초록 ▼

A laser peening method and system allows the work piece to be fixed, while moving and directing the laser beam. A laser energy delivery system includes a relay imaging system. Input optics arranged to receive the laser energy, a transmitting mirror having adjustable angle of incidence relative to th

A laser peening method and system allows the work piece to be fixed, while moving and directing the laser beam. A laser energy delivery system includes a relay imaging system. Input optics arranged to receive the laser energy, a transmitting mirror having adjustable angle of incidence relative to the input optics, and a robot mounted processing head including an optical assembly are configured to direct laser energy toward the movable target image plane. The laser energy follows an optical path including an essentially straight segment from the transmitting mirror to the receiving mirror, having a variable length and a variable angle relative to the input optics. Diagnostics on the processing head facilitate operation.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for laser peening a surface of a work piece, comprising: generating first and second laser pulses with a laser system having a fixed position relative to a first optic in a set of optics, and wherein the first optic is controllable to direct laser pulses in an adjust

What is claimed is: 1. A method for laser peening a surface of a work piece, comprising: generating first and second laser pulses with a laser system having a fixed position relative to a first optic in a set of optics, and wherein the first optic is controllable to direct laser pulses in an adjustable direction without intervening optics to a second optic in the set of optics, the second optic having a position movable in three dimensions relative to the first optic defining a segment in beam paths through the set of optics having an adjustable length and an adjustable direction, and controllable to direct laser pulses received via the first optic to another optic in the set of optics; positioning the set of optics to configure a first beam path for propagating laser pulse energy to a first target location on the surface of a work piece; applying the first laser pulse to the first beam path to peen the first target location on the surface of the work piece; after applying the first laser pulse, positioning the set of optics to configure a second beam path for propagating laser pulse energy to a second target location on the surface of a work piece, the second beam path being different than the first beam path, wherein the segment from the first optic to the second optic has a different length and a different direction in the second beam path than in the first beam path; and applying the second laser pulse to the second beam path to peen the second target location on the surface of the work piece; wherein the first and second beam paths include respective segments from the first optic to the second optic having adjustable length of about one meter or more through air. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second optic is mounted on a robot with an optical assembly for delivery of the first and second pulses to the respective first and second target locations. 3. The method of claim 1, including delivering a flow of tamping layer fluid to the first and second target locations. 4. The method of claim 2, including delivering the flow of tamping layer fluid to the first and second target locations using a delivery tool mounted on the robot with the optical assembly. 5. The method of claim 1, including applying said first and second laser pulses to a work piece in situ. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulses have cross-sections, and including enlarging the cross-sections of the first and second pulses for propagation through the respective segments. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulses have cross-sections, and including rotating the cross-sections of the first and second pulses. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second beam paths include respective segments from the first optic, having incident and reflected beam paths, to the second optic, having incident and reflected beam lines, and including rotating cross-sections of the first and second pulses according to an angle between a plane containing the incident and reflected beam lines on the first optic and a plane containing the incident and reflected beam lines on the second optic. 9. The method of claim 2, including mounting the robot on a movable platform. 10. The method of claim 2, including mounting the robot on a movable platform on a rail system and positioning the rail system adjacent to a structure including the work piece in situ. 11. The method of claim 1, including placing the work piece on a rotary stage, and rotating the work piece in combination with positioning the set of optics to configure the first beam path. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the work piece has a substantially circularly symmetrical cross-section, and including placing the work piece on a rotary stage, and said rotating the work piece in combination with positioning the set of optics to configure the first beam path. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second laser pulses have respective energies per pulse in a range from about 10 to about 100 Joules per pulse. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second laser pulses have respective pulse widths in a range from about 10 to 30 nanoseconds. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second laser pulses have respective energies in a range from about 10 to about 100 Joules per pulse and respective pulse widths in a range from about 10 to 30 nanoseconds. 16. The method of claim 1, including relaying an image of a near field output of the source to a target image plane, and wherein said first and second beam paths position the target image plane within a range of distance before or after the first and second target locations. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, including relaying an image of a near field output of the source to a target image plane, and wherein said first and second beam paths position the target image plane within about 1 meter before or after the first and second target locations. 