Evaluation of heat release in the process of pulsed mechanical hardening of titanium alloys

We estimate the heat flows and distributions of temperature in titanium alloys in the course of their pulsed mechanical treatment. It is shown that, in the case of application of hardening tools made of 12Kh18N10T stainless steel, the heat flow directed into the hardened surface increases, which results in the additional heating of the surface layers to higher temperatures and, hence, in the growth of the depth of the hardened layer. An important role played by shear strains and mass transfer in the process of surface hardening of titanium alloys by pulsed mechanical treatment is discussed.