The article is devoted to the study of the influence of the workpiece size and material as well as deformation waves generated in shock systems with a different ratio of the striker and waveguide lengths (L1/L2 = 3, 5, 10), on the effectiveness of wave deformation hardening (VDH). The peculiarity of this technology is the periodic impact on the surface to be strengthened by waves of deformations generated in the shock system. The research was carried out using finite element modelling. To achieve this goal, models of the machined material (Steel 45, Titanium VT 1-0, Bronze BrAZH 9-4, Aluminum V95), shock pulse generation, wave deformation hardening process were developed. The effectiveness of the VDH was estimated according to the values of the degree and depth of hardening calculated as a result of modelling. The conducted studies showed that the material thickness of the machined sample has the most significant effect on the hardening efficiency among the geometric parameters. The use of shock systems with a ratio of L1/L2=5, compared with L1/L2=3 and 10, with the equal impact energy, allows to obtain large values of the degree and depth of hardening.