Preliminary Investigations into Roller Burnishing Process: Investigating the Effect of Roller Burnishing Parameters on AISI 4340 Steel

Abstract

Burnishing is a very simple and effective method for improvement in surface finish and can be carried out using existing machines, such as lathe and milling machine. On account of its high productivity, it also saves more on production costs than other conventional processes such as super finishing, polishing, honing and grinding. Moreover, the burnished surface has a high wear resistance, corrosion resistance and better fatigue life. In conventional machining processes the tensile residual stresses are induced on the surface of material, which reduces the fatigue strength of material, this can be prevented by inducing residual compressive stresses on the surface of material. Burnishing is a cold working process in which initial asperities are compressed beyond yield strength against load. The surface of the material is progressively compressed, then plasticized as resultant stresses reach a steady maximum value and finally wiped a superfine finish. In the present paper, preliminary investigations for roller burnishing are specifically focused. It gives a thorough idea about the effect of roller burnishing parameters (such as feed, speed, burnishing force and number of passes) on dimensional tolerances, surface hardness, surface roughness and fatigue life on AISI 4340 steel (EN24 steel).