ emissions caused by the life cycle of products. Therefore, producing more components via remanufacturing is important. Shot peening can be used to render surface defects harmless owing to the compressive residual stress effects. This study investigated the effects of shot peening as a means of remanufacturing gears. In this study, carburized steel specimens containing artificial defects were used to investigate the effects of shot peening on the fatigue strength; the defect size was rendered harmless by shot peening. Shot peening was conducted after inducing semicircular slits with depths of a = 0.15, 0.20, and 0.30 mm. Subsequently, plane bending fatigue tests were carried out. A maximum compressive residual stress of 1400 MPa was induced after shot peening. The fatigue limit of the smooth specimen increased by approximately 31% after shot peening. A semicircular slit of at least 0.20 mm deep could be rendered harmless by shot peening (SP). The defect size reduced by SP was evaluated on the basis of fracture mechanics. The estimated results are consistent with the experimental results. On the basis of the results, the feasibility of shot peening as a remanufacturing method for gears is discussed. Full article