Effect of Surface Polishing Treatment on the Fatigue Performance of Shot-Peened Ti–6Al–4V Alloy

In this study, shot peening is applied to the titanium alloy Ti–6Al–4V, and the surface treatment effect on fatigue life of shot-peened specimens under high cycle loading is investigated. The induced residual stress is measured by using the orbital hole-drilling method. Surface profilometer and optical microscopy are employed to characterize the surface roughness and morphology. The deformed microstructure layers of the shot-peened specimens are investigated by using scanning electron microscopy. Experiments reveal that the fatigue life of Ti–6Al–4V is improved by the shot peening process, and the surface pre-peening polishing. The combination of pre- and post-peening polishing treatments further improves fatigue life of Ti–6Al–4V specimens. The present work provides useful guidelines for developing more efficient shot peening strategies.