Mechanical surface treatments of lightweight materials—Effects on fatigue strength and near-surface microstructures

Mechanical surface treatments such as shot peening or deep rolling are well-known processes to improve the fatigue strength of metallic components. This is due to favorable microstructural alterations in relatively thin surface layers as a consequence of near-surface inhomogeneous plastic deformations. Typical examples demonstrate the fatigue-strength increase for mechanically surface-treated specimens. Existing possibilities to improve the fatigue strength of welded joints by mechanical surface treatments are also included. In the case of lightweight materials (e. g. magnesium- or aluminum-base alloys), process parameters must be well adapted in individual cases to achieve optimum near-surface material states, taking into account the wide range of mechanical properties attainable as a result of their specific material microstructure.