Process Mechanics of Low Plasticity Burnishing of Nitinol Alloy

Nitinol alloys have received considerable attention in biomedical and aerospace applications. Surface integrity of Nitinol devices by various manufacturing processes is crucial for their functionality. Low plasticity burnishing (LPB) is very promising to modify surface integrity due to its unique capability to adjust material properties down to the deep subsurface on the order of a few millimeters. Burnishing mechanics is essential to understand its effect on surface properties. The depth and width of burnished surface materials are characterized. A three-dimensional finite element simulation has been developed to incorporate the superelastic mechanical behavior of Nitinol. The simulation predictions are validated with the experimental results. The contact stresses, residual stresses, and strain profiles are investigated to better understand burnishing mechanics.