Abstract
Oil jet peening is a new surface modification process developed for the introduction of compressive residual stresses. This paper describes the effect of oil jet peening on the fatigue performance of aluminum alloy, AA 6063-T6. Specimens were peened at an oil injection pressure of 40 MPa with various nozzle-traveling velocities. Each impact of oil droplet generates an indentation on the surface of specimen. The surface roughness increases with decreasing nozzle-traveling velocity. The maximum compressive residual stress developed is about 75% of yield strength. Fatigue life depends on the compressive residual stress as well as surface roughness of oil jet peened specimens. Fracture mechanism of unpeened and oil jet peened specimens were studied using optical and scanning electron microscopes.
