Mechanical Strengthening of Anti-Corrosive Surface Layers by Water Jet

A brief definition of progressive technologies is difficult to implement due to the widely different processes that fall into this category. There is a consensus in the literature that this group includes processes that use conventional forms of energy in a new way. One of such technologies includes strengthening of surface layers with a pulsating water jet, of which we do not yet have enough verified information. Mechanical strengthening of materials is widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as in the manufacturing of production machines and equipment. The beneficial effects of mechanical strengthening of surface layers, especially for dynamically stressed components, have been known for decades. Evidence of the beneficial effects of mechanical strengthening of surface layers in terms of increasing the service life of components processed in this way is already available. The aim of the present experimental tests is to use a pulsating water jet to solidify the surface layer of materials, specifically chromium-nickel steel, to determine suitable parameters so that the solidified surface has the required properties and is not damaged by the water jet. Evaluation of the experimental verifications was done by measuring microhardness and residual stresses in the surface layer.