The surface texture analysis after sliding burnishing with cylindrical elements

It is widely recognized that the chipless finishing process - burnishing can be used efficaciously to reduce the surface height and increase of the surface hardness of a workpiece. Low surface roughness and good fatigue behaviors of some engineering components are becoming now more important. Main applications are automotive crankshaft, inner and outer bearings races, bogies axles, etc. Burnishing is a cold - working process in which plastic deformation causes roughness peaks flow towards the valleys, creating a new topography. The aspect of the final surface becomes a combinations of the previously treatment and the effect of burnishing. The main aim of the sliding burnishing is focused on the roughness reduction. The technology of sliding burnishing with cylindrical elements of diamond composite can be easily used for various types of materials. Application of the new diamond sinter with ceramic bonding phase in the form of Ti(3)SiC(2) as the tool material for sliding burnishing will allow to eliminate existing defect of the applied composites. Application of a cylindrical element instead of spherical elements has several advantages. A cylindrical element is easier to manufacture and easier to grind, which reduces the costs during wear of the contact zone tool - workpiece; one can easily change its position by rotation of the tool or change its height in relation to the workpiece. When rotation of the tool is not possible, one we can easily grind it - as the results its life will be extended several dozen times. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.