Modeling Residual Stresses in the Process of Pneumatic Shotblasting Hardening of Take-Off and Landing Device Components Made of Titanium Alloys

The hardening of take-off and landing device components made of titanium alloys presents significant challenges, particularly in ensuring the accuracy of the shape and alignment of surfaces during pneumatic shotblasting hardening (PSH). Addressing the technological challenge of precision and surface quality assurance involves controlling the degree and depth of residual stress propagation after PSH. This study models the pneumatic shotblasting process of VT22 titanium alloy using the ANSYS and RockyDEM software packages. Three problem scenarios were analyzed: interaction of a single shot; interaction of the shot flow with the processed surface in 2D; and interaction of the shot flow with the processed surface in 3D. The developed finite element and simulation models enabled the determination of the stress-strain state of the surface layer of workpieces. The dynamic behavior of the shot flow was investigated, allowing the determination of contact spot dimensions, stagnant zones, and the critical number of impacts required for maximum plastic deformation in a single dent. It was found that increasing the shot velocity from 60 to 90 m/s reduces the number of impacts required from 12–15 to 6–8. Calculations reveal that applying PSH under the optimized conditions obtained through modeling improved the fatigue strength of the component by 28%.