Abstract. In this paper, experimental results about hardness and phase composition of surface layer of AISI 304L SS, machined by using ball burnishing process, conducted under a new kinematic scheme, are presented. The effect of different combinations of the process regime parameters on the amount of strain induced martensitic phase, is discussed. The amounts of austenitic and strain induced martensitic phases are identified by x-ray diffractometer. Micro hardness along the depth of the hardened layer is measured. Conclusions about the influence of the ball burnishing process on strain induced martensitic phase are given.