Surface integrity is the properties of a material after manufacturing or modification. It consists of topography and internal surface characteristics. Manufacturing processes can have positive or negative effects on surface integrity, altering material properties permanently.
Surface integrity reflects the properties of a material after it has been subjected to some type of manufacturing process or modification. Engineers and product designers often plan designs based on the known characteristics of a particular metal. For example, these designers know that a specific steel alloy offers a certain level of strength or hardness. After the material has been changed, these original properties may no longer apply, as many manufacturing processes create a permanent change in the material. Surface integrity helps these individuals determine how a material will change under certain conditions and what its new properties are versus its old ones.
The surface integrity of any material consists of two fundamental components. They include the topography and internal surface characteristics of the product. Topography reflects changes on the outside surface of a material and includes things like smoothness, bumps or waves, pitting, and cracks. Internal characteristics relate to changes just below the outer surface, such as deformation and changes in strength or hardness. They don’t include internal changes at the heart of a material, but rather at the layer just below the surface.
Ultimately, most manufacturing processes will have some impact on surface integrity, although this doesn’t always have to be the case. Normal turning, grinding or milling work, when done correctly, will not affect the integrity of the surface. However, when these processes are performed using poor techniques or dull tools, they can have a major impact on material properties. Excessive heat, cold, or speed or work can also lead to significant changes.
More invasive procedures almost always have a permanent effect on surface integrity. They can include electrical treatments, such as plating, which adds a permanent coating to the metal, or chemical treatments. Almost all chemical treatments, as well as excessive heat, can alter the material at a molecular level, causing irreversible changes in its very structure. Burnishing and other types of deformation also result in changes, especially when applied to plastics.
Changes in surface integrity can be positive or negative. Negative changes could mean that the material can no longer be used as intended. For example, a steel column subject to hardening may eventually be too brittle to support a structure. Positive changes are those that give the material the desired finish or look, such as burnishing to smooth out a rough piece of material. Positive changes in surface integrity also include those that improve properties such as hardness, strength, or moisture resistance.
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