초록 ▼

A continuous motion laser shock peening apparatus and method for laser shock peening a workpiece. A laser controller modulates and fires a laser beam from a laser unit. A motion controller is controllably connected to a manipulator and to the laser controller to fire the laser beam based on axis pos

A continuous motion laser shock peening apparatus and method for laser shock peening a workpiece. A laser controller modulates and fires a laser beam from a laser unit. A motion controller is controllably connected to a manipulator and to the laser controller to fire the laser beam based on axis position feedback from a speed control of the motion controller. The laser controller has a standby mode for flashing a laser flash lamp at a flash rate without triggering the laser beam and a firing mode that triggers and fires the laser beam in laser beam pulses. The laser controller includes a synchronizing means for synchronizing a triggering signal provided to the laser interface controller by the computerized motion controller to fire the laser beam pulses and the flash rate substantially at a time when the laser beam pulses are to be generated.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A continuous motion laser shock peening apparatus comprising: a laser unit for generating a laser beam for laser shock peening a workpiece,a motion controller controllably connected to a manipulator for continuously moving and positioning the workpiece,a laser controller for modulating and firing

1. A continuous motion laser shock peening apparatus comprising: a laser unit for generating a laser beam for laser shock peening a workpiece,a motion controller controllably connected to a manipulator for continuously moving and positioning the workpiece,a laser controller for modulating and firing the laser beam from the laser unit,a laser firing system for firing the laser beam from the laser unit, andthe motion controller operably connected to the laser controller to fire the laser beam based on axis position feedback from a speed control of the motion controller. 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: at least one flash lamp operably disposed for actuating a lasing rod in the laser unit,the laser controller having first and second modes for modulating and firing the laser beam from the laser unit,the first mode being a standby mode for flashing the flash lamp at a flash rate without triggering the laser beam, andthe second mode being a firing mode that triggers and fires the laser beam in laser beam pulses. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a synchronizing means for synchronizing a triggering signal provided to the laser interface controller by the computerized motion controller to fire laser beam pulses of the laser beam and the flash rate of the flashing of the flash lamp at a time substantially when the laser beam pulses are to be generated. 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the motion controller operably connected to the laser controller and programmed to fire the laser beam based on a predetermined spacing along one or more axes of the manipulator. 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the predetermined spacing is based on encoding counts generated by the motion controller and representing distances along the axes. 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the computerized motion controller operable to send the triggering signal and the laser controller operable to flash the flash lamp at the same frequency. 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the motion controller operably connected to the laser controller and programmed to fire the laser beam based on a predetermined spacing along one or more axes of the manipulator. 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the predetermined spacing is based on encoding counts generated by the motion controller and representing distances along the axes. 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising: an oscillator including a lasing rod operably disposed between front and rear mirrors and the flash lamp,the oscillator further including a shutter disposed between front mirror and the lasing rod and a Q-switch located between the lasing rod and the rear mirror, andthe Q-switch controllably connected to the laser controller for triggering and firing the laser beam pulses. 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the laser controller including a synchronizing means for synchronizing the laser beam pulse to the flash rate of the flashing of the flash lamp at a time substantially when the laser beam pulse is generated. 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising the motion controller operably connected to the laser controller to fire the laser beam based on a predetermined spacing along one or more axes of the manipulator. 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the predetermined spacing is based on encoding counts generated by the motion controller and representing distances along the axes. 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising: an oscillator including a lasing rod operably disposed between front and rear mirrors and the flash lamp,a double Pocel Cell positioned directly between the oscillator and a high speed shutter along a beam path leading out of the oscillator, andthe laser controller controllably connected to the double Pocel Cell and the high speed shutter for triggering and firing the laser beam pulses. 14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the laser controller including a synchronizing means for synchronizing the laser beam pulse to the flash rate of the flashing of the flash lamp at a time substantially when the laser beam pulse is generated. 