Estimation of Internal Stress Profiles Using the Barkhausen Noise Effect—Application: Verification to the Homogeneity of the Shot Peening Process Performed on the Raceways of Aerospace Bearing Rings

In this paper, we present a nondestructive method based on the Barkhausen noise effect for estimating internal stress profiles, with the goal of controlling bearing raceways to determine the homogeneity of the shot peening process. Given the industrial imperative to characterize parts, our method concentrates on stress profiles in the first $60μm$ under the surface, in steps of 5 or $10μm$⁠. Our results show the efficient use of Barkhausen noise to estimate the residual stress profiles of bearing raceways. A mapping of the stress profiles measured by Barkhausen noise was completed for the entire width of an outer ring raceway. This study confirmed that it is possible to use Barkhausen noise to test the uniformity of the shot peening treatment and to inspect the homogeneity of surface and subsurface stresses on the bearing rings. The proposed method is rapid, well suited to industrial imperatives connected to on-line measurement, and easily adapted to the circular geometries of the bearing rings.