Improvement of spring fatigue strength by new warm stress double shot peening process

Abstract

Shot peening technology plays a very important role in improving the fatigue strength of springs. In the present paper a new warm stress double shot peening (WSDSP) process developed by the authors is described. The authors have previously proposed a warm stress shot peening (WSSP) process, which is a combination of warm shot peening (WSP) and stress shot peening (SSP). Double shot peening (DSP) has been the method employed most widely for improved fatigue strength to date. The fatigue strengths resulting from these shot peening processes are compared in the present work. The new WSDSP process leads to significant improvement of spring fatigue strength because it includes an additional shot peening stage with small shot size (0.2 mm dia.), elevated temperature (300°C), and stressed condition (735 MPa), all not found in WSSP. After 300 000 cycles, the standard required life span, WSDSP results in a fatigue strength as high as 735 ± 590 MPa. In comparison, DSP gives a fatigue strength of 735 ± 300 MPa and WSSP of 735 ± 500 MPa. The WSDSP treated material gives the highest performance because the use of small shot size for the additional warm stress shot peening increases the compressive residual stress and hardness near the surface, and decreases the surface roughness.