Simulation Study of the Effect of Axial Feed on Compressive and Tensile Stresses Distribution of AL6061 during the Shot Peening Process

The process of shot peening is regarded as surface treatment that comprises projecting small particles at high velocities upon a surface of a ductile material. Impacts of these shots result in localized plastic strains compressing the surface. Such plastic flow causes stretching of the near-surface layer, whereas the underlying material isn’t permanently deformed. Owing to gradient of the through-thickness plastic strain, the process of shot peening inserts the in-plane compressive residual stresses close the surface. This process is protecting the peened parts against the mechanisms of failure, like fatigue, fretting fatigue, and stress corrosion cracking. Such method is normally utilized in the industries of automotive and aerospace for improving the life of fatigue. Thus, the present paper aims to study the simulation of the effect of applying an axial feed upon the values and distribution of the compressive and tensile stresses of aluminum alloy AL6061 through the process of shot peening utilizing finite element analysis (FEM). A simulation model was developed, and the simulation results were compared with the values of these stresses before the shot peening process. Additionally, the value of velocity at the collision moment was found, which refers to the magnitude of energy that absorbed by the material of the Al alloy specimen. The results manifested that the shot peened specimen is subjected to a biaxial state of stress mostly predominated by the compressive stress at the axial feed of 0.8 mm which is favored from the better mechanical properties point of view.