Residual stress reduction by combined treatment of pulsed magnetic field and pulsed current

This paper reports a significant decrease on residual stress by combined treatment of a pulsed magnetic field and a pulse current on steel samples with pre-induced residual stress conditions, compared to a separately single treatment by either the pulsed magnetic field or the pulsed current. Briefly, 10% stress decrease by pulsed magnetic field treatment and 20% increase by pulsed current treatment were observed respectively. While 60% stress release is achieved by the combined treatments, in which the same magnetic field and current parameters were applied. It is supposed that the magnetic field facilitates dislocations depinning and pulsed current provides conduction electrons to drive dislocations to move further and faster. The combined effects lead to electro-magneto-plasticity and further residual stress release. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.