A process and a device for the pulsed plasma strengthening of a metallic component, in which the surface to be strengthened is not acted on in a merely punctiform manner and the roughness of the surfaces is not adversely effected, comprising the steps of: providing a metallic component (1, 8, 18), coating a surface section (7, 7′) of the metallic component (1, 8, 18) with a sublimable material (22), applying a pulsed plasma jet (20) to the surface section (7, 7′) in such a way that the material is sublimed and as a result a shock wave is introduced into the component (1, 8, 18) in order to form residual compressive stresses in a region which extends from the surface section (7, 7′) into the component (1, 8, 18).