In components made from metallic materials , residual stresses occur during manufacture , processing and deformation which are unevenly expressed and distributed . These can lead to distortion and cracking of the component during further processing and , with the operating load , can even lead to its failure . Traditionally , stress relief annealing is the method of choice for relieving internal stresses in metallic structures . Equally tried and tested for decades , yet significantly less well known and used , is vibratory stress relief . This process is considerably faster , cheaper and more environmentally friendly . In view of increasing demands on environmental protection , resource conservation and cost structures , vibratory stress relief for the dimensional stabilisation of welded components before , during or after mechanical processing is , therefore , becoming increasingly important from the perspective of sustainability and costeffectiveness .