This article deals with the effect of strain-assisted tempering (SAT) on the fatigue properties of 54SiCr6 steel used for spring steel wires in a wide variety of automotive applications, including coil springs. This steel spring wire is extremely strong, having a high elastic limit and yield point, giving the steel excellent energy accumulation and fatigue properties. This combination opens up new possibilities in helical and cylindrical coil spring design, resulting in the reduction of both size and weight. Lightweight coil springs lead to improvements in fuel consumption, stability and vehicle traction. A large plastic deformation and SAT were applied to enhance the yield point of the study material. Improvements in the static and cyclic properties of steel springs were investigated using tensile tests and 3PB fatigue tests at ambient temperature. In addition, an advanced laser shock peening (LSP) process was employed to increase the fatigue resistance of the SAT material. The results presented here show great improvements in the static and fatigue properties over commercial steel treatment. The material quality of the wires was evaluated to be insufficient for further processing with cold coiling.

COMTES FHT a s Průmyslová 995 334 41 Dobřany Czech Republic

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Czech Technical University Prague Technická 1902 4 160 00 Prague Czech Republic

Faculty of Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering Kielce University of Technology Al Tysiąclecia Państwa Polskiego 7 25 314 Kielce Poland

Hilase Centre Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Za Radnicí 828 252 41 Dolní Břežany Czech Republic

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