Technological features of crankshaft hardening by vibration shock method

Introduction. The technological features of the processing crankshafts by the vibration shock method of surface plastic deformation (SPD), which is widely used in the technology of manufacturing machine parts, are considered. Theresearch objective is to justify the efficiency of the influence of vibration shock hardening treatment on improving the quality and performance of crankshafts (CS).Materials and Methods. The methodological studies included the validation of the vibration shock processing flowchart and the development of an analytic model for assessing the effect of processing on the change in the macrogeometry (warpage) of the CS.Results. Flowcharts have been developed for volumetric vibration shock finishing and hardening treatment of CS using a vibratory machine with a U-shaped work chamber. Its overall dimensions measure alike or exceed the overall dimensions of the CS being processed, and ensure the location of the shaft in such a way that its main axis, coinciding with the axis of the main bearing journals, is in the zone of the conditional axis of working mass rotation. The surface quality parameters were investigated during their processing on the UVG 4X10 vibratory unit according to the proven techniques using the dedicated tooling. It has been established that the vibration shock hardening treatment (ViHT) enables, due to plastic deformation of microroughness, to obtain a qualitatively new surface microrelief and to reduce its initial roughness, to drastically increase the surface microhardness of the CS main and rod journals; at that, it changes the stressed state of their surface layer. A calculated dependence is proposed to assess the total warpage of the CS strengthened under the ViHT, and its adequacy is confirmed. It is shown that the warpage of the shaft after the ViHT is due to the different tension of the rod and main journals of the CS at the level of Кн ≈ 0.6.Discussion and Conclusions. Vibration shock treatment of CS provides an improvement in the geometric and physicomechanical parameters of surfaces of the rod and main journals. As a result of processing all surfaces of the shaft, warpage does not exceed the permissible values established by the technical requirements. So, we can conclude on the efficiency of the considered method of hardening CS with the aim of increasing their operational properties.