Warm Laser Shock Peening: New developments and process optimization

Laser Shock Peening is a well-known technology able to enhance the fatigue life of mechanical components. Surface residual stress is induced by means of the recoil pressure of an ablated coating in a confining medium interacting with a high power density laser. Warm Laser Shock Peening is obtained by laser peening a pre-warmed workpiece surface: combining the thermal effect of the pre-heated surface and the mechanical phenomenon of the recoil shock pressure, the dynamic aging of the surface microstructure is obtained. Precipitates surrounded by dense dislocation together with residual stress considerable increase the mechanical properties of the workpiece. (C) 2011 CIRP.