Mechanical surface treatment of steel-Optimization parameters of regime

Mechanical treatment process by superficial plastic deformation is employed for finished mechanical part surface. It introduces structural modifications that offer to basic material new properties witch give a high quality of physical and geometrical on superficial layers. This study focuses on the application of burnishing treatment (ball burnishing) on XC48 steel and parameters optimisation of treatment regime. Three important parameters were considered: burnishing force "P-y", burnishing feed "f" and ball radius "r". An empirical model has been developed to illustrate the relationship between these parameters and superficial layer characteristics defined by surface roughness "R-a" and superficial hardness "H-v". A program was developed in order to determine the optimum treatment regimes for each characteristic. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved