Shot Peening Springs

Author:  Koenecke, Burrell, Mehelich
Source:  Springs, October 1982
Doc ID:  1982016
Year of Publication:  1982
Abstract:  
Shot peening as a method of significantly improving the operating (fatigue) life of springs is by no means new. The commercial origins of the technique go back to the automobile industry of about 1930, and today almost all automobiles use shot peened valve springs, and in many cases suspension springs. Shot peening has been applied successfully to springs with wire diameters as small as 0.010 in, as well as to extremely large coal pulverizer suspension springs with a diameter of 3.5 in. Peening is also used on a production basis on leaf springs, Belleville springs and torsion bars. The peening process is relatively inexpensive and has proven capable of increasing operating life by five to 10 times or more when compared to unpeened springs.