초록 ▼

A method for quality assurance of a laser shock peening process of workpieces includes measuring and recording or temporal light intensity data over a short period during the duration of a plasma associated with the vaporized material from laser shots fired during a production laser shock peening pr

A method for quality assurance of a laser shock peening process of workpieces includes measuring and recording or temporal light intensity data over a short period during the duration of a plasma associated with the vaporized material from laser shots fired during a production laser shock peening process. The recorded temporal data is then analyzed to obtain an instantaneous optical spectrum of the plasma and then used to provide statistical control of the production laser shock peening process. One correlation function of the present invention is based on a time integrated spectral peak intensity wavelength curve for each of the laser firings and for which a peak intensity wavelength is determined for a plurality of times during each plasma of a plurality or all of the firings. Production results from the analysis of the instantaneous optical spectrum is used to determine whether the production laser shock peening process is acceptable. One embodiment of the method compares the production results from the analysis of the instantaneous optical spectrum to a correlation of test results from the analysis of instantaneous optical spectrum and high cycle fatigue failure based on high cycle fatigue tests of test workpieces that are the same or related to the production workpieces and that were laser shock peened in the same or similar laser shock peening apparatus.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for quality control testing of a laser shock peening process of production workpieces, said method comprising the following steps:(a) firing at least one laser beam pulse from a laser shock peening apparatus on a metallic surface associated with the workpiece and

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for quality control testing of a laser shock peening process of production workpieces, said method comprising the following steps:(a) firing at least one laser beam pulse from a laser shock peening apparatus on a metallic surface associated with the workpiece and forming a plasma having a duration in which the plasma causes a region to form beneath the surface, the region having deep compressive residual stresses imparted by the laser shock peening process,(b) measuring a plurality of optical emissions spectrums radiated by the plasma at a corresponding plurality of times during a period of time during the duration of the plasma, and(c) comparing relative distributions of energy within the spectrums to pass or fail criteria for accepting or rejecting the workpieces.