Improvement of surface roughness and hardness in UHMWPE through slide burnishing

This study evaluates the effect of slide burnishing parameters (burnishing speed, feed and force) on the surface quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) cylindrical bars under dry conditions. The objective was to enhance surface roughness (Ra) and Shore D hardness. A face-centred central composite design with 48 experimental samples was analysed using response surface methodology and analysis of variance. Tests were performed on a CNC lathe using a diamond-tip burnishing-tool. The optimal parameters (50 rpm, 267.4 N and 0.01 mm/rev) reduced Ra by 54.4% while the best hardness improvement (6.4%) occurred at 500 rpm and 500 N. Interaction effects between parameters were significant, and a second-order model predicted Ra with an R2 = 82.7%. The findings confirm that slide burnishing effectively improves UHMWPE surfaces under dry conditions, offering predictive modelling and practical insights for industrial applications.