A comparison of the effects of traditional shot peening and micro-shot peening on the scuffing resistance of carburized and quenched gear steel

Carburized and quenched specimens of 17CrNiMo6 gear steel were given two different shot peening treatments. Post-treatment Vickers hardness, residual stress, roughness and topography were determined. Traditional shot peening can increase surface hardness, residual stress and roughness. By contrast, micro-shot peening can decrease of surface roughness and increase both the surface hardness and residual stress even more. Scuffing tests were carried out using a ring-in-V-notch test configuration. It was found that shot peening can improve the scuffing resistance properties of gear steel, and that a combination of traditional shot peening and micro-shot peening can improve the scuffing resistance of carburized and quenched gear steel to the largest degree. The hardness and residual compress stress, roughness and topography produced during shot peening have an effect on the scuffing resistance of the carburized and quenched gear steel.