Purpose This study aims to investigate the mechanical and wear performance of ball-burnished ZE41 magnesium alloy with varying lateral feed to improve the service life. Design/methodology/approach Ball burnishing of ZE41 alloy was performed with different lateral feeds (LF) from 25 µm to 125 µm. Surface topography and roughness were investigated. The cross-sectional microstructure was analyzed, and the microhardness was measured. A reciprocating wear test facility was utilized, and the coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate were calculated. A scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to investigate the worn surface morphology. Findings Burnishing filled voids and deformed the surface asperities plastically. The 50 µm LF exhibited the best surface finish (0.481 µm) with a reduction of 46.2 % in surface roughness. The burnishing affected grains near the top surface up to a layer of 293 ± 21 µm along the depth. The highest microhardness (87 ± 4.3 HV) was observed at 50 µm LF with an improvement of 33.2 %. Higher LF beyond 50 µm resulted in increased surface roughness and decreased microhardness. A minimum COF (0.15) with the lowest wear rate (2.87 × 10–4 mm3/Nm) by a reduction of 58.3 % was observed at 50 µm LF. Improvements in surface finish and microhardness are responsible for better wear performance in the burnished alloy. Originality/value The lateral feed influenced surface roughness, microhardness and wear resistance of ZE41 alloy significantly. This provides a theoretical approach for selection of ball burnishing parameters in industrial applications.
Baral et al. (Tue,) studied this question.