Effect of Slide Burnishing on the Surface Layer and Fatigue Life of Titanium Alloy Parts

The paper presents the results of a study investigating the effect of slide burnishing on the surface roughness, surface layer microhardness and fatigue life of Ti6Al2Mo2Cr titanium alloy parts. The burnishing process was performed with the use of a diamond tip tool. Different machining fluids were used as machining media. Prior to burnishing, the samples were subjected to turning. The burnishing process led to reduced surface roughness (average roughness Ra decreased by 3.5 times and roughness Rz decreased by 2.5 times) as well as increased surface layer microhardness (microhardness maximum increase by 12%) and fatigue life of the tested parts. A relationship between the machining medium and the burnishing effects was also observed. The addition of a surface-active polymethyl methacrylate solution to the machining medium led to an increase in the surface layer microhardness and fatigue life of the workpiece.