18. The method of claim 1, including directing a fraction of the first pulse from the first beam path to diagnostic components. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulses have a wavelength of about 1.1 micron or less, and an energy greater than 250 mJ per pulse. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulses have a wavelength of about 1.1 micron or less, and an energy greater than 10 J per pulse. 21. An apparatus for laser peening a surface of a work piece, comprising: a source of pulses of laser energy having sufficient energy for laser peening the surface of the work piece; a first adjustable optic mounted in a fixed position relative to the source of pulses adapted to direct the pulses of laser energy on a beam line having an adjustable direction; an optical assembly having a position moveable in three dimensions mounted on a robot, the optical assembly including a second adjustable optic adapted to receive the pulses of laser energy on the beam line without intervening optics so that the beam line has an adjustable length and to direct the pulses of laser energy to another optic in the optical assembly; and a control system coupled to the robot, the first adjustable optic and the second adjustable optic, which controls the first adjustable optic to set the adjustable direction, controls the second adjustable optic to receive the pulses from the first adjustable optic and positions the optical assembly to configure a first beam path for delivery of a first pulse of laser energy via the optical assembly to the surface of the work piece and a second beam path for delivery of a second pulse of laser energy via the optical assembly to the surface of the work piece, the second beam path being different from the first beam path; wherein the adjustable length of the beam line is about one meter or more through air. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, including a second optical assembly mounted on a second robot, including a third adjustable optic; and wherein the control system is coupled to the second robot and third adjustable optic, and positions the first adjustable optic, the third adjustable optic and the second optical assembly to configure a third beam path for delivery of a third pulse of laser energy via the second optical assembly to the surface of the work piece. 23. The apparatus of claim 21, including optics which enlarge the cross-sections of the first and second pulses for propagation through the beam line. 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first and second pulses have cross-sections, and including optics which rotate the cross-sections of the first and second pulses for propagation through the beam line. 25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first and second beam paths have incident and reflected beam lines at the first optic, and incident and reflected beam lines at the second optic, and including controllable optics to rotate cross-sections of the first and second pulses according to an angle between a plane containing the incident and reflected beam lines on the first optic and a plane containing the incident and reflected beam lines on the second optic. 26. The apparatus of claim 21, including a movable platform, and wherein the robot holding the optical assembly and the second optic are mounted on the movable platform. 27. The apparatus of claim 21, including a rail system adapted for placement adjacent to a structure including the work piece in situ, and a movable platform on the rail system, and wherein the robot holding the optical assembly and the second optic are mounted on the movable platform. 28. The apparatus of claim 21, including a rotary stage, adapted for holding the work piece adjacent the optical assembly. 29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the work piece has a substantially circularly symmetric cross-section, and including a rotary stage, adapted for holding the work piece adjacent the optical assembly, and the controller includes components that control rotation of the rotary stage. 30. The apparatus of claim 21, including a fluid delivery vessel by which a flow of tamping fluid is delivered to the surface of the work piece. 31. The apparatus of claim 21, including a fluid delivery vessel on the robot by which a flow of tamping fluid is delivered to the surface of the work piece. 32. The apparatus of claim 21, including a movable platform, and wherein the robot holding the optical assembly and the second optic are mounted on the movable platform, and including a mechanism on the movable platform to deliver a flow of tamping fluid to the surface of the work piece. 33. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first and second laser pulses have respective energies per pulse in a range from about 10 to about 100 Joules per pulse. 34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first and second laser pulses have respective pulse widths in a range from about 10 to 30 nanoseconds. 35. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first and second laser pulses have respective energies in a range from about 10 to about 100 Joules per pulse and respective pulse widths in a range from about 10 to 30 nanoseconds. 36. The apparatus of claim 21, including optics relaying an image of a near field output of the source to a target image plane, and wherein said first and second beam paths position the target image plane within a range of distance before or after the first and second target locations. 37. The apparatus of claim 21, including optics relaying an image of a near field output of the source to a target image plane, and wherein said first and second beam paths position the target image plane within about 1 meter before or after the first and second target locations. 38. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the optical assembly includes diagnostic components. 39. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first and second pulses have a wavelength of about 1.1 micron or less, and an energy greater than 250 mJ per pulse. 40. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first and second pulses have a wavelength of about 1.1 micron or less, and an energy greater than 10 J per pulse. 41. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the source of pulses of laser energy comprises a master oscillator/power amplifier system.