Laser peening [SubsTech] Page 1 of 2

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Laser peening
Dr. Dmitri Kopeliovich

Laser peening is a cold work process, in which the

metal part is struck by a high energy pulsed laser beam
producing high amplitude stress waves.
The surface material resists to stretching induced by
the stress waves resulting in a formation of a
compression stressed skin.

A typical laser system used for laser peening has the

following parameters:

■ Laser wavelength is about 0.04 µinch (1 µm).

■ Pulse duration 10-50 nanoseconds.
■ Pulse energy 50-100 joules.
■ Beam diameter 0.2” (5 mm).

Prior to laser peening the material surface is plated with

an opaque layer of black paint, metal foil or tape. The
black layer is then covered with a transparent overlay
(commonly flowing water).
The material of the black layer has low heat of vaporization. When the laser strikes the workpiece surface the
pulses energy is absorbed by the opaque material, which heats up, vaporizes and forms a high temperature
plasma. The plasma gas is trapped between the workpiece surface and the transparent water layer limiting
the thermal expansion of the gas. As a result the gas pressure increases to extremely high value. The high
pressure is transmitted to the workpiece material producing a shock wave, which travels through the part
material and generates compression stress.
Effect of laser peening is cold work (not heating nor melting).
The purpose of water is to confine the high pressure plasma gas (not cooling the workpiece surface).

The depth of the residual compression stress layer produced by laser peening is over 0.04” (1 mm), which is
4-5 times deeper than the compressed zone produced by Shot peening.

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Laser peening [SubsTech] Page 2 of 2

The residual compression stresses inhibits both crack initiation and propagation. Therefore laser peening is
used mainly for increasing fatigue strength. Due to deeper penetration of the compression stress zone laser
peening provides higher effect on surface related properties as compared to shot peening.

Steels, nodular (ductile) cast irons, sintered iron alloys, Aluminum alloys, Nickel alloys and Titanium alloys
may be treated by laser peening.

The properties, which may be increased by laser peening:

■ fatigue strength
■ Stress corrosion cracking
■ Corrosion fatigue
■ Resistance to Intergranular corrosion

The components, which are normally laser peened: aircraft gas turbine engine fan blades, airframe
structures, helicopter transmission gears, jet engine rotors, disks, gears and shafts, oil tools (drill collars,
bits, mud pumps).

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Related internal links

■ Rolling
■ Forging
■ Extrusion
■ Drawing
■ Deep drawing
■ Steel strip processing
■ Shot peening
■ Plastic deformation
■ Fatigue

Related external links

https://www.llnl.gov/str/Hackel.html [https://www.llnl.gov/str/Hackel.html]
http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/25/17/65/PDF/ajp-jp4199303C7143.pdf [http://hal.archives-
ouvertes.fr/docs/00/25/17/65/PDF/ajp-jp4199303C7143.pdf]
http://www.shotpeener.com/library/pdf/1990071.pdf [http://www.shotpeener.com/library/pdf/1990071.pdf]
http://ctma.ncms.org/templates/CompletedProjects_LasershotPeening.htm
[http://ctma.ncms.org/templates/CompletedProjects_LasershotPeening.htm]
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20070003689_2007002198.pdf
[http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20070003689_2007002198.pdf]
http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/mindworks/Machine_Design/Posters/MS_Office/Peening_Poster .ppt#256,1,Slide
1 [http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/mindworks/Machine_Design/Posters/MS_Office/Peening_Poster.ppt#256,1,Slide 1]

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laser_peening.txt · Last modified: 2012/05/31 by dmitri_kopeliovich

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