Traditionally, the choice of which manufacturing process to use for a particular artefact is based on such things as cost, time, space etc. However, over recent years, another factor has become significant and this is the effect the surface generated by a manufacturing process has on functional performance. This is expressed in terms such as fatigue, corrosion and strength.

The state and attributes of a manufactured surface that influence performance are described by the term surface integrity . If the surface integrity is low the functional performance will be poor, and if it is high the functional performance will be good. Therefore, the surface integrity produced by manufactured surfaces is vitally important.

The subject of surface integrity is covered by the literature in a variety of disparate sources. Each surface integrity aspect is addressed in sections of books covering metrology, metallurgy, materials, stress and chemistry. There is no single book that considers surface integrity from a manufacturing processes point of view. This book is written for undergraduate students as well as conversion post-graduate students studying manufacturing engineering. Its aim is to introduce surface integrity in the context of commonly used manufacturing processes. So far as the undergraduate students are concerned, they take the module supported by this book after they have taken basic manufacturing processes modules at the foundation levels. The aim is to help the selection of a manufacturing process for a particular situation. In other modules, process selection information is provided on cost, space, time etc and to...