Why Leafsprings that Undergo Shot Peening are More Durable — Automotive Parts Suppliers

Shot peening is the blasting method of cleaning or altering various surfaces. In the case of automotive parts, it is most used in the production of leafsprings. It is basically a process where a small ball called a shot bombards the target surface repeatedly. When a shot is fired it creates a dimple on the surface, but below the surface the material tries to restore its original shape, if you had a go at it for a hundred thousand times, it would create a compressed and highly stressed network.          

Nearly all fatigue and stress corrosion failures originate at the surface, but cracks will not start in a compressively stressed zone. Shot peening makes sure that overlapping dimples create a uniform layer of compressive stresses which therefore lengthens the life of that metal.