15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further comprising the motion controller operably connected to the laser controller to fire the laser beam based on a predetermined spacing along one or more axes of the manipulator. 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the predetermined spacing is based on encoding counts generated by the motion controller and representing distances along the axes. 17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the triggering signal provided to the laser interface controller by the computerized motion controller includes a header and one of the laser controller and the motion controller is programmed to start firing the laser beam pulses after the header. 18. A continuous motion laser shock peening method comprising: firing laser beam pulses of the laser beam on a laser shock peening surface of a workpiece with a laser unit having an oscillator to form at least a first row of laser shock peened spots with at least a single pass of the laser beam on the laser shock peening surface,modulating and controlling the laser unit with a laser interface controller to fire the laser beam on the laser shock peening surface,continuously moving and positioning the workpiece with a manipulator controlled by a computerized motion controller, andfiring the laser beam pulses based on axis position feedback from a speed control of the motion controller to the laser controller. 19. A method as claimed in claim 18 further comprising operating the laser controller in first and second modes wherein the first mode is a standby mode for flashing a flash lamp of the oscillator at a flash rate without triggering the laser beam and the second mode is a firing mode that fires the laser beam pulses. 20. A method as claimed in claim 19 further comprising sending a triggering signal from the computerized motion controller to the laser interface controller and synchronizing the triggering signal and the flash rate at a time substantially when the laser beam pulse are to be generated in the firing mode. 21. A method as claimed in claim 20 further comprising placing a header on the triggering signal wherein the header delays the computerized motion controller from firing the laser beam pulse for at least a first pulse of a train of the triggering signal. 22. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the triggering signal is based on a predetermined spacing along one or more axes of the manipulator. 23. A continuous motion laser shock peening method comprising: firing laser beam pulses of the laser beam on a laser shock peening surface of a workpiece with a laser unit having an oscillator and using at least first and second passes of the laser beam on the laser shock peening surface to form a laser shock peened patch having multiple rows of laser shock peened spots,modulating and controlling the laser unit with a laser interface controller to fire the laser beam on the laser shock peening surface,continuously moving and positioning the workpiece with a manipulator controlled by a computerized motion controller, andfiring the laser beam pulses based on axis position feedback from a speed control of the motion controller to the laser controller. 24. A method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising operating the laser controller in first and second modes wherein the first mode is a standby mode for flashing a flash lamp of the oscillator at a flash rate without triggering the laser beam and the second mode is a firing mode that fires the laser beam pulses. 25. A method as claimed in claim 24 further comprising sending a triggering signal from the computerized motion controller to the laser interface controller and synchronizing the triggering signal and the flash rate substantially at a time substantially when the laser beam pulse are to be generated in the firing mode. 26. A method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising placing a header on the triggering signal wherein the header delays the computerized motion controller from firing the laser beam pulses for at least a first pulse of a train of the triggering signal. 27. A method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising placing start and stop masks at distal ends of a patch area where the laser shock peened patch is to be formed on the laser shock peened surface and firing at least a first one of the laser beam pulses on the start mask on each pass of the laser beam on the laser shock peening surface. 28. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the triggering signal is based on a predetermined spacing along one or more axes of the manipulator. 29. A method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising the laser shock peened patch being a hybrid patch having overlapping laser shock peened spots with different percentages of overlap. 30. A method as claimed in claim 29 further comprising operating the laser controller in first and second modes wherein the first mode is a standby mode for flashing a flash lamp of the oscillator at a flash rate without triggering the laser beam and the second mode is a firing mode that fires the laser beam pulses. 31. A method as claimed in claim 30 further comprising sending a triggering signal from the computerized motion controller to the laser interface controller and synchronizing the triggering signal and the flash rate substantially at a time substantially when the laser beam pulse are to be generated in the firing mode. 32. A method as claimed in claim 31 further comprising placing a header on the triggering signal wherein the header delays the computerized motion controller from firing the laser beam pulses for at least a first pulse of a train of the triggering signal.