Effect of Shot Blasting and Shot Peening Parameters on Residual Stresses Induced in Connecting Rod

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of shot blasting and shot peening parameters on residual stresses induced in connecting rod. Compressive residual stresses are induced using shot peening to increase fatigue life of connecting rod. Shot peening is also responsible for increase in surface roughness. Surface roughness is detrimental for fatigue life of the connecting rod. This necessitates shot blasting to reduce surface roughness. Shot peening and shot blasting processes are analysed to find optimum process parameters which will induce required value of compressive residual stress on the surface of connecting rod. Compressive residual stresses induced in the connecting rod specimen have been experimentally measured using X-ray stress analyser. The experimental results have been analysed using grey relational analysis to find optimum values of process parameters for target value of compressive residual stress and surface roughness. The experimental investigation and the analysis of it have resulted in achieving the desired value of compressive residual stress, which is 10.5% higher over the existing connecting rod. Surface roughness also decreases to 3.84 Ra which is 8.5% lesser than specified value to achieve better fatigue life.