1. Residual stresses

Any manufacturing process introduces residual stresses into a mechanical part, which will influence its fatigue, fracture and even corrosion behavior. There are few ways of processing materials that do not generate a new state of stress. Mechanical treatments are part of a range of processes whose role is to introduce compressive residual stresses. Thanks to this favorable residual stress field, the surface layers of a mechanical part can be unloaded, thereby significantly improving performance. This action can be likened to prestressed concrete. For this reason, mechanical surface treatments are often regarded as prestressing treatments.